The Snowflake herald. [volume] (Snowflake, Ariz.) 1913-1969, 1917-01-19
IheFugitiive
Witness
Queer Way He Broke Out
Of Custody.

countered anything like it in real
life-much less that he would.
1t was new enough to him in two
respects without being uncommon
IN real life. In the first place, he
never had been within twenty hours
of his own wedding before; in the
second place, no other man had
been engaged to a girl half so sweet
and charming and altogether lovely
as Macy Torrey, and then, in the
third place, came the uncommon
and almost unbelievable situation
what other innocent man in real
life had ever been violently possess
ed by a sheriff at such critical
time?
But it had all happened simply
enough. Wahoo county had an i'm
portant case against the c., @. and l.
railroad. Mason was agent for the
road at Belltown and was wanted as
an important witness.
He had been subpoenaed for the
next day, Thursday, but to avoid
unnecessary risk he had planned to
take the o'clock train for Layton,
where his bride to be lived. The
relief agent had just been checked
in, the boys had shaken hands with
him, the dispatcher had clicked him
Good luck, Charley" and he had
turned away to go to his room to
dress when the sheriff stepped up
and took him by the arm.
"Why-why-really," he began,
when he saw it was not joke, 81
just can't go. You'll have to ex-
cuse me. You see'-he blushed-
81 am to be married at s O'Clock in
the morning"
The sheriff grinned knowingly.
He had heard all sorts of excuses
before.
ct won't CO." he said. Nothing
will go except your body"
AS the captured witness was led
away to tho officers buggy a pic
ture stood wildly before his mind
of the happy wedding party grow
ing a little restless, then nervous
and then uneasy as the clock hands
tripped along toward s. He saw
the face of his lovely, happy bride
as she waited, and then saw the
modification, the agony, the scorn
in her face when the hour came and
no bridegroom.
"And she is just the sort of CIR"
he reflected bitterly, ''who would
never forgive fellow for being alb
sent on his wedding day. Good in
tentions don't count with her; she
believes in men who do not believe
in impossibilities."
"Say, Mr.. Sheriff." said Mason
affably as they reached the buggy,
81 acknowledge service all right,
and you just leave me here to fix
up things, and I'll be over in the
morning in time for court"
"Not much" The sheriff grin
ned again. "The Judge is wrathy.
You lodged one subpoena, yon
know, and he said for me to hold on
to you this time-and if you make
an effort to dodge this time he'll
throw you into Jail for contempt Of
court. See?"
ooh, yes, l see," answered the
young man. The case did not seem
hopeless yet, but mighty annoying.
Doubtless the judge would let him
off when he heard the circum-
stances, but it would make it case
of mad hurry to get back to Bell
town in time foV the 4 o'clock train
next morning. 1t was seventeen
miles overland to the county seat.
For several miles Mason argued
and begged, but the sheriff only
grinned. Very well, but he would
wait until he saw the judge. But
when they reached the county seat
the Judge was in a bad humor and
refused to listen to the agents ex-
cuse. Instead he turned to the
sheriff with peremptory Officer,
| hold you strictly responsible for
the appearance of this witness in
the morning; commit him to jail il
necessary
"Hell be in court in the morn
ing, your honor" said the sheriff,
with his exasperating grin.
The officer took him to the hotel
and engaged room on the top floor
e room with but one window and
one door.
81 will leave you here little
While by YOURSELF said the sheriff
after he had inspected the window
81 don't think you want to get mar
ried badly enough to break your
neck jumping out of that" 1t was
hrick wall dropping sheer thirty
| foot II 4bo 0roYnd Hn went out