Evening journal., 1910-06-21
SHE SAVED
HIM
By BENJAMIN L. TUCKER
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.
By BENJAMIN L. TUCKER

! belonged 10 the country, though NOT
TO that particular part Of it. and was
dressed in the costume In vogue there
namely, woolen shirt and trousers
high boots and sombrero. Hearing the
gallop of horses behind me, / turned
and saw two men coming. Each man
rode horse and led another.
! thought nothing Of the matter til
they came close behind me, when J
heard a rough voice shout;
"Hands up, stranger!"
knew enough of the practices Of
the country to understand that II !
didn't drop my bride rein and shove
both hands up over my head l would
get a bullet in me. My revolver was
at my hip, but to draw it would be
sure death. One Of the men rode in
advance Of me and kept me covered,
while the other ordered me to dis
mount and give up my revolver. ] did
SO, and. taking my horse in tow, be
left me the horse he had been leading
and together they rode on rapidly.
It was an hour after this that
heard other horses, arcH several men
came up to me and surrounded me. One
OF them recognized in the horse 1 rode
his property | told him the story OF
how l had come into possession Of II
but he said I might spare myself such
yarns as that, and was taken back to
thesnearest town and thrown into jail
charged with horse stealing.
The Jail consisted Of the second story
Of a small brick house, the windows Of
which had been fitted with bars. !
was put into one OF these rooms. The
upper part of the door also was barred,
so that the taller could see a prisoner
without opening the door. 1 knew it
would only be while the man who had
lost. his horse could get together an
improvised court before I would be
, tried and if l couldn't prove l wasn't
a horse thief would be hanged. Be
ing a stranger there, I didn't see how
could furnish the evidence.
It was about sunset Of the day
; was arrested. while I was pondering
on the chances Of swinging, that
p looked up and saw young face at the
barred opening in my door BY the
long hair parted in the middle knew
! the owner Of the face to be a girl
e She appeared to be about sixteen, but
: she was not much over fourteen. She
y was looking at me sympathetically.
e was twenty-one years and at that age
said to have been good looking.
"What v been doin'2" she asked.
'Horse stealing" I didn't think 4
worth while to assert my innocence.
"whatll they do with ""
"Hang me-"
A whitish tinge came on her face
and her eyes grew very big.
y % v want me to let v outT"
n "Can you do so without its beini
: known that it was you who did itf'
IS Reckon so. I'm a purity good liar.
e How can / get away|
IL There's horses below. There's nc
'e body about jist now"
D "Well, if you can let me out you ma,
e save my life"
e. She went downstairs, brought up
y bunch of keys and with one Of then
le unlocked my door. II was then that
8 got a full view OF her. She was tall
IS well formed and but for her skirts
b, which were so short they looked as
Is she had outgrOwn them. would hav
y, passed for nineteen or twenty. Sh
was rather a wild looking thing, not a
g all tidy, and her hair was uncombeC
She ran to a small stable in rear o
the Jail and led out horse that stoo
: saddled and bridled Taking the rein
n in my left hand. put my arm aroun
=, her, giving her a kiss full Of ferver
" gratitude, then. mounting, dashe
1Se away. The last glance l gave be
n showed me a red spot in each cheel
She had doubtless been kissed for th
first time by full grown man.
s. had been out an hour, and m
horse was getting jaded-he was
very slow beast-when, hearing a ga
= lop behind me, ureSd him on, turl
ing at the same time TO learn WI
was coming. / saw skirts futterin
=. in the wind Not being afraid of
- woman, slowed up and the next tin
\, l turned saw that my pursuer was IL
m girl who had let me out Of jail. 81
was riding astraddle, and her hair Wa
"a flying.
% 81 well" said. what is itT
- 81 iist thort I'd go with ye."
=. was startled. Many things passe
- through my brain. the principal bein
is that if caught would be surely ham
ed for horse stealing. to say nothir
Of abduction. But I couldn't be mol
m than hanged and might as well
a hanged for both as one.
bo "Well. come on" l said.
We rode till darkness came and, f.
~ the matter Of that, till daylight The
90 we were safe.
ne I told the girl. who was a niece
- the jailers wife and had never bee
~ taught anything. that we must pa
La for awhile. since l intended sendir
her to school. She vowed she wou
stay with me- But l stood firm, pror
~ Using that if she would remain
school two years she might come baC
~ to me.
- She consented at last, and during tv
~ years we never once saw each othS
~. though we corresponded. Through h
=, letters was able to note the improy
40 ment going on in her At first th'
sb were dreadfully crude; indeed, so mu