Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1904-01-15


trtee Farley grasped the sit sation.
The little girl who just then came n.y.
ing across the line OF vision was evil
IDENTIFY the owner Of the tiny bed, ana
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-
Gus eyes looked back uncomprehend-
ingly at Farley, and the deputy, while
knowing that Big Pete's capture was
now doubly sure, felt 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 communing with the
mountains, and Farley, stunted, active
and ready, in the rear.
Big Pete plodded stolidly on His
mien was that of captured lion, but
with the child in his arms he no longer
looked defiant. With half an hours
steady marching, the fork of the Snow
river canyon doomed before them, and
the boat, yawl-rigged and with single
pair of oars resting idly on the thwarts.
lay near the rocky shore.
''In with youi" said Farley, briefly
Big Pete placed the child carefully
on the ground and was about to obey,
when Farley spoke.
1.-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 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 straight glance at the
man in the bow, will mean two lives
maybe three
Big Pete, baff1ed and helpless, looked
at the receding shore with sullen de-
spair. If it were not for the child
BIG OdI QUISIy III 1AOAl, AOk Oci1h Sy SS
riveted on the sunlit 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. 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 short hempen
I rope! The horrible vision stung his
brain to madness. And as for that
| fool he had shot-he had heard of him
! since-a low, besOtted wreck, but the
law must take it's way. And little
i Nance-what would become of her?
She loved him-the only living thing
that did! He gave an inarticulate
growl. Nance looked round in wonder,
and Farley'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:
Whats goin' to come O the KID ?''
She'll be looked after,'' said Farley
abruptly. There was something in his
eyes that had not been there till now
He looked at the little brown, down.
cast head, and swiftly averted his gaze
/ to the father, sitting in mental chains,
lowering. baffled, hopeless, unwilling
to save his own life for fear of endan-
| gering his child; equally unwilling to
resign her without struggle, and a
CLEAN of something like pity shot over
his mask-1ike 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 sudden
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.
heaving and struggling among the
wreckage, and hearing no sound from
Nance, put forth one superb effort of
his immense strength-convulsive de-
spairing-bIt 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
busily engaged in extricating a badly
frightened child from the mass OF
splintered timbers strewn along the
shore, was able finally to look in thai
direction, only some little ripples on