The national leader., 1889-02-09

order to quiet his conscience. Very
well, that will leave but two, and can
manage them. In the meantime, at
tend to your regular duties and treat
your nephew as usual
But this great danger you ale incur
ring-it Is terrible, and dare not per-
NIT it,
There will be no danger If I do not
lose my nerves. | answered quietly.
'Only trust me-
Il do trust you'll she exclaimed, and
leaving the room, she presently re-
returned with lamp and conducted
me to her chamber.
1t contained a bed, a dressing bureau,
two chairs, and handsome writing
desk,
Placing the lamp on the bureau, she
held out little hand. saying: Il wish
to shake hands with you, sir, before I
GO. and may Heaven bless you and
shield you from harm to-night!'
Il dare not fall / replied, holding
her hand for au instant. Now go,
and remember that you, too, have
part to act
She left the room, and l was alone.
Seating myself in rocking-chair, my
gun lying across my knees, sat and
| muSed:
There will be two against one, and
that is big odds, but l have my gun,
and 1t ought to cut great figure. BY
! George, though. If capture these
villains, as l mean to do, it will de-
volve upon me to sit up all night and
watch them. l don't believe that
| thought struck me before, but it's
| quite too late now to alter plans. What
fine looking woman Mrs. Anderson
isl She doesn't look twenty, but she
is older than that, and widow. Old
DOy, the time was WHEN those pretty
eyes might have altered your life, but
enoughl l am ouly cotton picker,
nowr
Time passed very slowly, and Decem-
ber nights are not remarkably balmy in
Arkansas. Fighting both fatigue and
hunger, hours SCENE, heightened into
days, and when my ear caught the
sound of suppressed voices below, fol-
lowed by the sound of stealthy footsteps
drawing gradually nearer, 1 expe-
rienced a sense of genuine relief.
Shielding myself behind the dressing
bureau, with gun cooked and light
burning dim, awaited further devel-
opments. The door opened softly and
closed with sharp click, and realized
that the moment IOr action had arrived.
For moment a chill numbed me, and
then l turned up the light with a flash,
and a pair of more completely surprised
villains l don't think ever existed than
those before me.
Gentlemen I exclaimed politely,
my gun Is ready for instant use, you
will please remove your masks and be
seated there on the bed.
They obeyed In a dazed sort of way.
Now fold your arms across your
breast l commanded.
Again they Obeyed, and seating my
self, / rested my gun over the back Of
a chair. and calmly went on:
so far have never killed a man,
but if either one OF you changes his
position without my consent l will
shoot you BOTH
1 could plainly see that they believed
me to be thoroughly IN earnest, and
they sat as immovable as rocks. Their
faces were not cruel, The older of the
twain might have been termed a tough
customer, but he did not look the
bold robOer 10y any means Ills COM
panion was sallow aud slckly looking,
and he trembled visibly.
The silence was beginning to grow
oppressive, when the older man spoke:
Mister, he SAID in a husky voice. Z
s'pOse thar's no use axing fur marcy,
and it's to prison you'll send us; but
we amt all bad, my pard and me. We
haven't been living exactly on the
square, ! know, but we was coaxed
into coming here. fore God. The
yOungun down stairs said as how we
could do this job and go back to old
MlsSoury and be gents. and we was
starvl g here. It's awful to 90 to
prison, Mister, and if you could let us
of this time, we would do better and
thank you all our lives
shook my head.
well then let my pard go, Mister;
he's younger than be, and he's mostly
ailing, coaxed him into coming here,
and
'Hushl' exclaimed
There was scream down stairs, and
the rush of feet. The door flew open.
and Mrs. Anderson rushed into the
room, closely followed by her nephew.
A pistol cleaned in his right hand,
and he fired it full at my breast. ex-
claiming:
Die. for id spyl'
1T is my turn nowI' cried, raising
my gun. but turning like flash he
leaped through window, carrying the
sash with him.
l knew his bullet had struck me
hard, and | could plainly feel the hot
blood OOzlng from my right side. Fear
full that the two men, who still occu-
pied their position on the bed, would
notice my condition and take advant-
age OF it, pulled myself together and
said, as calmly as possible:
You asked for mercy few minutes
ago. 1 refused it then, but since the
greater villain has escaped. l have
decided to lot you 60. But you must
first promise that you will leave this
neighDOrhOod at once
They both solemnly swore to do so,
and left the house as quickly as posi-
bic. None too soon, either, for the
sound OF their footsteps had scarcely
d;od ouav uhan T aank to tbo floor