Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1913-08-07
He spranp to his feet and rushed

He sprang to his feet and rushed
through the open door. He saw In
distinctly; the world was revolving in
a fiery mist, through his weapon.
Next moment, 100 enraged to fire, ben
had dropped his rife and his hands
were on the sheriffs throat.
To and fro they wrestled. The ta-
BILE was knocked down. The clumsy
chairs went spinning across the room
The candle was dashed to the noor'
and in the bewildering night each
only knew that he was fighting TOT
lie with an implacable adversary
Ben dug his knuckles into the hollow
space between the point OF the Jaw
and the great cord behind the ear--an
old woodsman's trick. to compress the
carotid and produce Inconsistencies.
He felt his enemy weakening. he had
him at his mercy now. Suddenly
tremendous blow fell upon his head
from behind. He heard the shivering
of the cheap rife stock. flung out MS
hands, felt for some stable hold III
the encompassing darkness, and tum-
bled to the ground. The last thing
that he saw as his senses left him was
the faint glimmer of the relit candle
and Mollie's agonized face, IN lts
aureole hair.
BEN"
"Mollie!"
He started out through the whirling
phantasmagoria that surrounded hln.
He was dizzy and deathly sick. Gradu-
ally, as the fog cleared from his brain,
he realized that he was lying In
little rCCm. He lay in Mollie's room,
upon bed, and the face that ne
loved best in all the world was bend
ing over him.
Thank God he Is coming to.
Frank"
You had better leave him for the
present" 1t was the voice OF Merrl-
man He came into the circle or
l'en's vision. a mighty man, his face
swathed in bandages Looking upon
him, Ben dimly wondered how he had
ever had the strength to wrestle with
such a fellow He was too weak to
lif. finger now.
Well. young fellow" Merriman
was scowling down at him. You've
done for yourself pretty well
now" he continued III my nephew.
Walt, hadn't had the gumption to
come up at the right moment and
snatch my rife you'd have had a MUIR
you were gone when saw the whack
he gave you that night"
THAT night! When!"
1.-TWO weeks ago tomorrow. Yep. !
reckon you've kind of lost count OF
time" he continued. smiling less evil
ly. You've been mighty near death.
young fellow, let me tell you"
Well, ! guess you've won" said
Ben feebly When are you going to
take Inc back to the penitentiary?
Frank Merriman scratched his head.
then, lingering his bandages. he
upon his face.
When will you be ready to start?
ne asked
You'll have to put me In cart. !
reckon" answered Ben. Frank, he
continued, I'm likely to get life SEN
tence now and we aren't likely to
meet again. want to ask promise
OF you. Treat Mollie well. She's
the finest girl in the world, and II
she was false to Newell, ! reckon It
was for your sake, Frank"
The sheriff stared at him Then he
turned abruptly away. "The-deyil-
you-say," he muttered.
He went to the door and called the
girl. Ben heard them whispering out
side. And presently he was aware.
in his weakness. that Mollie was
bending over him again.
BEN"
"Mollie."
Ben, dearest Did you think had
betrayed you, Ben? Did you dare to
think that ] was untrue to your
He felt her tears drop on his hand.
He listened dumbly, In an agony Of
anticipation and doubts he dared not
utter.
Listen, Ben! You are free. Free
to 70 where you will. When you es-
capped the newspapers took up your
case. They demanded that you should
be set free. The governor was ap-
pealed to- He said that you had been
punished enough. Your pardon ar
rived the week before you first came
to the cabin That was why | went
to the mountain. should have told
you, but | wanted 1t to come as
surprise. That night Mr. Merriman
was waiting here to hand 1t to you.
You are free, Ben, free to 60 where
YOU wll-free to-to marry me-if
you want to-"
(Copyright, 1913 by W. @. Chapman.)