The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1901-04-11

ance, for he understood, and as we new
along my feet at times seemed not tt
touch the ground.
Our pursuers reached the crest of the
swell and raised a shout of triumph al
they saw the dead horse in the path anC
the single horse running on, carrying
one of the fugitives and half carrying
the other
l took one quick look backward an6
calculated that we would reach the hut
i'll time. Our pursuers evidently did not
think So for they fired no more shots
The girl was silent, her hands folded
upon the pommel Of my saddle and hel
face all white again She left the di
rection of everything to me.
The cabin continued to rise from the
plain, the corners, the caves and the
roof appearing until it stood before us
distinct and near at hand
CHOW, Put, old comrade, greatest OF
horses, | cried, 1--WE are nearing tho
goal Show them how much strength
and speed you have kept in reserve for
this last EFFORT Show them what you
can do when you try your bestp
He replied by deed, and | fairly
swung through the air as we raced
straight to the cabin expected some
tousled head to appear, reused by the
thunder of so many hoofs, but none
came The cabin remained silent and
lone There was small garden, but no
fence around either it or the house.
Old Put dashed straight for the door,
as if he knew what was wanted Of him,
which, in fact. he did. and stopped five
feet in front of it so abruptly that the
girl would have shot over his head had
/ not held her.
She sprang to the ground. 1 slipped
the bride off Old Puts head, gave him
slap and cried
"Go"
He galloped around the house and
disappeared, his hoof beats dying away
in the darkness. Then showed the door
open and rushed in, dragging the girl
after me. | slammed back the door and
looked for the bar that is commonly
used as fastening in such frontier
houses. There it was, and l showed it
into its place. Nothing but battering
ram could break in that door now
"Safe for the timep" l cried ST defy
them to take US in this fort''
Then / looked around me- The girl,
half fainting, had staggered against the
wall and was leaning there. 1t was
house of but single room. On wide
brick hearth a fire was still burning, or
rather smoldering, yet it threw out
enough light to disclose the contents of
the room. No human being was there.
Everything of value except the heavy
furniture, which was Of the rudest de-
scription and worth not much more
than raw lumber, had been removed,
and the whole appearance of the place
indicated that its occupants had taken
hasty departure. 1t was easy enough
to guess the cause. Some poor family,
frightened by the converging of the
armies upon this region, and with good
reason, too, for no other state was har
ried in this war as was ours of South
Carolina, had gathered up their portable
goods and fled to safer quarters and per-
haps not an hour before our arrival, as
the fire still burning proved.
"They might have made things lit
tie more comfortable for u.s. said
cheerfully, for my spirits had gone up
with leap, "but it's good as it is, and
we haven't any right to complain. Mr..
South Carolina farmer, whoever you are
and wherever you are, we thank you. -
The girl smiled family and walked
mechanically to the fire, where she sat
down on rude stool and spread out her
fingers before the Goals as if she were
in her home. q
Take little of this, l said, for |
saw that she was half dazed There was
yet little whisky left in my flask, and
l handed it to her. She obeyed me like
a child and drank it.
Then / turned my attention to the
single window, which was closed with
a heavy but i'll fitting shutter, some
wandering moonbeams finding way
through the cracks. Peeping out, |
could see the guerrillas dismounted be-
You'd pistol shot and holding confer
ence.
They are talking, but let 'em talk.
my dear, )" said to the girl "They
Se>A 6OV no III ollo CeUll. WQdU neat. |
stout little place it ISL
really began to have friendly feel
ing toward her. We had been through
80 many dangers together, and besides
she was my prisoner. 1t is much easier
for the conqueror to be generous to the
than for the conquered to be
generous to the conqueror.
She did not reply either to my words
or my manner. Her cheeks, which had
been so white before, were family
flushed with pink, but l could not tell |
whether it was the fire or not. She
seemed to me to be in state of collapse.
natural to girl, even the strongest and
bravest after SO much
Nov set the table for us, !" said
We must eat little after our long
hard ride, for we will need our strength. |
See If you can't find candle in that |
cupboard. And, here, take my bundle
and get out the food.
handed her tho wallet of bread and |
meat which l had snatched from Old |
Puts back almost with the same mo-
ton with which l had swept off his
Dridle She took it, drew the rouph nina