Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-04-27

wurUy Hau enLereu the UT'alls Wnlcn Lney had been following.
 Mag had gone only few hundred yards farther when she again began to walk more slowly, and at last g. second time. stopped and turned about in the trail.
 Bill Burl is my husband" she said, "an' l reckon a wife ant got no busi ness a-gittin' her husband into trou. ble; an maybe I ought not to got so mad at him for sech a little thing"
 The last part of the speech Mag had addressed more particularly to herself. But Higgins caught the girls wavering words, and hastened to suggest:
 regret it, did you not?"
 That's what I did, an' I must keeL my word, too" answered the girl, with another slight return of her re. sentiment expressed in the tone of her voice, as she started forward again.
 But thar's one thing, afore we go another step," she said, stopping again; 'you've got to promise me right here at you'll capture Bill Burl without hurtin' him airy single bit, do you hear?"
 She was facing the officers now, her bright, black eyes looking squarely into the face of Higgins.
 "We promise faithfully" said Hig- gins, without hesitation, and the others echoed his words.
 Once more she led the way, and a hundred yards farther on stopped against a tall, granite powder, be- yond whose edge could be seen the faint glow of freight.
 Hits jest about ten steps on t'other Side O this rocl1,'' said Mag and the next moment she would have given the world to have been able to undo her nights work of betrayal.
 Higgins now took the lead, and the officers filed cautiously around the edge of the rock and came in full view of the furnace fires inside of the rude still-house. Mag crept slow ly after the men, keeping within the shadow of the laurel which bound the little pocket of the mountains. And suddenly a cry of warning rang out from Mag's lips, cry she could not withhold when the whole possi- ble consequences of her act came rushing upon her.
 "Run, Bill, run,'' were the words which rang out on the stiffness of the night in Mag's clear, shrill tones. The officers were started; and three gleaming revolvers leaped from their holsters, just as the wizard of the Cullowhees sprang through the door, @E -4.n F. glance around and Bill Burl realized the full peril of his situation. With dexterous and desperate movement he snatched his own revolver from belt about his waist. But before he could bring it to a level with the 1 breast of the foremost officer, the | report of Higgins pistol rang out through the night.
 ! But the bullet intended for the moonshiner's breast pierced another form. Mag had sprung from the shadow of the laurel and shielded her husbands body with her own; and Bills head reeled as he listened l to the dying words which were whis- pered into his ear. ''It is all my fault, Bill,'' whispered Mag. T was so mad; but I know you will forgive me, you are so good"
 The mans arms closed about the l form of his wife in frenzied en- \ brace, and he strained her to his breast. Lower, lower, lower sank the little head upon his shoulder; | and closer, closer, closer clung the 1 thin arms about the ,moonshiner's neck, until at last he could no longer feel the faint heartbeat against his own.
 For few moments there was deer silence in the vale. The moonshine1 stood in the glare of his furnace fire with his dead wife clasped to his breast; and the officers looked upor the scene with awe. At last, tender. ly as he would have handled an in fant, Bill laid the body of Mag upon the moss-covered earth at his feet; and once more faced the marshals.
 Defend yourselves" he shouted and quickly raised his revolver. Two reports rang out in quick succession and the wizard of the Cullowhees sank to the ground beside his wife
 Higgins said one of the officers as the three stood looking upon the two forms at their feet. "Bill Bur fired his pistol straight up into the air, and his went off before yours did, too" a.s-sk ..