Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1906-07-20

ing man, and had amassed little mOasy,
sun1cient to give his granddaughter an
education above the common in those
days. At sixteen, Sarah Purfoy was
an empty-headed, strong-willed, proco-
cious girl, with big brown eyes. She
was brimful of vitality, and had little
religious sentiment. She courted nOto-
riety by eccentricities of dress, and was
never so happy as when she was miBun-
derstood She was the sort of girl of
whom women say, "It is a pity she has
no mother" and men, at is a pity she
does not get a husband" and who say
to themselves, when shall have a
lover?"
There was no lack of beings of this
latter class among the officers QuartOred
in Fort Royal and Fort Henry; but
the female population of the island was
numerous, and, IN the embarrassment of
riches, Sarah was overlooked. Though
she adored the soldiery, her first lover
was a civilian
The object of her affections was one
Mr.. Lionel Crofton. Crofton was tall,
well made, and with an insinuating adj
dress. His features were too strongly
marked for beauty. His eyes were the
best part of his face, and, like his hair,
they were jet black. He had broad
shoulders, sinewy limbs and small hands
and feet. His head was round and we'll
shaped, but 1t bulged a little over the
ears, which were singularly small, but
lay close to his head. With this man,
barely four years older than herself,
Sarah, at seventeen, fell violently in
love. Touched by her affection, and rat
Ing her intelligence and unscrupulousnOss
at their true value, he told her who he
was. He was a swindler a forRer and
a thief, and his name was John Rex.
When she heard this, she experienced a
sinister delight. He told her of his
plots, his tricks, his escapes, his vii
lainies; and seeing how for years this
young man had preyed upon the world,
which had deceived and disowned her,
her heart went out to him. II am glad
you found me-" she said. 1.-TWO heads
are better than one. We will work to-
gether."
Working through many channels, and
never emitting to assist a fellow worker
when in distress, John Rex, in a few
years, and in a most prosaic, business
way, became the head of a society Of
ruf1ans.
Under the names Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Skinner, John Rex and Sarah Purfoy
were living in quiet lodgings. Their
landlady was a respectable, poor woman,
and had a son who was a constable This
son was given to talking, and, coming
in to supper one night, he told his moth
er than on the following evening an at
tack was to be made on a gang Of coin
ers, whose leader was named Green
This she repeated to Sarah.
John Rex, eating his dinner more neFv-
ously than usual, ruminated on the in
telligence, and thought it would be but
wise to warn Green of his danger Not
that he cared much for Green person
ally; but it was bad policy to miss do
ing good turn to comrade, and, more
over, Green, if captured, might wag his
tongue too freely. But how to do It?
He went-and was captured. When
Sarah heard of the calamity, she set to
work to help him. She collected all her
money and jewels, paid Mrs. SINNERS
rent, went to see Rex, and arranged his
defense. Green, who came very near
hanging, admitted that the man was an
associate of his, and the recorder, being
in a severe mood, transported him for
seven years.
Sarah Purfoy vowed that she would
follow him. She was going as passenger,
as emigrant, anything, when she saw
Mrs. Vickers' advertisement for a Gladys
maid," and answered it. 1t CHANGED that
Rex was shipped in the Malabar, and
Sarah, discovering this before the vessel
had been a week at sea, conceived the
bold project of melting mutiny for the
rescue of her lover. We know the re-
suit of that scheme, and the story Of the
scoundrels subsequent escape from Mac.
quarie Harbor.
CrO be eOntinned.l
What They Missed.