The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1905-04-28

minutes. All can do is to try to reach
my cabin
'srhat will not save you," she expos
tulated.
NO." grimly, II know it will not
But it will help me to even up the
score little
The girl threw out her hands i'm
periously.
ut shall not be that way!' she cried,
her eyes flashing you shall be saved
and Senior Steve punished And yet l
do not understand. Why should he
For plenty of reasons, Luisita. You
promised to marry me after refusing
him, and then, only two hours before
he left, we found a vein of silver. how
rich | do not dare to say, but it made
Steve try to kill me and, failing, to run
away. He came back with the sheriff
and his posse. What story he told |
can only guess. But where are you GO
ing, Luisita?"
ITO the bend round the cliff''--over
her shoulder. 1T is the only way into
the valley, and 1 shall hold the men
until you can get away. Do not go to
your cabin, but straight on over the
mountain. Hurry! The men will not
harm me. When you get to the wilder
ravines, hide will see that the truth
is known"
With a shout of remonstrance he
hobbled in pursuit, but Luisita did not
q
plunging through the bushes with the
one thought of being at the bend in
advance of the sheriff's posse
They were edging cautiously across
narrow shelf only few rods below
when she reached the desired point and
threw her rifle in position. 1t was too
good chance to be lost.
Hands up!'' she ordered sternly.
Ten pairs Of eyes flashed at her in
CONSERVATION as the same number of
hands rose into the air, but as they
saw the face beyond the rifle barrel the
hands went down with simultaneous
relief. They had thought it Sells. Some
of the men began to laugh.
II said Hands upv' Luisita repeat
ed slowly. Il am not making words,
and most of you know how l can
shoot. Senior Sells is escaping from
you now, and shall keep you here I'M
til he is safe. "Stop,' as a rife barrel
rose little, '|or l shall fire, You may
kill me. but | can send half of you
from that ledge before you do it. and
l will. Now, up! Quick!''
All the hands rose except Steve's.
With bitter curse he threw his rifle
into quick position, but before he could
fire it slipped from his nerveIess fin
gers, and he sank upon the shelf, only
saving himself from falling over the
precipice by a desperate effort
"That is only one" called the girl
coldly.
"But look here, Luisita," expostulat-
ed the sheriff angrily. "You can't
thwart the law like this!''
"You are not upholding the law"
contemptuously. "You are merely
helping criminal If Senior Sells were
here
HE is here" said a quiet voice at her
side, and another rife barrel joined
hers in menacing the whitening faces
on the ledge below. 'Now, sheriff
the voice suddenly ringing out clear
and stern, ''you will take your men and
hurry back to town. And I would adj
wise you to take Steve Finter along.
The truth is known there now, as you
will find, and it may be that you and
your men will have to explain few
things. Hereafter, when you seek
man, hear his story as we'll as his ac-
cuser's. I have proof of my innocence
and Steve's guilt You and your men
will turn and retrace your steps, tax
ing Steve along. You will find proof
Of everything I say in town. Now gov'
They stood side by side watching the
posse down the mountain. Then Sells
lowered his rifle
'I-I think you'll have to help me to
the cabin, DEAR" he said weakly. "I'm
"a little used up