Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-07-15

| WI X cut Out 10 70 el 70 gWmo saNe
Mars Tom Strickland's life-das hue
come ! hyar now to tell 10 erbout 1t,
suhr'
Through the after midnight blackness
that was soon to change into the gray
of a cloud swept dawn q fugitive man
and woman fed.
Side by side they sat In light road
wagon drawn by rawboned horse
whose long and swift stride told OF its
selection for this special service.
The man. gaunt, swarthy. with keen
black eyes that cleaned alertly from
under the wide brim Of weather beat.
en- sombrero. seemed Ill content, how
ever. with the progress being made.
Almost necessarily he urged the
horse to increased effort, now and then
cursing outright In the grip Of fever
ish impatience.
Save when he leaned forward for this
urging the man sat slouching and limp
| the mark OF the vagrant Ishmael on
every line Of body and limbs
The woman was tense. rigid, her face
set always to the front 1t was framed
| I'm by a shawl thrown over her head
| and drawn about her shoulders. Once
or twice her glance went furtively to
| the man beside her. Fear and distrust
were In her eyes. Her hands were
tightly clasped together as they lay In
| her lap.
Deep woods stretched on either side
of the rond Their stiffness was pro-
found The enveloping gloom seemed
as of the grave itself The woman
shuddered and drew her shawl closer.
Lord ha' mercy" she spoke. Il
can't do 1t. Jesse-I can't! It's worse'n
murder worse'n what's been done
| a'readyr'
The man laid cruel lash across his
horses TANKS. "You foolw he NUT.
tered. ITS high time ! brung you
away! You lovesick fool!''
The girls eyes flashed sullenly.
THAT words a lier' she retorted.
"Ain't goin with your And would
I be a-doin that If was lovesick for
somebody else7 It's lie. and you
know It,"
The man laughed IF you had stay
ed where you was you'd b. blabbed
the whole thing out and you'd be In
| jaIl now stead O. him."
Suddenly the woman threw her arms
upward. It'll ha'nt me to my dyin'
day.! she cried IL ought to ha' told
the truth. wish | had! wish J
had. 1t couldn't he no worse'n II Is
uowl'
81 say that II could!" savagely re
turned the man. "You keep your
mouth shut got all can do to save
US as 1t is. 'thout'n you waggin' your
tongue. You keep your mouth shut!"
The woman passed her hands over
her face miserably.
The man again slouched down In his
seat. Now and then his moody glance
turned apprehensively to his compan
ion.
"I've done whole lot for your sake.
Lottie-May." he spoke at last 81
could ha' got away long ago. I'm tax
In big chances Oh your account And
you don't seem to care"
Lottie-May Doggetts face grew
shamed. "Yes. do. Jesse" she ex
claimed. 81 know just what you're
doin' for me The only show | got Is
to go with you And you mustn't
think don't appreciate It," Her
hands Auttered piteously at her throat
My Godr she cried. her voice break
Ing IN anguish. "Tom Strickand's
goin' to be hung! He's goin' to be
hung! They amt nothin' on earth can
save himl"
Far in the east the gray dawn was
breaking.
"D-n Tom Strickland" cursed the
man. "I'll be glad when he Is hung!
You've always been In love with him!
Hes goin' to be hung" repeated
the girl. And they amt no way to
save him now|
An evil mockery leaped into the
mans face. "Oh. yes, there's way
he retorted. "You 60 back there to
that trial and confess the truth
You're the only one on Gods earth
that can save him. Amt that so"
The girls face whitened. AS the
man spoke they had turned from the
pike road and were going deeper Into
the woods. A scant light of day had
come. The faces Of the two were
haggard and worn
"Yes, I'm the only one!' cried Lot
tie-May Doggett suddenly. "And that's
what I'd do now If had the chance
tell the whole truth. amt thinkin
no more about me. / amt thlnkin nc
more about you. I'm thinkin' about
Tom Strickland"
A forlorn and dilapidated cabin was
revealed In barren little opening
ahead. The man laughed aloud as he
saw II.
You'll have to take 1t out In think
in, Lottle- Mayw he exclaimed trium
phantly i've got you now where yo'
are safe. When you and me leave tha
shack tonight there'll be no more tall
O. you savin' Tom Strickland. Wei
be headed straight for Oklahoma then
and nothln' can stop us"
The girls eyes rested on the miser
able little cabin An ominous ugh
was In them The man drew up at thu
hut and assisted his companion from
the wagon. He pushed open a creak
ing door. The cabins interior showed
black and forbi,lding.
"That's where we stay till nigh
time" he said I'll take the horse ant
wagon round where they won't be seel
II anybody happens to come along
. And I don't want no more o you
foolishness. LottIe-MayT
The girl started az If struck. Don
talk to me like thatr she cried. t"
amt your nigger yet ain't got to d.
anything don't feel like doin'. Your
takln' too much for granted. Jesse!
The man seemed to lose all patience
at this. Graspng the girl by the shoul
ders he forced her into the hut Thei
be disappeared. A moment later b
returned.
j, The girl was standing against tn
wall. Her face was buried In be
arms. Sobs shook her body. The mai
, closed the door behind him.
/ CHAPTER XIII.
Capture and Trial.