The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1904-03-10

your father Is far away by this tina"
"He Is down at the lake fishing. We
had hoped that this matter was dead
desires a malicious revenge. 1t says
embezzlement."
Joe nodded his head as he looked
away over the prairie.
But IL Is false. 1t was partner
ship business, and the other man was
seeking to cheat father and fell into
his own trap"
at was likely that way" nodded Joe.
But father even restored the money
after awhile, all but a paltry sum. He
would also have restored that, unjust
as It was, but he has been bounded
and driven till he has become des-
perate and determined. Is that wretch
to follow him to his grave?"
Joe sat down on the ground and
dropped his chin on his hands and
appeared to be thinking. The girl had
put the warrant back into his hands,
and there was sob I'm her throat as
she turned and entered the house. 1t
was n quarter Of an hour before she
rcappcared. Joe looked up into her
face with eyes telling of sympathy and
love, and a blush came to her cheek
as she asked
"Well, what are you going to do
about itf'
ITS going-its going to be the hard.
est thing of my life" he replied, but
I've got TO do my sworn duty. | must
do it or stand impcached. Girl, you
don't know
Joe" she interrupted, calling him
by that name for the first time, ''u
girl knows when she Is loved"
Eyes, she ought to, and you ought to
know that love you"
III do. joe and love you in return,
and you will break my heart II you
drag my old father to Jail. Say that
you won't do it-that you will leave
the warrant unserved."
DUTY, girl" he whispered as he rose
up and put his arms around her and
kissed her for the first time.
"Then you will arrest himT'
lie kissed her again and turned
away toward the lake, looking at the
paper in his hand through tears in his
eyes. He had not taken a hundred
steps, however, before rifle cracked,
and he pitched forward on the grass
His horse would have dashed off at
the sudden report, but II was secured
by the girl
"TIOw did ii come aboutg' asked the
doctor, who had hurried home at the
report of the rifle and found his daugh.
conscious man.
"Hc-he started to the lake to find
you, and gun went Off, replied the
| girl between her sobs.
"And-and did he have any legal
paper with him" queried the father in
n whisper.
'If he had, it has been burned. Tell
me, father, is he fatally wounded?"
mo. The bullet plowed along his
scalp. and he will be all right in Il
week. will load up the wagon, and
we must move on and find another
asylum"
But the man-Mr. Taylor-Joe|
| she asked.
1--WE shall take him with us. He
will need my skill and your nursing
for some days to come"
1t was two weeks later when the
sheriff opened his eyes and saw Mollie
Davy seated near his bedside. The
old claim had been left hundred miles
behind and the abandoned cabin of a
settler had been taken possession OF
Joe Taylor had been nursed and tend
ed through fever as the wagon rolled
along.
"Mollle, / take 1t that it was betwixt
dad and me?" he said as she saw that
he had come back to earth again.
1T was, joe" she replied, "But
now
but now it's betwixt you and me
and as soon as l can shake myself to
gether I'll fix things so that you won
have to do any more moving. Thanks
dear, that you shot little too highw