Graham guardian., 1900-06-08
.hrllI Ynico wen size All.

body now pleasc be calm; don't be
afraid o. mel had to do il: he would
have killed me. Perhaps ii would have
been better II he had ] hsve always
thought IA rather die than kill a nan,
even in defense Of my own life. bui IN
the heat OF the fight did no. loot az
II that way. Ali wanted was 10 lit
him-to hit him in the heart before be
could Kill me-"
Every muscle In her body seemed 10
lend an ear TO what be was saying.
The reins fell from her inert fingers
"oh Ronald" (she had never called
the name aloud before. and II thrilled
him to the center OF his benumbed
being), "for Gods sake, tell me il is
not true--there must be some mis-
take"
"Ncne whatever" was his reply, as
his desperate eyes feasted on her
sweet, lovc-fiIled face. Evelyn. dar-
ling" gentle glow showed in his
face like the fame Of his inward. spir-
itual fire, ''there was never the slight
est hope for our love. but had there
been, this would have killed ii. You
have been only hopeless dream 10
me. / have been unworthy OF even
your faith in NE; this is the end:
my struggles were great enough be-
fore, my burden is now too heavy TO
bear. Without CLEAN Of hope cam
not novel haven't that"
She gazed at him steadily, her glance
continually softening.
Ronald raped on the door-facing to-
attract her attention, and when she
looked up he asked her il her husband
was at home.
"He was Jest this minute" she said,
coming forward and wiping her hands
on her apron. ''He took his gun jest
now and went into the strip OF woods
down thar at the foot o. the field. Is il
anything Important"
Il came to turn myself over TO him.
Mrs. Ratcliff; II you could send for
him, perhaps he would like for you TO
do it,"
Il could blow the dinner horn" she
betrayed no surprise, if she felt any.
over his announcement. 1T might
wake the baby, but reckon could
quiet IL down ag'in."
She gave him a seat in the passage
and took his hat and laid IL, according
to rules Of hospitality, on her bed in
the room on the left. Then she reached
up for the cows horn, which hung on
nail on the porch.
"Haye you got yoreself in trouble,
Mr.. Fanshaw?' she asked, as she raised
the horn TO her lips.
1--WE killed sydney Hart, Mrs. Rat
cliff" He gave this explanation after
a slight Hesitation. for he feared that
being a woman ard alone with him II
might upset her nerves.
"You don't say" she calculated;
"well, III be switched"
She did not seem more surprised than
if he had told her that he had ha,l
tooth extracted, and then be remem-
bered that she had been Ratcliff's com
panion in many rough experience.
One night when he was taking ihree
desperadoes TO jail and had stopped 40
home for refreshments, he fcund that
the mountain streams ahead we're so
much swollen by recent rains lha; be
-
open TO him but TO convert their com
pany room into a temporary prison.
Mrs. Ratcliff sat up till daybreak with
a shotgun on one knee, and restless
baby on the other, and remarked after
wards that she didn't sleep half the
night.
Ronald watched her as she stood Ike
an Amazon in the doorway and gave
two long sehoing blasts o. he born.
Then she came Ssck TO him.
well reckon you had oheegn2 -
do it," as she looked into the room on
the right at the little box cradle. "Mr.
Ratcliff lowed you an sgd would have
a taste o. one another's gore fore long;
he lowed he'd never seed man with
yore reckless nerve. an that Hart never
would sleep till he'd bucked ag'in it,"
The babytbeing quiet, she stepped
back to the door. II see Mr.. Ratcliff
comm liekity-split through the broom-
sedge. We agreed when thar was any
thing important fur me 10 blow twice;
/ reckon he'll think the house Is atre.
My lal did you ever see a body ske-
daddle like that? You'd think hoop
snake was at his heels! Nothin' amt.
the matterl" (she shouted This to her
husband); "you are wanted-thats
all" She stood in the doorway and
waved her hands. II want i'm to see
Pm unharmed ur he'd break his foos
neck"
A moment later the sheriff came into
the passage painting and peIspiring
.'Well lowed the niggers had riz,
he laughed.
Briefly Ronald explained what he had
come for and Ratcliff pulled his long
brown beard thoughtfully. He would
have made joke II he were ~ faaerai
and the joke had been atsihe expense
Of the corpse.
"It's bad on me-" he said .drily> "ifyou
fellers kill out many more ringleaders
like Syd IN be out OF job-tAss skunk
has been bread an meat TO me fur a
long time. But, no jokin', we'd better
make a bee line fur town, an III see
il cant git you up a bond. loa are
too good citizen to be stuck in 3 COM
mon jail. We cayn't do q Thing till
we've had committai trial. To
tell you the truth, don't like
the looks of tha,rbusiness. Thad
Williams is devil on wheels; he'll give
you trouble. What he'll swear won't
be prompted by the angels. an his
threat shows his hand. But his testi-
mony, true or untrue, will 20 as fur
at court as presidin' elders. Many
an innocent man has had his life swore
away by designin' raseals."
Continued next week