Arizona republican., 1910-04-26


 "Yess It's twenty-two miles by the trail"
 His eyes widened "You--you know tbe-traii, ch y She nodded quickly I've ridden it for two years. But it's an awful bad one
 The man pulled reHectively at the stubble on. his face,". .,5 s"I sotrt to get back-to camp fore the mornin'- surt he reasoned again, slowly. "I just got to get back"
 Again the silence hung uubroken. The chipmunk bounded up the steps, pcercd nauisitiyey into the room; saw the big stranger and sprane away again. chatterins and scolding The man did not appear to notice, t
 Would you let me have of the horses" he asked, quietly, without looking up Would you let me. have one of em to get back to camp tonight" "Wky-yes; don't think Dsd'll care. Eve, got to save Chip from the men, he resumed more TT just got to do it.
 "Chips" her voice arose bravey and questioned. Yet and the man nodded and turned. "I don't nnd teliin you little woman I just broke jail down -thsre; run away to the canon and here am. didn't think of it at first. You know Chip had me tin charge-he's responsible. And in the mornin'-if the find out I'm sone-well. it'u go hard with the boy. I'm sorry I done it. Taint right that the boy should suffer is it, little woman? That's why just got to get back fore the mornin'.
 Hester met his eyes, squarcly; they burning bright and purposeiu Guess it seems sort Of funny to you to have tellin this ch:-and- me-a-man-kller. Yes, that's what they dub me. cause killed the range last week. did Funny, ain't it, that want to get back and give myself up, just to save kid, aint it!y His eyes misted and he paused thoushtf,jiy Anyhow, got to hang. I might we'll give myself up pescefuike for-for good csuse-than get some lead in my back runnn' away"
 Hester regarded him with wide-open eyes and throbbing heart. She had heard of man killers and desperadoes and bad men. She had learned to fear them And yet now, in the very presence of one she felt strangely brave and fearless
 "Youre-youre brave man" she managed to stammer. They oughtnt to hang you-after that" The laughed bitterly Justice is justice here" he said grimly q killed q man-and-and that ends it'' -....-
 She shuddered and. was glad that his eyes not watching Ii so terrible to talk of hanging; to think that he going to deliberately go back and give himself up.
 Its twenfy-two miles down the trail" she began Do you think you make t-before morning?' He got up and walked to the door. The after sinking down behind the big, peaks. A J Ill ak ,I,.
 q don't know he said presently. I don't know. But I'm gon' to tryN. reckon if the trail is there I can keep it all right .s.-,
 "It's bad trai," she repeated, when he had hn- ished.
 They said so. I've heard it the worst in the district" he went hopelessly. .
 And you aint never took it-before"
 "Then you can't get there before morning" she spoke up bravely. Tt takes expert to follow that canon. You can't ever make it"
 His back was toward her so she did not see his fsre but she did notice that his great, brown fists elenched themselves at his sides; she knew his struggle and was sorry
 From the silent man her gaze travelled into tn. other room. It was the smaller of the two.s Ii was dimy lighted now, for the curtains were drawn; but it vas light enough to see the flowers heaped in many wreaths upon the center-tabe and the shelves She choked and almost scbbed aloud
 Yesterday-yesterday was to have been her we'd ding day. Jim. big srsy,e Jim was to marry her and she loved him. But the day before he had called her coward--a poor little coward because She had
 
 away. from her arm Ii maddened her; she coulc never never forgive him, never. It had frightened her; but he had laughed and laughed brutaly an' heavtles.ly and she tpi' h:m to go away-for al ways-sl~sys She kzted hisa. :>