Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1912-10-25
~shet up. Moll," said the mother.

koT leu tudI part VI tho pOnnO hhASh
took the right road to secure Johnny,
and was so indignant over the trouble
to which he had been put that he was
in favor Of melting out the customary
punishment for such an offense by In
slant hanging of the thief. Though
they discussed the matter before John
ny some time elapsed before he got 1t
through his thick skull that his life
was in danger. His captors wrangled
over the matter, some of them averring
that they had better delay the hanging
long enough to give Johnny an OPP
portunity to implicate those who had
taken tho other horses that had been
stolen; but they were overruled and
after lengthy debate they led the cul-
prit out for the purpose Of raising
him at the end Of rope the other end
of which had been thrown over the
limb of tree Johnny, who, by this
time had begun to realize what was
taking place, turned white. his knees
Knocked together. and he had to be
dragged along.
"Whar's my boss gone tor" exclaim-
ed Eben Parker when the party got
outside the house.
True enough. the beast had disap'
peared again. The men were dunn
founded Those who had urged delay
for the purpose of eliciting informa-
ton at once claimed that there was
an organized gang to run Off horses,
and Parker's animal had been taken
this second time by q confederate from
right under their noses. Fresh tracks
made by hoofs were plainly visible,
and It was decided that two Of tho
men should follow, while the other two
remained with the prisoner.
While they were gone Johnny was
locked up in the room he had occu-
pied, one Of the men guarding the
stairway. the other watching Under
the only window.
Now, there was one thing that none
Of the men noticed. Molly Barker had
disappeared. Her mother did not call
their attention to the fact, and as for
the prisoner, he was not in a condl'
ton Of mind to notice anything ex-
cept what plainly pertained to his I'M
fortunate position. The men who
went after the horse were gone till
late in the evening, when they returned
with the missing horse, on which rode
Mol Barker. There was fourth per
son added to the party, who was the
sheriff of tho county.
Mol, realizing Johnny's danger. had
taken the horse to go for the sheriff,
that the culprit might receive the pro.
lection OF the law. Had she not taken
the horse her effort would have result
ed in failure. and had the men known
that she had taken him they would
have surmised she had gone for ns
sistance, and they would have hanged
Johnny before that assistance could
have arrived. As It was, Johnny for
the time being was saved.
The tenderfoot, hearing a step on
the stairs, his heart stood still. lie
supposed that the men were coming to
take him out for the second time to
hang him. The door was thrown open.
and the sheriff. who entered. seeing
his agonized appearance. treasured
hI,,, b., toIiInu bIpo uhn bo ,uoa aud
nna,,,.,no It, ,ha, Nv ,,an,d ho sare
- hIa hnnda and hovo an onnor,rpI,y
- 900 hS,n.oIr ,nnooon, - ,hn Grim.
,w,th which ho ,yos chorgod ue heard
Johnny's story and. having become
convinced that a mistake had been
made, told his prisoner to go to sleep
where no was ana the matter would
be adjusted I'm time,
Johnny woke up In the morning 10
ono fact OF especial Importance to
him. He was alive. and the renson of
his being alive WINS tho action OF Mol
Barker The first thing he did was to
Hbudder. tho second was 10 realize TINT
his heart was going out TO the shabby
girl who had saved him. He Ind
found the woolIy west something en-,
tirely different from what II had been
portrayed I'm tho dime novel Never
theless he had found his romance-n
romance as different from whnt he
had always expected as was the wild
west
The next day the sheriff persuaded
the owner of tho stolen horse that
Johnny was fresh from the east and
unconacioua Of committing n crime
30 the posse went back with the re.
covered animal. leaving Johnny to fol
low his own sweet will In Moli.
Johnny failed In 500 tho commonpInce
girl of yesterdny. Her net and It's i'm
Dortance TO him had invested her with
n charm not then apparent