Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-10-10
CHAPTER XIII.
HOW A MESSAGE CAME TO HER.

The Hon. l.. Louise odwyn, arising
early next morning because he had a
horse which needed attention, stumbled
over the form of Maude. who was lying
upon his back with his black eyes fix
ed on the sky, and speedily released
him So cramped was he that it was
necessary TO call help and carry him
into the quarters A large bruise up
on his cheek showed where a heavy
blow had fallen and there was some
dried blood on his lips Otherwise he
was not much harmed and found his
voice, after an application Of brandy,
in string of curses When conference
returned he told them of the prisoners
escape and urged immediate pursuit.
Why" was the chorused objection
the fellow is twenty miles away ia
Mexico by this time, Maude, old chap.
What's the use of running after him,
old chap"
Even the half-crazed Maude was
forced to see the justice Of this and
said no more. Taking to his bed he
refused sullenly to hold further con-
verse with any one and he did not re-
appear at the ranche-house for week.
the disfguring bruise having in that
time disappeared.
Meanwhile the fight of Weston was
subject of considerable comment. They
were men too manly to blame the girl
and were too courteous to express a
doubt if they had had one. The fact
is, however, that they believed the
smuggler had deceived her as to his
condition and that she was as unaware
of his returning strength as they. They
understood that granting him power
to move around he could easily have
explored almost any part of the rancho
house at night, since no guard was
kept could have re-possessed himself
of his weapon without trouble and
might have even ridden away on their
best horse if he had so chosen. The
fact that he had not done so gave them
rather kindly feeling for him, which
was expressed by Glynn in the SEN
tence
Il never liked the way in which he
was captured and the fact that he has
stolen nothing proves that he was not
such rascal after al"
Il beg pardon said Allyn, but
can't endorse his honesty My new
sombrero, which | left hanging on the
deer horns in the hallway, is missing.
I'd much rather he'd taken Deveraux' s
horse"
This was at breakfast and guilty
flush stole to the cheek of Lois. She
could have told a good deal about the
sombrero if so minded and she looked
at Allyn kindly as If she intended to
make ii up to him in some way. She
heard of the mishap to Maude with a
certain secret satisfaction. She told
herself that there was poetic justice in
the fact that having attempted the role
Of assassin he should be stricken for II
and afterward trussed ANONYMOUSLY
like sheep. The incident gave her a
new idea of the muscular power and
quickness of the absent one and she
would not have been a girl II she had
not invested him with gOdlike bravery
and strength, When next she saw
Maude she looked at him curiously
and found him looking at her with
equal intentness. This made her I'M
easy. but she was too high-spirited to
show it palpably. She wondered how
much he knew. how much he suspected
and whether his presence in the path
! u UtI lANtI VII mat AiSul iAdh bttl
| intentional or accidental. His first re-
mark showed plainly the direction In
which his suspicious ran:
ALLYN tells me. Miss English, that
| the cattle thief Weston decamped with
| his aombrero Their two heads must
! be of a size. fact which you may have
| noticed"
II am not likely to have noticed it,
she said coldly.
| ooh. | thought that probably in youI
/ daily. earnest. kindly. almost wifely
| attentions to the wounded bandit yol
may have observed a similarity Of era
NAL development between him and oul
rattle-pated young friend
| Il did not"
! Nor did for that matter, though il
| is true that | saw Weston but once
after he. was shot and then when he was
making his escape"
| You had no time for extended OBJ
| servation?" she questioned malicious
! ~
! Maude flushed darkly and his sharI
\ teeth came together with a click.
Il see well in the dark, as have told
I YOU" he answered "but II was th'
/ sorubrero which fooled me | believed
] the man to be Allyn The brim Of i
was pulled down over his face, as Allyr
often weare 81 There is a marked DIFF
ference in their height, which for TN
moment escaped me. Before perceiy
ed my error ! was struck in coward!
/ fashion"
1T was a straight shot two hundred
/ Yards away she quoted The mar
must have eyes like a cats
What's that you're saying2" he ask
( ed sharply,
Merely an excerpt from the raving
of the fugitive when delirious from
his wound she replied. "Be declare
over and over again that the man VIII
/ shot him In the dark was two hundre'
wards distant and must have possessed
{ abnormal vision"
/ Maude glowered at her. his sharl
teeth meeting upon his black nous
tache. Then he raised his right ham
\ half threateningly and said:
1T seems a singular shing TO ms
Miss English. that the rascal coul
have deceiyed you so completely az I
'ia condition. You are said TO hav