The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-01-16

Big Pete plodded atolidly or. His
mIen was that Of a captured lion, Dui
with the child 10 his arms he no Longer
looked defiant. with hall an hours
steady marching, the fork Of the Snow
river canyon doomed before them, and
the boat, yawl-rigged and with a single
pair Of oars resting idly on the ihwGrtg
lay ncar the rocky shore.
In with you" said Farley, briefly
Big Pete placed the child carefully
on the ground and w4s about to obey
when Farley spoke.
The little IN, TOO, he meaHingly
commanded.
Big Pete swOrc again.
put her between you and me-, - com
mandcd Farley. ]furiously, noting Pcte's
reluctance at th!g last order, and guess
ing his scheme. 81 can sail this boat
with one hand, and manage a gun al
mighty well with the other. All you've
got to do is TO sit quiet, Any acct
dent he took a straight glance al the
mar IN the bow, will mean two ii es-
maybe three"
Big Pete, baGicd and helpless, looS"i
at tho receding shore with sulIcn de
SPAR. # it were MOI for the child
she sat quietly in front, her dark eyes
rivctcd on the sunIit water. which in
her short mountain life she had never
seen before. He gasped, as in fancy
he saw the gray adobe walls Of the
prison 10 exist FOR months Within A
droary, whitewashed cell To see the
bright sunlight and feel tine clear,
fresh air once mOro-nnd then. swing
ing from the end Of a short hcmpcn
rOpoi The horrible vision stuny his
brain to madness. And as for that
tool he had shot-he had heard Of him
.since--a low, bosOttcd wreck, but the
law must lake its way. And little
Nancc-what would become Of herr
She loved him-lhc only living thing
that did, lie gave an i~narticulate
growl. Nance looked round in wonder,
and FarIey's hand frightened on the
trigger. The child was climbing over
the seat to reach her father. when he
motioned her back to her place. Big
Pete. his eyes forcing Farley's, spoke:
"What's Eoin' to come O the kid?'
She'll be looked after" said FarlcI.
abruptly. There was something in his
eyes that had not been there tin nov.
lie looked at the little brown, down
cast head, and swiftly avcrted his gaze
to the father, sitting in mental chains,
lowering. banlcd. HOPELESS. unwilling
to save his own life for fear Of endan-
gering his child; equally unwilling to
resign her without n struggle, and u
CLEAN Of something like pity shot over
his mask-likc features. Big Pete ut
tered another low, inarticulate growl,
They were nearing the shore. Farley.
on the alert, saw the danger signal in
the outlaws eyes, and OWNED what
must inevitably follow. With a sudden
swift twist of the tiller he drove the
boats head far up the sandy beach, at
the same instant running down the
sail. The yawl ground in the swirling
sand, and lay, a mere chaos Of Slated
sails and tangled COrdage. while a
mighty oath was hurled from under
the weight of the canvas Big Pete,
heaying and struggling among the
wreckage, and hearing no sound from
Nance, put Eorth one superb effort of
ltg i'm n,nnts. OF f.DV tf h -, trtt1Gtt IN ln-
spairlng-hut the twining mesh held
him as in a vice, Then he saw the
broad, keen knife cleaning like the
silver scales Of a fish among the cord
age.
There was a mighty, sparkling
splash, and when Farley, who was
busiIy engaged in eytricating a badly
frightened child from the mass Of
splintered tjmbers strewn along the
shore, was able finally to look in that
direction, only some little ripplcs on
the surface told him that far down the
river n mar was swimming, with new
courage born of hope and of rcmem-
brance that should never die.
Yes said Farley. laConiCally, some
days later. "He was a pretty tough
customer, but ! most pulled the job
through. I'd like to have brought him
in, but as things was. | couldn't, He's
got a quarry somewhere on that peak
He pointed to where the jagged spur
stood clear and blue against the snow
line. Little Nance, at his knee. looked
at him with compromising intelli-
gcuCe and smiled,
"l'm going up there again some day"
continued Farley. musingly, returning
Nance's confidential smile. Under his
breath he added:
But not as deputy" - Overland
Monthly.