With the coming of daylight Margaret arose while yet the others slept,
and breakfast was ready with the rising of the sun.

"You must be plannin' a big day's work," said Mrs. Spencer, and Margaret
replied: "Yes, for I can't see the end of it. Kintchin, ketch the gray
mare an' put the side saddle on her. An' now, you folks kin stay here
jest as long as you please."

"Why, where air you goin'?" Mrs. Barker inquired; and Margaret, putting
a pistol in the pocket of her dress, dropped a courtesy and said:

"To the jail."

CHAPTER XXIII.

A TRIP NOT WITHOUT INCIDENT.

With a few silver dollars in her pocket, chinking against the steel of
her pistol, Margaret jogged along the road. In observation the
mountaineer is always minute; each day is a volume unto itself, and in
this book abound many pictures. In a thorn-bush the old woman saw a
mocking-bird feeding her young; in the dust she saw where a snake had
smoothed his way across the road. She halted to look at a bare-legged
boy, who with his straw hat was seining a rivulet.

Telling the time by the sun, she dismounted at noon and in the shade of
a wild plum thicket, ate her luncheon, while the mare cropped the sweet
road-side grass. But it was not intended that her journey should be
without event. Along toward four o'clock she came to a bridge across a
small stream. The planks were worn with heavy hauling--the whole thing
dangerous, and into a hole the mare's foot sank. She floundered, fell,
and when Margaret, unhurt, arose out of the dust, she saw with horror
that the poor creature's leg was broken. The mare floundered to the
road-side and then in misery sank upon the ground.

"Poor old friend," said the woman, with sorrow in her voice, tears
streaming from her eyes, but in her hand was the pistol. "Good-bye, an'
don't hold this ag'in me fur it's all I can do." Close to the horse's
head she held the barrel of the pistol--fired, and without looking,
resumed on foot her solitary way. A few miles further on she halted at a
tavern, hoping that by spending the night, morning might bring along a
friendly wagon, going her road; and she waited until the sun was high,
and then set out on foot. But along toward ten o'clock she was overtaken
by a huckster in a cart. She asked him to let her ride and he drew up,
but looked suspiciously at her.

"I asked you to let me ride, if you please. I had to kill my po' mare
'way back yander--broke her leg in a bridge."

"What s