The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1904-01-08

ing across the line of vision was evil
IDENTIFY the owner of the tiny bed, and
the look in the outlaws eyes told the
rest.
Farley did not hesitate. He nodded
~brusquely to Big Pete, and the out
law constituting this as Farley intended
that he should, stopped and swung the
child to his shoulder, Her large, seri-
u eyes looked back Incompetence
ingly at Farley, and the deputy, while
knowing that Big Pete's capture was
now doubly sure, felt a CULVER of emo
ton run along his nerves.
1t was a strange trio that stalked in
grim, dumb silence down the mountain
path. Big Pete's massive head and
shoulders lifting above the surround
ing crags at every rise in the uneven
ground, the child in his arms, with her
brown curls tossed by the light, sweet
mountain breeze, the oval brown of
her small face already falling into lines
Of the repression habitual to those
who live closely oommuning with the
mountains, ard Farley, sturted, active
and ready, in the rear.
Big Pete plodded stolidly on. His
mien vas that of a captured lion, but
with the child in his arms he no longer
looked defiant. With half an hours
river canyon loomed before them, and
the boat, yaWl-rigged and with a single
pair Of oars resting idly on the thwarts,
lay nea the rocky shore.
"In with you!" said Farley, briefly.
Big Pete placed the child carefully
on the ground and was about to obey,
when Farley spoke.
"The little 'un, too" he meaningly
commanded.
Big Pete swore again.
Put her between you and me-" COM
manded Farley, furiously, noting Pete's
reluctance at this last order, and guess
ing his scheme. 81 can sail this boat
with Il 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 at the
man in the bow, will mean two lives
maybe three"
Big Pete, bafled and helpless, looked
at the receding shore with sullen de.
spair. If it were not for the child
she sat quietly in front, her dark eyes
riveted on the sunlit water, which il
her short mountain life she had never
seen before. He gasped, as in fancy
he saw the gray adobe walls of the
prison. To exist for months within {
dreary, whitewashed cell! To see the
bright sunlight and feel the clear
fresh air once more-and then, swing.
ing from the end of a short hempe1
rope! The horrible vision stung hi:
brain to madness. And as for tina
fool he had shot-he had heard of hin
since-a low, besotted wreck, lut tn,
law must take it's way. And little
Nance-what would become of her
She loved him-the only living thins
that did! He gave an in%articulat,
growl. Nance looked round in wonder
and Farley's hand frightened on tn
trigger. The child was climbing owe
the seat to reach her father, when h
motioned her back to her place. Bi.
Pete. his eyes forcing Farley's, spoke:
whats goin' to come O. the kidd"
"She'll be looked after" said Farley
abruptly. There was something in hi
eyes that had not been there till now
He looked at the little brown, down
cast head, and swiftly averted his gag
to the father, sitting in mental chains
lowering. baff1ed, hopeless, unwil1in,
to save his own life for fear of endan
gering his child; equally unwilling tt
resign her without a struggle, and
CLEAN of something like pity shot owe
his mask-like features. Big Pete It
tered another low, inarticulate groWl
TThe we're nearing the shore. Farlt J
on the alert, saw the danger signal II
the outlaws eyes, and OWNED Wha
must inevitably follow. With a sudden
swift twist of the tiller he drove tn
boats head far up the sandy beach, a
the same instant running down tn
sail. The yawl ground in the swirlins
sand, and lay, a mere chaos of slate.
sails and tangled cordage, while
mighty oath was hurled from unde
the weight of the canvas. Big Pete
heaving and struggling among tn,
wreckage, and hearing no sound from
Nance, put forth one superb effort o
his immense strength-convulsive, de
/ spairing-but the twining mesh he'll.
him a. in a vice. Then he saw tn
broad, keen knife cleaning like tn,
silver scales of a fst. among the cord
age
There was a mighty, sparkling
splash, and when Farley, who wa.
busily engaged in extricating a badly
frightened child from the mass O
splintered timbers strewn along TIL,
shore, was able finally to look in tina
direction, only some little ripples Of
the surface told him that far down TIL,
| river a man was swimming, with neY
! courage born of hope and of remem
brance that should never die.
Eyes" said Farley, laconically, som,
days later. He was a pretty tough
customer, but I most pulled the joI
through. I'd like to have brought hin
in, but as things was, I couldn't. Hei
got a quarry somewhere on that peak.
He pointed to where the Jagged spui
stood clear and blue against the snov
1 "a. r .kxy. NYn-n1Hc& Ia. 49,. 49, -