Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1908-01-31

ing, asked how the road was.
-Under three feet OF snow
The Judge broke out almost
fiercely:
Unjust get to waiopoi to-day, Tho
Dunedin mail will be passing through
ct this evening"
1Do you know the road?" asked
Barton.
"Not step Of the way; but you
can act as guide. l will give you a
hundred pounds to be put on the
train for Dunedin. But the sessions
alone are not drawing me-" protested
the Judge. He went on: Il had a
telegram yesterday saying that my
little giri-.his voice broke-"is dan
gerously ILL.,"
Barton folded his arms and looked
out on the sea OF snow. He turned
and said. quietly:
~You shall go. l will take you.
Now let us have breakfast
When the meal was over, the
Samaritan put on his hat. Ye
tramped over to the store. and re-
turned with borrowed horse. With
in a few minutes the men were
mounted. Barton led the way. He
was gloomy and silent. Once or
twice McAllster tried to draw his
companion into conversation. but
failed. This irritated the judge, and
looking about for something to snarl
at, he exclaimed:
What on earth is that bulging the
pocket Of your iacket?"
Barton withdrew a revolver.
"Is 1t loaded2" asked the Judge.
II don't carry it for show"
what do you carry 1t for?"
Self-protection.
A puzzled look came into tho
judges eyes. Then ne turned, half
flercely. upon the other with the
question:
"Who are you?'
Excuse mel am travelling IN
cog"
A grave expression was on the
judges face. Barton seemed to read
its meaning. for without another
word he flung the frearm into q
snowdrsft
There was brief silence, broken
by Barton's voice, exelaiming:
Steady therel We are close upon
a small bridge without a parapet.
Your horse is slipping. Get of. you
fooli"
McAlister, realizing the danger,
slid from the saddle. Fortunately,
he alighted on his uninjured foot.
and the soft snow saved him from
anything worse than a shaking. The
mare, fioundering downward in the
huge snowdrift. was beyond help.
Barton shifted the saddle back
ward, then having assisted his com.
panion into 1t, mounted before him.
1t was twenty-five minutes to
when McAlister, leaning on tht
Samaritan's arm, limped into tn,
minutes passed In obtaining some re.
freshment from the station master
the judges companion was stern o.
face and silent
McAlister more than once cast
1 keen glance at him, and more THAI
once also did this terror OF criminal
brush his hands across his eyes
! When the train steamed into the sta
tion the judge rose; he had arranged
to have compartment to himself.
81 am going" he said to his lat
a rsscuer. "Win you?"
e He was about to ask again for tn
y others name but at this moment tw
men who had entered the waitin
0 room exchanged hurried whispers.
The judge, looking up, recognizes
u two of the colony's most noted de
tectives. Coolly and masterfully
Judge McAlister turned upon then
) Have you heard the news abou
Barton, the cattle stealer?"
The men glanced at the 5s..;sS .,;-,' >
companion. and looked fss'.I, S,,.s ,equ,rs .l. ;. /.
e 'KiIIed hv faufus eFer Gin ooWn
y sonth saS saing for hls-er-
very sad" uttered one of the
men, with a far-away look.
So" went on the Judge, cit will
be only waste of time looking for
him. You understand"
Without shadow of doubt the
detectives did
walker said the terror of Grim.
inals' TO the Samaritan, @you will
come with me to Dunedin. "
!
Perhaps Of all Judge McAlister's
friends the one most honored. and
very certainly the one most loved, is
an ex-reprobate who has become one
Of 80 most prosperous farmers in
the >s'ony.-New York Weekly.