The San Francisco call., 1905-01-01
THE 6HERIFF'0 POSSE
BY FRANK H. SWEET.

Mexican father. She must know &1
grieve, Of course but ne HO--1
her as long as poss1oAE-
However. as ne vas pushing nAs
through the underground nedLAS - -
site the cabin ne came upon n-k 49,
denly. carrying her rifss- Al s'sHi
hiE1 her face nushed. then paAec-
are YOU here They are down IN tn-
valley. 1 saw Eh=n not an hour 1eo
from the cliff They VIII xii 49, 49,
hurry. Hurry. You should nol n3'
tried TO see me now ,,,.
4 did not" STRIVING 70 keep MS voics
steady II tried 70 avoid your iS1Asl.A- -sl.-
1 wanted 10 spare yon al eouic-
this IS the only way 70 mS e''
and
-1ou are hur1," sharply
Just & trif1e. But hsIen, Lolslla-
Whatever the charges against ne. =
know that you believe ne lnnoce1Ls
But yesterday 1 was IN the town AZ AZ.
obtained proof positive of Steyss gu.
enough 10 hang him Only / cannot
get word with the Sheriff ] have gwen
up thought OF il now They are noL
on my trail, and viii be here N twenty
minutes Al 1 can 90 . 70 II 10 rs2ca
my cabin"
That VIII not save you" she expos
tElateo-
But il VIII help me 10 even up tns
score a little"
The girl threw out her hands in
periousiy-
1T shall not be that way" she cried.
her eyes flashing. You shall be saved
and Senior Steve punished And yet
do not understand Why should he
For plenty Of reasons, LuisIta- You
promised 10 marry me after refusing
MIN; and then, only two hours before
he left. we found 4 vein OF silver-nox
rich / do not dare 10 say; but IL made
Steve try TO kill me, and. failing, 10 run
away. He came back with the Sneriu
and his posse What story ne told
can only gue@s; but where are you
going. Luisita
TO the bend round the cliff" over
her shoulder 1t IS the only way INTO
the valley. aD1 1 shall hOid the men
until you can gel away DO not 60 -
your cabin. but straight on over the
mountain Aurry, The men VIII Lot
harm me- When you get 10 the wilder
ravines. hide l VIII see that the truth
is known
NIIh a shout of-remonstras3ce he hob
bled in pursuit. But Luisita did not
even hear. She was already rods away.
plunging through the bushes with the
one thought OF being at the bend IN ao-
vance Of the Shertns posse
They we're edging cautiously across a
narrow shelf only a few rods below
when she reached the desired point and
threw her rifie in position IL was too
good a chance TO be lost
Hands up" she orOeTed sternly.
Ten pairs OF eyes flashed al her in
CONSERVATION as the same number of
hands rose into the air; but as they
saw the lace beyond the rife barrel, the
hands went down with simultaneous
relief. They had thought il Sels- Some
OF the men began 10 laugh.
I said Hands up Luisita repeat
ed slowly. i am not making words.
and most OF yCu know how 1 can shoot
Senior Sels is escaping from you now,
ana / shall keep you here until he IS
safe. Stop" as q rifle barrel rose a
little, '-or / shall fire You may kill
me. but / can send half Of you from
that ledge before you do it-and / will
Now. I'D. Quick"
All the hands rose except Steye's.
With a bitter curse he threw his rife
into quick position, but before he could
FIRE il slipped from his nerveless fingers
and he sank upon the shelf, only saving
himself from falling over the precipice
by q desperate effort
THAT is only one," called the girl
coldly.
the Sheriff angrily, you can't thwart
the Law like this."
You are not unfolding the law"
contemptuously. You are merely help
ing criminal If Senor 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, SheriT' .
the voice suddenly ringing out clear
and stern you VIII take your men and
hurry back TO town And l would ad-
wise You 10 take Steve Finter along.
The truth is known there now, as you
viii find, and il may be that you and
your men viii have 10 explain a few
things Hereafter when you seek a
man. hear his story as well as his sc-
euser's. 1 have proof OF my innocencs
and Steve's guilt You and your men
viii turn and retrace your steps, taking
Steve along You viii find proof of
everything say in town Now go"
They stood side by side. watching thu
posse down the mountain Then Sels
lowered his rife.
II think youu have to help me 10
the cabin. dear" he said weakly. I'm
IA little used np-'-(Copyr1xht. 1875.
by Frank H Swee1)