Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-13


Then my son spoke. 81 hain't got no way to prove
to you" he says that l hant the you're ookin'
for cept to let you take down to the Valley and let
me show YOU who am by people who knows me, and
maybe then they couldn't swear | hain't him.
The truth of it is, Mister that I'm up here huntn
the outlaw myself because wanted the reward money
to go to school next winter. But my hands is
gttin sort tired holdn this here gun towards the
blue sky and I'd be much obliged if you let me take
EN- down.
The man with the shield on his coat steps the
log that lays between him and David and takes Davids
rifle Then he fishes out some handouts and puts EN-
on my
"Wel,7 David says, DIES start
NO says the man. whose name was Elwood, the
day is too nigh gone, and might play trick
in the dark Well jest spend the night up here at my
hangout, and start early in the mornn.
DAVID told me he somehow felt from the outset that
- E1wood would out to be somebody he'd like.
He said Ewood anxious about him ta1n over the
rocks, on account O his hands ben ironed, and
watched him they picked their way up along the
brook until they'd passed the Cold Spring and had
reached little nook sheltered by a overhangn ledge,
which same Elwood called his hangout. Thar was
blanket layin bed of boughs little roll o cloth
in, a fryin' pan, and some grub, David said.
"Now, says Elwood, take seat thar on the rocks,
and stick yore legs out here.
David done it, and Elwood put another pair O cuffs
around his ankles.
WE'LL they had somethin' to eat and when it got dark
Elwood lit little fire back ag inst the rock wall David
he thar with his hands around his knees and watched
the man who had arrested him. Elwoods eyes seemed
He'd set thar and stare at the fire and think and think,
and think And fin lily he seemed to forgt that he had
prisoner and went off to Sleep Ewood did, right whar
he set.
NV son he worked his way acrost the few feet that
separated EN- and felt in Elwoods pocket and found
the handcuf keys He took one in his teeth and un,
locked his wrist irons and in three minutes he had
both pairs off and had put them and the keys back IN
Elwoods pocket and had right back whar he'd been
settn A little later Elwood fell acrost his bed OF
boughs and laid thar sound asleep he could be.
David gethered up some brush and made bed OF his
own and went to sleep hsself You see, he reasoned
that him not runnln away would prove to ElWood
that he wasn't the road agent.
The next nornn David he woke up jest at good day
break; although it still mite dark in the valleys
below. He set up wonderin whar he at; then he
remembered and looked around him. and seen that Ell
wood was not thar
1t puzzled David He got to his feet and looked agn.
Yit he seen no Ewood nowhar So he set out and
made his way up through the rocks and scrub the top
o the peak, and thar he found the man he ookn
for.
ahind of h-a watchin him. He seen him stand thar
on the highest pint that great pinnacle, and stretch
his out towards the dim valleys below, and he
heerd him say this in voice that seemed all broke and
shattered:
aIrene! Irene! Irene!'
And then he seen Elwood shake his head and cover
his face with his hands, with his elbows cost together
his breast, and git down on his knees. But David
couldn't quite make out to hear what it he said.
And he didn't want to hear it: he felt like he was in
trudin' He said he thought O the place in the Book
whar Moses took off his shoes He slipped back to the
shelter under the hangin ledge, whar he set down and
waited for Elwood to come back.
TT wasn't very long until Elwood come back. David
noticed that his eyes was absent lookln and like
them of somebody who has suffered heap inside OF him
with misery that has been hold of him for long
time. 1t shore looked strange to as big and
stout 1ookin' Elwood actin that away.
Then Elwood seen that David's irons gone, and
it seemed to sort O wake him up "When did you git
loose9' he axes.
LAST night while you was asleep answers my son.