The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25

little redhead, horsethief and des-
perado, who had been hunted for
these long months. and now-no
redhead and no man.
Not word was spoken. Crowd
Ing around, the men looked silent
ly on the lifeless body before them
At last some one said: We'll, III
be damnedI" This nevertheless
seemed to break the spell. Drops
ping to his knees. Pete tore the
rough flannel shirt from the bosom
to see if the action OF the heart had
entirely ceased. A cold chill was
creeping over the body, and he
knew that lite was extinct As he
was about to withdraw the CLINT OF
something metallic arrested his at
tention, and, following Dawes sug-
gestion, he drew out from an in
side pocket a small leather case the
size Of an ordinary envelope, cap
ped with silver.
For few seconds he stood. turn
ing it over In his hands. Perhaps
these is her Identification papers.
likes as not" he said. handing 1t
over TO Dave. Kind o. look
through, and maybe it says where
she is from and where she wants
to go.,'
Dave took the envelope, and after
carefully scrutimzing the contents
found nothing he considered OF i'm
portance but a small slip OF note
paper, yellow and sOiled from much
reading This he read aloud, the
boys crOwding around to find some
clew TO the life Of the dead bandit.
1t ran as follows:
Mrs. G. S. StilIwell-Dear .AIarien:
At first you viii be hurt and grieyed
when you read this letter, hut after
due consideration 1 know that your
broad mind Will see the wisdom of my
act. We are absolutely unsuited for
one another, so different in our hopes
and aspirations that further love
would be an impossibility. Here in
New York feel that 1 may live again
and wake out Of it's lethargy my fac
ulties and powers Of mind. II you
pursue the same course and learn to
forget your ardent love for me, my
dear little girl, you will find In IL all
the happiness you could desire. Yours
GEORGE S. STILLWEILA"
A low murmur Of scorn and a few
round oaths came from the boys as
the letter ended. A livid hue had
spread over Pete's weather-beaten face
as Dave handed the parcel back. and
even when the boys lifted the body on
a pony to carry IL to its resting place
he did not move. Long he remained
standing, his hands on his hips, his
face set in a stern hard frown, look
Ing down on the ground.
How long he did not know. but he
was brought out Of his lethargy by a
light tap on his shoulder. and looking
up he saw Manuo holding his pony.
Senior. come down to camp?"
He said yes, and Peter; without an
swering, jumped his pony and fol-
lowed.
A decided hatness Of tone seemed to
hang around the campfire that night.
hcvering over the tiny flame as IL
hlcked up and was lost In the ashes.
In straight vernacular the boys were
stumped."
There isn't anything to say worth
saying but cuss words" drawled Dave.
And the boys have split them all up
the back trying to rip them off at
once" The cow-puncher blood was up,
they had branded the wrong steer and
the running irons" burned in their
hands.
But on no pair Of shoulders did the
gnominy Of the deed seem to fall so
heavily as on Pete's. 3-~
Range justice and deep veneration
for woman bound into a solid code Of
'puncher" law. led by an impetuous
nature, might cause a good deal OF
thought in some States. but an Arf-