The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-07-24
Sewing Done Here
Kitty Austin.

! The camp began a ridiculous overhaul
ing Of Old garments, and the generous
miners fell over each other III their haste
I 10 furnish the interesting widow" with
plenty OF sewing. AS Yet no one knew
that she was q widow, but the little girl
! called her mamma" and she wore rusty
| black. So, By that fine courtesy found
as often in the camp as In the court,
they called her Mrs. Austin"
stranger drifted into the camp a
down-at-the-heel vagahondish loafer, who
was a degree or two above the average
tramp. but no whit more acceptable to
the clean hard-working men. who would
asked in a disrespectful manner IL they
knew "a woman by the name Of Aus
tin.
What's your id business with her?'
asked Hugh McDavitt, showing a brawny
fist under the strangers nose.
Shes my wife"
4 think you're out Of your reckoning"
said Hugh ar last, there is a Mrs. Aus
tin here, but she can't be anything to
you-and she has little girl
That's Pearl"
Come along, you" and Hugh led the
way. II she is your wife-then God
help herl" And with that he strobe on,
the stranger following, coughing at in
tervals until the cabin where Kitty lived
revered as an angel, whose very aloofness
had endeared her TO the whole camp, and
who was adored by poor Highland this
is what he saw. She ran out light OF
foot as a girl. and clasped the miserable
object he was conveying to her in a pas
sionate embrace, and without one word to
him, one look to see that he suffered, dis
appeared with her visitor into her cabin.
For few days the occurrence was a
matter Of talk; then a reign Of terror be-
gan in the Black Hills which has be-
come q matter Of history. Where every
man had trusted his neighbor there was
now open suspicion and distrust. Robber-
les occurred so often that no one felt
safe, and valuable horses locked in their
eyes of their owners. All the idle men
were employed as watchmen, among them
the husband Of Kitty Austin, who had
been tolerated for her sake, and because
he was such a sicl1ly, poor-spirited crea-
ture, taking kicks and rebuffs like era
ven, that the men permitted him to crawl
about in their way, and tolerated his
presence because they pitied his wife and
child, to whom he contributed no sup
port. Then he had q superior education
and could play the rickety old piano in
the Silver Moon saloon for the drinks and
q free lunch in way that seemed mar
VelOuS. And as he had insomnia ne was
sent out TO warn the incoming stage at
O'Clock in the morning of any threatened
danger or to convey the news that their
best horse had been stolen. Then 1t was
that the scales suddenly dropped from
the eyes of Hugh McDavitt, the city mar
shall.
He went up to the house of Kitty Aus
tin at o'clock in the morninf, just as
day was breaking over the hills. She
was up, as he expected she would be,
sitting in the dark, her pale face pressed
close to the small window pane.
You have bad news?' she sasped.
MY husband"
Hes all right" Hugh looked at her
closely. She ha dbeen weeping. Il have
come to give you a friendly warning be-
fore I do what's my duty. You and your
child must leave here at once-at once,
I<itty-and If you take him with you
III give you twenty-four hours the start
It's for your sake-and-and the child s"
What have you heard?"
Let me ask a question" said Hugh, I
sternly. "Who was that young man with
short black hair dressed like a miner,
who came out of this house last night?'
For answer she laughed Historically. 4 /
thought you meant some one was killed.! /
Then she closed the door and bolted it, I
but Hugh remained on patch. He was
smart, but not smart enough TO know |
that death was looking at him over Kit 4
tvs shoulder from a revolver held in an |
outlaws hand.