The Tomahawk., 1903-09-03
MIREY
BY
FRANK NELSON
Copyright, 1908. By Daily Story Pub. Co.,

Mlrey," SAID the old man, peev-
ishly. 9Th cher hurts my back-an'
th' suns shinin' right in my eyes,"
The girl tenderly adjusted the pill
low and with masculine strength
lifted the rude chair with its paraly-
tic burden to a shadier spot under
the apple tree.
"Ye amt treatin' Jake right,
Mirey," grumbled the old man. ''He
amt said nothin', but I kin see it,;
an you goin' to marry him this
fall.''
"Mebbe am-mebbe I ain't," the
girl said, impatiently.
The old man looked up at her anx-
iously.
II knowed it," he exclaimed. "I've
seed it comm ever sence that Evans
come a snoopin' round here, pizen-
in yer mind with his stories bout
fine houses, an great ladies, an
dresses, an dimunds. What brought
him way up here in this wild place ?
Who knows what he is, ennyhow?
Like as not he's one of them revnoo
SPIES"
"Yeve got no call to SANDER him
that way, pap" r!etorted the girl,
hotly. Lots of them city folks
spends their vacations in tn noun
tains. An ennybcdy kin see he's a
gentleman. He amt no spy"
There were hot words over the
young city man.. leaving the old man
sullen and dissatisfied and the girl
defiant. AS she turned to go he said:
"Mirey, they's sumthin' clean for
got to tell Jake when he come by, an
I must see him. He amt more'n
half way to tn stlll, yit. Run, Mirey,
ye must bring him back"
The girl hurried obediently down
the steep path and along the base of
the mountain, smiling as she went.
II kin coax him into it after while,' -
she murmured, "an' then I kin be
sumbody. Rob says kin have emmy
thing I"
A crash, rattle of descending
stones, smothered ejaculation, and
two struggling, interlocked men
rolled down into the path below her.
One of them, wrenching the revolver
from the others hand, arose painting,
tall and powerful. His opponent lay
quite still, blood trickling from a
wound on the curly, handsome head.
With choking cry Mirey sprang
forward and raised the wounded head
in her arms.
"Ye've killed him." she moaned.
'He's only stunned leetle, -
growled the tall man. "He was a
folIerin' me, an when I s'prised him
he tried to shoot. He's a spy,
Alirey.''
"You lie, Jake!" the girl cried, de-
family. can this won't do ye no
good, nuther."
The tall man bent down and from
the inner pocket of the stylish coat
drew long, official-looking envelope.
'Look at that, Mirey," he cried,
with note of triumph. 'Frum tn
Internal Revnoo DEPARTMENT."
'That amt his name on tits fer
sumbody else," she protested, wildly.
LET me read what's inside"
She reached up trembling hand,
took the opened sheet and her sun
Drowned face turned pale. The
wounded head dropped from the en-
circling arms and she staggered to
her feet, swaying, crushing the let
ter in her hands. The man at her
feet stirred and sighed. The tall man
knelt and with his handkerchief
bound the unresisting hands cruelty
tight.
'What ye goin' to do with him,
Jake?" asked the girl. quietly, al
most inaudibly.
"Ye've heered rumors of what went
with 'tother one" the tall man NUT
tered, with significant glance.
'But tain't fer me to say. Th' boys'll
decide that
The girl shuddered and turned
away.
you'll have to go an tell tn boys,
Mirey, while I watch him. He mustn't
git away"
Ell kain't-bring them, Jake. I'll
watch him. He'll not git away" saw
agely. "Give me tn gun"
Jake's eyes looked searchingly
into hers. She met the scrutiny un-
finchingly.
kin l trust ye, Mirey?"
''Don't know what'll happen eff he
gifts away" she cried, Indignantly.
'D'ye think I'd send pap and-and
you-to prison? I'll kill him first.
Go-an' hurry"
She seated herself on a nearby
bowlder and with drawn face and
cold, pitiless eyes regarded the un-
conscious captive. The bees, home
going, heavy-laden, droned musically
among the blossoms, loath to leave.
From the distant river came the
faint whistle of a passing boat. A
great, black buzzard tapped heavily
down upon the dead limb of a
sycamore, wiped his hooked beak on
his sable plumage and cooked his
baleful eye inquisitively at the fallen
man.