Graham guardian., 1900-06-01

4 t0dI ltt tnt tuOO hi tuV tCifOW.
stood there with more ropes ON him
than he could carry and didn't lock
big enough 10 harm fy. After Fam
| shaw got their attention the FIRST thing
he demanded was tina, they let the
prisoner tell his story. He gained his
point and the little chap began TO talk.
You could hardly hear what he said.
he was so istigued and hoarse. In
the name OF God and Christianity he
said. let me have o chance to prove
I'm not guilty
| "Syd Hart. Thad Williams and their
| faction were too full of whisky and
hatred 70 be moved hy mere sloqnence; !;
they were there for blood. and they
were going 70 have IL; so they tried
| TO drown out what the prisoner was
| saying. But FsnshAw. towering above
| them all on his horse, hnally succeeded
| in getting him heard and the boys
| story satisfied me Of his innocence. he
! said the money he had was his saw
! ings from two years hard work in an
IRON foundry in Chattanooga and tha,
he was taking it home TO his widowed
mother who depends on him for her
| support. He said he was tramping
| home on foot to save the expenae OF a
railroad ticket. Somebody asked him
| why he had tried 10 escape from the
sheriff. and he said he was afraid Of
being lynched-that he had heard Of
( the treatment men accused Of crime re-
| ceived In these mountains.
Then some one asked him about the
blood on his hands and shirt, and he
showed them cut q, his leg which
had been bound up and was bleeding.
about that time Sgd Hart became
! obstreperous again. Captain. saw
you talking 20 him just then. won-
dered II you had said anything to in.
flame"
II thought ! might reason with him"
broke in Wrinkle. with start 81 saw
he was clear out Of his head. wholly
unreasonable, you know"
"Well. you seemed 10 have s,ruck
stony ground for your good seed"
laughed Hnsbrooke. ''for he got wilder
than ever"
"Oh, do go onl" cried Mrs. Lancas.
ter. What became OF Mr.. Fanshaw ?"
II was coming to him." said the old
man. "As soon as he appeared on the
scene. the sheriff. who had hardly
opened his mouth in any sort OF remon-
strance. picked up his courage and be-
gan TO try 10 ge, possession Of the pris-
oner; but nobody paid any attention to
him. Hart and Williams had their ears
However. young Fanshaw saw how the
thing was going and brough, /, to TO-
Gus by the most unexpected and
risky move ever saw. Pretending that
he wanted the people in the edge OF the
crowd TO see how small the prisoner
was. he lifted the little fellow OPTIC bis
horse in front Of him. and. before any
one suspected what he was up TO. he
had wheeled his horse and was off like
the wind. sgd Har' pulled his revolver
and aimed /, az Fanshaw's back. bu;
Dave Fanshaw knocked the weapon up,
and Il went off without harming any
one. Then Dave held pistol at Harris
head and dared him TO stir a muscle,
This quarrel drew the attention of the
mob from the prisoner aiN Fanshaw
bore him away withou' any opposition.
The sheriff followed at his heels. They
have gone with him TO the Jail in Dam
ube. He'll be safe there"
Evelyn was closely watching Wrinkle;
she had read him better than had her
father.
"lt was the noblest deed ever heard
Of" she said. exultingly.
Wrinkle responded with a. shrug and
frown.
S"Fanshaw will pay well for il, in all
probability" he said. Eul,enly.
Despite her habitual command over
her emotions Evelyn's face fell. but she
did not crafty her enemy BY reply
ing to his thrust.
Her father agreed with Wrinkle.
'Yes." he said. ''it is not over yet by
any means. sgd and Thad will certain
~ be bent on revenge. and Fanshaw
will be their target. never saw more
malignant counteaance than Hart's
when he realized that his plans were
thwar,ed. l guess he will lie in wait
for Fanshsw on his return from Dan
ube."
Grown suddenly faint. Evelyn turned
into the hall. Mr.. Hardy's voice followed
her and beat pleasantly on her ears. Il
certainly take off my hat TO that sort
Of courage" he was saying. "Fanshaw
has the right kind OF grit. It's pity
the world has not more men like him.
Evelyn's window commanded view
OF the road leading from Danube TO
Fanshaw's house, and the remainder of
the night, sleepless and distraught. she
sat gazing across the fields at spot she
knew be must pass on his way home.
And there. in that awful still suspense.
she read her heart as abe had never read
H. before.
"Yes." she confessed to herself. aloud.
because she loved TO hear her own voice
pronouncing a truth which seemed to
have quickened her soul into new and
higher life. yea love him! / love
him!"
About five O'Clock, after Il had grown
Iight--when the sky in the east was
turning golden--her long vigil was re-
warded. Moving along the road, with
tired step. she saw white horse. and
n moment later she recognized the
rider. Then she put her icy hands TO
her face and burst into tears OF relief.
An hour later, with a mothers solici-
tude. Mrs. Lancaster stole into her room
and found her asleep, her head resting
on the bare window board. The good
woman comprehended II all, and, rails
ing the girls face, she kissed her eye.
lids till they opened.
"Iie Is safe!" were Evelyn's first
,vor,y. .I eau him coma horpn I In.