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BORDER JT
fAlt OF THE PLAINS
PANDAIJU . . . PADDISH-
LADY OP THE SOUTH : * . ,
WHEM WILDERNESS WAS KINO ETC.CTC
( Copyrieht , A. C. McClurg & Co. . 19W. )
SYNOPSIS.
Jack Keith , a Virginian , now a bor
der plainsman , IB riding along the Santa
Fe trait on the lookout for roaming war
parties of savages He notices a camp
fire at a distance and then sees a team
attached to a wagon and at full gallop
pursued by men on ponies. When Keith
reaches the wagon the raiders have mass
acred two men and departed. He searches
the victims finding papers and a locket
with a woman's portrait He resolves to
hunt down the murderers. Keith is ar
rested at Carson City , charged with the
murder , his accuser being a ruffian named
Black Bart. He goes to jail fully realiz
ing the peril of swift border justice. A
companion in his cell is a negro , who
tells him he is Neb and that he knew the
Keith family back In Virginia.
CHAPTER V. ( Continued. )
' 1 dunne , Massa , I done heerd 'em
talk some 'bout dey plans , an' 'bout
some gal dey wanted ter fin' , but I
didn't git no right sense to it De
Gin'ral , he was a might still man. "
"The General ? Whom do you mean ?
Not Waite ? "
"John Sibley done called him dat"
Then Keith remembered just a
dim , misty thread at first , changing
slowly into a clear recollection. He
was riding with despatches from Long-
street to Stonewall Jackson , and had
been shot through the side. The
first of Jackson's troops he reached
was a brigade of North Carolinians ,
commanded by General Waite Gen
eral Willis Waite. He had fallen from
his horse at the outposts , was brought
helpless to the General's tent , and an
other sent on with the papers. And
Mrs. Waite had dressed and bandaged
his wound. That was where he had
seen that woman's face before , with
Its haunting familiarity. He drew the
locket from beneath his shirt , and
gazed at the countenance revealed ,
with new intelligence. There could be
no doubt it was the face of her who
had cared for him so tenderly in that
tent at Manassas before the fever
came and he had lost consciousness.
And that , then , was Willis Waite ly
ing in that shallow grave near the
Cimmaron Crossing , and for whose
death he had been arrested. 'Twas a
strange world , and a small one. What
a miserable ending to a life like his
a division commander of the Army of
Northern Virginia , a Lieutenant-Gov-
ernor of his state. What strange
combination of circumstances could
ever have brought such a man to this
place , and sent him forth across those
Indian-scouted plains ? Surely nothing
ordinary. And why should those bor
der desperadoes have followed ,
through sixty miles of desolation , to
strike him down ? It was not robbery ,
at least in the ordinary sense. What
then ? And how was "Black Bart" in
volved ? Why should he be eufficient-
ly interested to swear out a warrant ,
and then assist In his arrest ? There
must be something to all this not ap
parent upon the surface some object , *
some purpose shrouded in mystery.
No mere quarrel , no ordinary feud , no
accident of meeting , no theory of com
monplace robbery , would account for
the deed , or for the desperate efforts
now'being made to conceal it.
Some way , these questions , thus
surging upon him , became a call to
live , to fight , to unravel their mystery-
The memory of that sweet-faced wom
an who had bent above him when the
fever began Its mastery , appealed to
him now with the opportunity of serv
ice. He might be able to clear this ,
bring to her the truth , save her from
despair , and hand over to justice the
murderers of her husband. It was up
to him alone to accomplish this no
one else knew what he knew , suspect
ed what he suspected. And there was
but one way through escape. T * re
main there in weak surrender to fate
could have but one ending , and that
swift and sMdden. He had no doubt
as to "Black Bart's" purpose , or of his
ability to use the "Red Light" outfit
as desired. The whole plan was clear
ly evident , and there would be no de
lay in execution all they were wait
ing for was night , and a lax guard. He
glanced about at the walls of the
room , his eyes grown hard , his teeth
clenched.
"Neb , " he said shortly , "I guess that
was your outfit all right , but they
were -not killed by Indians. They
were run down by a gang from this
town the same fellows who have put
you and me in here. I don't know
what they were after that's to be
found out later , but the fight you put
up at the camp spoiled their game for
once , and led to your arrest. They
failed to get what was wanted in
Carson , and so they trailed the party
to the Cimmaron Crossing. Then I
got on their track , and fearing the re
sult , they've landed me also. Now
they'll get rid of us both as best they
can. Thpse fellows won't want any
trial that would be liable to give the
whole trick away but they have got
to put us where we won't talk. There
Is an easy way to do this , and that is
by a lynching bee. Do you get my
drift , Neb ? "
The whites of the negro's eyes were
very much in evidence , his hands grip
ping at the bench on which he sat.
"Fo' de Lawd , yes , Massa Jack , I
sho' does. I corroborates de whole
"
thing. "
"Then you are willing to take a
chance with me' "
"Land's Sake , You Doan Mean to Steal Dem Mosses ? "
"Willin' ! Why , Massa Jack , I'se
overjoyed ; I ain't gwine leave yer no
mo' . I'se sho' gwine ter be yo' nigger.
What yo' gwine ter do ? "
Keith ran his eyes over the walls ,
carefully noting every peculiarity.
"We'll remain here quietly just as
long as it is daylight , Neb , " he replied
finally , "but we'll try every board and
every log to discover some way out.
Just the moment it grows dark enough
to slip away without being seen we've
got to hit the prairie. Once south of
the Arkansas we're safe , but not until
then. Have you made any effort to
get out ? "
The negro came over to him , and
bent down.
"I was layin' on a board what I'd
worked loose at one end , " he whis
pered hoarsely , "back ob de bench ,
but I couldn't jerk it out wid'out
something ter pry it up wid. "
"Where is it ? "
"Right yere , Massa Jack. "
It was a heavy twelve-inch plank ,
part of the flooring , and the second
from the side-wall. Keith managed
to get a grip next to the black fingers ,
and the two pressed it up far enough
for the white man to run one arm
through the opening up to his shoul
der and grope about below.
"There's a two-foot space there , " he
reported , as they let the board settle
silently down into position. "The back
part of this building must be set up on
piles. I reckon we could pry that
plank up with the bench , Neb , but it's
liable to make considerable racket.
Let's hunt about first for some other
weak spot. "
They crept across the floor , testing
each separate board , but without dis
covering a place where they could ex
ert a leverage. The thick planks were
tightly spiked down. Nor did the
walls offer any better encouragement.
Keith lifted himself to the grated
window , getting a glimpse of the
world without , but finding the iron im
movable , the screws solidly imbedded
in the outside wood. He dropped to
the floor , feeling baffled and discour
aged.
"It will have to be the plank back
of the bench , Neb , " he announced
briefly , wiping the perspiration from
his face. "Get down there , and work
it as loose as you can without making
any noise , while I keep my ear to the
door and listen for any interruption. "
They took turns at this labor , dis
covering a loose nail which gave an
opening purchase at the crack , thus
enabling the insertion of a small wood
en block , and insuring space for a
good finger grip when the right time
came. A sleepy Mexican brought in
their dinner , and set it down on the
bench without a word , but on his re
turn with supper , the marshal accom
panied him , and remained while they
ate , talking to Keith , and staring
about the room. Fortunately , the sin
gle window was to the west , the last
rays of the sun struck the opposite
wall , leaving the space behind the
bench in deep shadow. Whatever
might be the plans of "Black Bart"
and his cronies , Keith was soon con
vinced they were unknown to Hicks ,
who had evidently been deceived into
thinking that this last arrest had
created no excitement.
"That's why we picked yer up so
early , " he explained , genially. "Bart
said if we got to yer afore the boys
woke upthey'd never hear nuthin'
'bout It , an' so thar wouldn't be no
row. He didn't even think thar'd be
enny need o' keepin' a special guard
ter-nlght , but I reckon I won't take
no such chance as that , an' I'll have
couple o' deputies prowlln' 'round fer
luck. When Carson does wake up ,
she's hell. "
He left them tobacco and pipes , and
went away evidently convinced that
he had performed his full duty. The
two prisoners , puffing smoke-rings into
the air , heard the heavy clang of the
iron bar falling into place across the
door , and sat looking into one anoth
er's faces through the deepening twi
light In the mind of both black and
white reposed the same thought. The
negro was first to break the silence.
" 'Pears ter me , Massa Jack , like
dls yere Bart pusson am mighty anx
ious ter hab no suspicions raised. "
"Anybody but Hicks would see
that. " acknowledged the other , the
rings of smoke circling his head , "but
he hasn't any brains. It was pure
nerve that got him the job. Well , this
Is one time that 'Bart pusson' is going
to find an empty coop. We'll get out ,
Neb , just as soon as it gets dark
enough. Hicks isn't likely to put on
his extra guard for an hour yet , and
the * Red Light' bunch won't be fit for
business much before midnight By
that time we'll be In the sand hills ,
heading south , able to give them a
run for their money we'll have
horses , too , if we can find them. "
The negro's eyes shone white.
"Pof de Lawd's sake. Massa , " he
protested , "dat'd sho' be a hangin' Job
If ebber dey cotched us. "
Keith laughed , knocking out the
ashes from his pipe.
"With an hour's start that will be
the least of my troubles , " he said ,
quietly.
CHAPTER VI.
The Escape.
It was dark enough for their pur
pose in half an hour , the only gleam
of remaining color being the red glow
of the negro's pipe , even the opening in
the iron grating being blotted from
sight Keith , staring in that direction ,
failed to perceive any distant glimmer
of star , and decided the night must be
cloudy , and that time for action had
come. Guided by Neb's pipe bowl ,
he touched the boy on the shoulder.
"Knock out your ashes , and shuffle
about lively with your feet while I
pry up the board. "
In spite of his slenderness , Keith
possessed unusual strength , yet no ex
ertion on his part served to start the
loosened plank sufficiently for their
purpose. Ripping a strip from the
bench he managed to pry the hole
somewhat larger , arranging the bench
itself so as to afford the necessary
leverage , but even then his entire
'
weight failed to either start the
spikes , or crack the plank. Some al
tercation began in the other room , the
sound of angry voices and shuffling
feet being plainly audible. It was clear
to Keith that they must take the
chance of a noise , and no better time
than this could be chosen.
"Here , Neb , take hold with me , and
bear down put your whole weight on
It , boy. "
The two flung themselves upon the
end of the bench , leaping up and down
so as to add weight to power. Some
thing had to give , either the stout
wood of their improvised lever or else
the holding of the plank. For an In
stant it seemed likely to be the for
mer ; then , with a shrill screech , the
long spikes yielded and the board
suddenly gave. With shoulders in
serted beneath , the two men heaved
it still higher , ramming the bench be
low so as to leave the opening clear.
This was now sufficiently ample for
the passage of a man's body , and
Keith , lowering himself , discovered
the earth to be fully four feet below.
The negro instantly joined him , and
they began creeping about in the dark
ness , seeking some way out. A rudely
laid foundation of limestone along ob
structed their patch to the open air.
This had been laid in mortar , but of
inferior quality , so that little difficulty
was experienced in detaching suffi
cient to obtain hand hold. Working
silently , not knowing what watchers
might be already stationed without ,
they succeeded in loosening enough of
the rock to allow them to crawl
through , lying breathless in the open.
Accustomed as they were to the
darkness , they could yet see little.
They were upon the opposite side
from the town , with no gleam of lights
visible , prairie and sky blending to
gether into spectral dimness , with no
sound audible but the continued quar
rel in the front room of the jail. Keith
crept along to the end of the building
from where he could perceive the
lights of the town twinkling dimly
through the intense blackness. Evi
dently the -regular evening saturnalia
had not yet begun , although there was
already semblance of life about the
numerous saloons , and an occasional
shout punctured the stillness. A dog
howled in the distance , and the pound
ing of swift hoofs along the trail told
of fresh arrivals. An hour later and
the single street of Carson City would
be alive with humanity , eager for any
excitement , ready for any wild orgy ,
if only once turned loose. That it
would be turned loose , and also di-
fected , the man lying on his face in
the grass felt fully assured. He smiled
grimly , wishing he might behold
" ' " he should
"Black Bart's" face when
discover the flight of his intended vic
tims. But there was no time to lose ;
every moment gained , added to their
chance of safety.
"Are those horses tied there by the
blacksmith's shop ? " he asked , point
ing.
ing.The
The negro stared In the direction in
dicated , confused by the shadows
thrown by the dim lights.
"I reck'n dey am , Massa Jack ; I
done make out fo' . "
"Then two of them must belong to
us ; come on , boy. "
He ran forward , crouching behind
every chance cover , and keeping well
back behind the line of shacks. A
slight depression in the prairie helped
conceal their movements , and neither
spoke until they were crouching to
gether beside the wall of the shop.
Then Neb , teeth chattering , managed
to blurt out :
"Fo' de Lawd's sake , yer don't-actu
ally mean ter steal dem bosses ? "
Keith glanced about at the other's
dim , black shadow.
"Sure not ; just borrow 'em. "
"But dat's a hangin' job In dis yere
country , Massa Jack. "
"Sure it Is if they catch us. But
we'd be strung up anyway , and we
can't be hung twice. BesUas there is
a chance for us with the ponies , and
none at all without An hour's start
In the saddle , Neb , and this bunch
back here will never even find our
trail ; I pledge you that. Come , 'boy ,
stay close with me. "
( TO BE CONTINUED. }
The Pancake.
The pancake is a distinctly Ameri
can Institution. It Is eaten only in
secret in our best families.
It would be eaten openly and aboveboard -
board were it not that folk of the up
per circles have to maintain their dig
nity before the servants.
Properly made , the pancake is a
thing of beauty and a joy for the time
being.
Improperly made , as it usually Is , It
Is a blight upon life and a harass
ment to the stomach. A wrongly pre
pared pancake can stay with you
longer than the after effects of pneu
monia.
If our girls were taught how to
make pancakes civilization .would go
forward so rapidly that those who are
now trying to reform our social struc
ture would be back numbers by day
after tomorrow.
CASTOM
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Willie She didn't say nothin' ; she
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A Preference.
"Marriage is a lottery , " said the
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When we look back now upon some
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