Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-10-24
BY n. 8. CANFIELD.
Maid the West, "Fergy the Guide 1.-The Herron's


| All of the fine courage of Lois rose
TO meet this emergency. She did not
permit herself for moment to reflect
upon the murderous outcome of it,
| Weston must be saved That was her
one thought. But how?
Go outside she said to the girl
"Mingle with the men and women. AS
| certain all that you can. Then come
here and tell me- Meanwhile | must
think"
| Jocosa was gone in an instant Lois
closed and barred the door sat down
and clasped her head in her hands. Not
a half-hour before his kisses were
warm on her lies and now he was in
deadly peril What was to be done?
/ FOR five minutes thoughts whirled
| through her brain W tn lightning swift
ness. Then her New England blood
and training asserted themselves and
she set herself to find a way out of the
maze. There came to her first the fig
ure of Allyn Then, like an inspira-
| ton. followed memory Of her visit
| to the Seminole camp with Harding
and his kindly, earnest promise to help
a countrywoman. There was the solu-
! ton of the problem. In some way,
somehow. she must reach Harding Jo-
cosa raped lightly on the door. She
closed it and fastened it behind her
when admitted and said at once:
He will be tried in the afternoon
and, il found guilty, viii be sentenced
to be shot tomorrow morning ut sun
rise He will be found guilty. He is
| guarded in a jacal at the far end OF the
camp"
"Joeosa" asked Lois, "are you
brave?'
No" said the girl intent on the in
slant, hut | love him"
Do you know the road we came this
morning from the ford"
Surely; we'll
What is the distance7"
Two leagues, barely"
| And from there TO the rancho house
is another league. nine miles: and from
the rancho to Fort Clark twenty miles,
Twenty-Five miles, fifty-eight miles to
/ go and come back between now and to-
morrow morning-at sunrise She
shuddered at the words and the picture
| they brought before her, but went on
1 1T must be done JOcosa, can YOU
| leave the camp and carry a message to
| the ranche-a message to q man there,
who may bring the soldiers in time?"
Il cannot now" was the soft. slow
answer. but | can when dark comes
though the evil spirits of the river may
get me.
There will be no evil spirits. Jocosa
my brave child. You will be on Gods
errand and the spirits will be harm
| less"
| Il will go. ] meant to say that !
would GO
1t would be dark at six o'clock, there
being no twilight. Jocosa. swift of foot
and tireless because of life in the open
air, might be trusted to reach the
rancho by nine Allyn should start his
messenger northeastward by half past
nine and he should reach the fort
little after midnight 1t would require
reckless riding over a rough country In
the dark, but she felt it would be done.
She felt, too. that this messenger would
be Allyn himself and she half smiled
| If Harding came--and surely his pledge
would hold him, though fifty interna-
! tional complications resulted-his
troop should be in the saddle by one in
the morning She knew how swiftly
the Seminoles prepared for scout.
This should bring them to the rancho
by four O'Clock and they would have
two hours In which to cover
the intervening nine miles IT was q
desperate chance. The slightest slip or
failure would doom her lover 10 death
and herself also. she felt Precious
hours would be wasted before the night
came but II could not be helped In
deed, Jocosa told her that an ATTEMPT
TO leave the camp in daytime would be
certain TO result in failure. as sentries
surrounded it completely.
Il must slip out when dusk settles +"
the girl said ezra wiling on hands and
knees between the guards Once on the
trail | shall fear nothing except the
spirits. | will not fear even them She
added stoutly 1t is the good Cod
message"
In drawer OF the table in the room
which Vavari called his office" Los
found some paper She wrote and
sealed note TO Allyn. detailing her
capture and Weston's peril and beg
ging him to send or ride for Harding
He Will be shot at sunrise. the note
ended. THE girl Jocosa will guide you
For Gods spke for the sake Of those
dear 10 you al home do not fail me
II was siepe5 "Your sister. Lots
Indeed. she had no shadow of disirust
Of him. Her only fear was he. with
the others. might be securing the sur
rounding country in search OF her This
note the Mexican girl put I'm the bosom
Of her dress and then thrice pinned IT
through the cloth Lois explained 10
her the mlssive was TO be given 10 Al
Ign ana failing him 10 any English
man al the ranch. except tall man
with Lack eyes, named Maude JO-
oosa understood. lie, too, loves you, .
I she said
The noon hour having passed dinner
was prepared. and. strange to say. eat
on with reasonable appetite Then the
D. two women set themselves to task
that would have Killed or crazed a
man That task was 70 Sit idly and
wait FOR dark They had no fear that
. Vayara would disturb them They
knew that he was busIly making ready
. for the trial going from man to man
| ard spreading Westons certain guilt
before him He bad no intent that ans
Liking or sym 9athy for their former
+. Leader and comraIe should interfere