The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-05-07

branded that day. Presently he I'M
agined he heard a soft step fr m the
prair e He raised his head and list
ened. Just then the moon showed a
rim beyond a sailing cloud and its
light fell on a iigure-a woman's tg-
uTe-m making its way toward the
cabin. Stets0n rose to his feet, let
ting MS rifie-butt drop on the ground,
and curiously surveyed the woman,
who was close to him now. 1t was
the easterners wife.
rs he in there?" she SAID, her
voice trembling a bit
"les answered StetsOn
Can ! see hims" she asked. 'Only
for a moment" she added
Can't do 10 marm," said stetson.
For a moment she was quiet, look
Ing longingly toward the cabin and
clasping and unclasDing her hands
softly The man hoped she would
go. lie had hated 70 say no, and he
didu't know how long his determine
tlon- TO refuse would last nBut they
say they're going TO try him tO-mor-
row, and mayn't get another
chance : he looked at him so
sadly and set so brayely withal that
stetsOn wayered and was lost
"For nye minutes, then, no more"
he said, halt repenting Of his words
the Ia tant they were altered
Hut ne unlocked the cabin door for
her and locked il behind her again,
Then he stood outside the door ours
ing himself Presently there was a
rap from the inside Of the cabin, and,
much relieved. he undid the door
but he kept his finger'on the hammer
OF his rife as he stood aside 70 allow
her to pass
She came ont quickly. Stetson
turned and bent to fasten the door
As he did so he felt tiny ring Of
cold metal against his head and
heard. in her voice now without a
tremble
"Put up your hands and do IL
Quicklym The order was so distinct
ly put and so emphatlcallY backed up
by the cold metal which Stets0n
knew oalY too well was the danger
Gus end OF a revolver that he did not
hesitate AS he threw up his hands
the door was pulled open from the
inside, and a man dashed out and
melted Ia the darkness Of the prairie
A moment more, and the hoOf- beats
OF a horse came back sounding clear
and sharp on the still air.
now, awakened by the noise, sleepily
raised themselves on their elbows
The woman had not moved the pistol
from Stetsons head, but now she
dropped the weapon quickly and
started 10 run. In an instant Stet-
son was after her, and wild az being
outwitted had run her down and
caught her before she had gone dfty
I Yards As he grasped her by the
shoulders the ho0lbeats were dying
on the air, and the Noman looked
into her aptofs face with an ex-
ultant smile
Stetson brought her back 20 the
cabin and IN a half shamed way told
his story The woman was quiet and
did not seem 70 hear what they said
Despite their chagrin at having been
worsted By a woman, the men could
not but admi her pluck and skill,
Then they argued as to what thel
would do with her aud finally de
cided 10 take her into town as sOoI
as il was light They locked hel
la the cabin and then sat up and
talked the rest OF the night The
felt that 10 would be useless 20 at
tempt 70 trail Craig 10 the dark, and
20 tell the truth. they were just
bit fearful that the woman would
escape them unless they kept a sharl
lookout
When morning came. big part
set OF in pursuit OF Craig But the
had scant hope Of overtaking hin
with a horse under him and his man
hours start The easterner's wifi
still remained locked in the cabin
SAGE Bar once found itself nonplused
Law and order had been reversed b
woman. aud the town had the Of
fender IN custody. But smoke an
ponder as il might, sage Bar was a
loss to know how 70 p oceed A
the laws OF the settlement unwritte
though they we're had sprung fioI
an acute sense Of frontier needs an
referred 10 men. There was an ir
dednable feeling among the Sage ia
Solons that these laws could not q
applied with much propriey towomer
and so they talked much. smoked an
drank much more and did nothing
When the Hines party came ia
tired, hungry and empty handel. n
solution OF the diniculty presente
itself. and SO with admirable iudl
ment the town decided % frc
itself OF further responsibility bY.sel
ting the woman az liberty. tn
easterncr's wife was pale and ev
IDENTIFY worn out when they brough
her out 0f the cabin. but she sal
not a word when they told her sh
might 20 aud walked on in the dire
uon OF her home with a smile. hal
/ OF defiance. halt OF satisfaction, Iha
3 night the party which had gone
! pursuit OF Craig returned, narin
made a fruitless search.
Two davs later inst as save Ic