News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-06-06

the other end of the grove, he turne
from the beaten path and passed throug
the trees toward the house.
The night was cloudy and quite dark
yet he detected the forms of three o
four men standing in the path befor
him. Advancing with more caution
and holding his pistol so that he cou''
readily use it, Arthur still crept forward
carefully scanning every object, bu
with his attention centred upon them
| He had advanced but few steps whel
he saw two of them lift from the grount
what appeared to be the form of
human being wrapped in dark blanket
Springing forward he leveled his pistol
commanding them to stop. The wore
had scarcely passed his lips when he re
received q blow from behind which rend
cred him senseless.
1t was past midnight when Forbes re
gained consciousness. Making his way
to Mr. Roberts house, he reused tn,
servants and tod them what he haG
| witnessed in the grove. Great was theil
excitement when it was found that
neither Mr.. Roberts nor his colored man
servant, Jim, who had also accompanied
| Lucia to Rio Grande City that morning,
| found in the grove dead, with a deep
wound in the side of his head.
''Mr. Roberts has been abducted by
bandits, and if he is not rescued he will
be held for ransom,' said Arthur. 81
must go to the camp and rouse the men
at once"
An hour later Arthur Forbes, accom-
panied by twenty stalwart cowboys, was
4 of
the abductors.
Dragged from his horse, beaten,
bound hand and foot, blindfolded and
tied on a horse, Mr.. Roberts was driven
all night and nearly all the next day
across the prairie, without food or drink.
At the end of that time he was taken
from the horse and the bandage removed
from his eyes. Two of his captors then
conducted him to q rude log cabin con-
tanning no furniture whatever, and
lighted only by a dim, smoky lamp that
hung suspended from a beam overhead.
Then, without word they left him, and
he heard them fasten the door on the
outside.
Exhausted by his terrible journey,
Mr.. Roberts was about to throw himself
on the hard floor when the door was
opened again and a man entered the
hut.
s'Senor Moreno ~ the ranchman cried
hope reviving in the his heart. ''You
have followed-yOu have come to save
meI''
s'Not so fast, Mr.. Roberts" Moreno
replied, sinister look in his handsome
face. ''Why should 1 succor the man
who so recently gave me blow.
''Ah! Roberts fell back pace. re-
garding the outher fxedly. "Then
may ask your business here 7"
II want your daughter.
sWell!"
Consent to my marriage with her
and you are free man."
''Then it is by your instigation that /
have been brought to this robbers DEM"
"Have care, Roberts. you are in my
power now!" cried Moreno, an angry
flush darkening his face.
"Did you ever know me to play the
part of a coward So the girl was right
after all, though I laughed when she
allied yOu bandit.
''Hal did she 500 No matter-by |
and by she will spend the gold bring |
her without asking uncomfortable ques-
ions as to how [ obtained it. Come, /
what do you say? Do you consent to
AXE me for q son-in-lawI"
The ranchman's eyes blazed with in
lignation.
s'Villian!" he cried. "I would sooner
see my daughter dead, and die a thou
sand deaths myself than give her toyou,
IN outlaw-a bandit"
s'We'n try what confinement and
hunger will do" said Moreno, with a
sneer. Il think you will change your
mind before you have been here many
hours longer" And, with mocl1ing
bow, he left the room.
The sun was just disappearing below
the western horizon as Arthur Forbes and
his men entered the hilly, wooded coun-
try that borders the Rio Grande. A
thick column of smoke rising from IA
pine thicket about three-quarters of a
mile ahead of them, showed where the
outlaws camp was situated.
Arthur babe his men conceal them |
selves in the dense wood, while he went !
on to reconnoitre. He found that the /
outlaws considerably outnumbered his /
own force, so, as they evidently had no
suspicion of the presence of an enemy, /
he determined to wait until they were |
asleep and then surprise them.
After midnight when the outlaws had |
sunk into a profound slumber, he or
lered the attack. The cowboys advanced |
and were almost within the |
camp before they were discovered by /
the sentinel, who gave the alarm.
But it came too late. Arthur's men |
rushed forward with cheers, and were |
among the robbers before they We're
fanly awake. The latter hurridly seized
their weapons and made what resistance
thef could; but it was Intellectual. The
struggle was sharp and brief Many of /
the outlaws were killed, and the rest
fed precipitately. Among the latter
was Moreno.
Arthur, as soon as the battle was over,
,alled few of his men and went in
search of Mr.. Roberts. They soon
iound him, and he was at once released
rom his unpleasant quarters.
The cowboys determined to remain in
he outlaws camp during the remainder
If the night, and start for home the next
One of them told Mr.. Roberts
what had taken place at his ranch the
previous night. He listened until the
story was finished, then rose and went
% where Arthur was standing with his
pack against the trunk of tree, gazing
nto the fire.
'Arthur, said he, grasping the young
mans hand. ''I have learned all that
you have done for me. You have proved
Yourself brave fellow and a friend
that one can rely upon. Now what shall
give you as a Tewardl"
Arthur was about to deprecate any
return for what was simply his duty
when he caught the whimsical express
sion of his employers face.
'Oh, sir, D." he faltered, sudden hope
springing into life. eff / dared
you would not think me presumptu-
1us-"
go on, boy" said Roberts kindly.
"Sir, II love your daughter!"
''Yes, so L have heard, dryly.
"Forgive me for deceiving You, Mr..
did not intend to violate your
rust in me- What man could be near
hat adorable girl-that angel-and not
owe her?"
"All very fine sir; very fine indeed
n question costs her father something
ike $5, 600 a year, how did you hope to
leep her in feathers on n salary of $5002"
'|I'm afraid did not think of that,
ir, said Arthur with a downcast face.
stOf course you didn't When did love-
orn fools ever think of anything SEN
ible? But there, boy, L won't tease.
like you-you are noble, brave fel
ow-and you shall have my Lucia, and
enough money to lro"p her in dresses