Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1892-03-19

kCGoS W1VuOUC VlOA0uCos Out nv oAAo HUE
gle OF revolver Tho only man who
the shoulder. II was Ben, who at
tempted to defend tho two women
with his revolver.
Let them take my money and my
jewels!" cried the young girl. with
superb scorn, "but when my father
hears Of it he will bring them 70 pun
ishment, you may be assured"
"Who is he. miss?" asked one of the
outlaws, with mock modesty.
HE is Col. Robert Sheldon, Of Long.
town." answered the girl, proudly.
"Oh, my Cod" exclaimed Ben as he
sunk with a bullet in his shoulder and
lay in q hemp in the straw flooring Of
the coach.
There was hurried consultation
outside, and then one of the masked
men reentered the coach.
at was all n joke" he said. in q dis.
guised voice. land if that hot-headed
young fool had kept still there
wouldn't have been any harm done.
Take your money and valuables, but
as you value y our lives keep your hands
up. Go ahead; drive off with YOU"
He freq his pistol in the dir by way
OF expediting their DEPARTURE. then.
as the horses galloped away, he disap.
peared with his comrades in the oppos-
lite direction.
The coach went into Longtown on
one wheel, the horses lathered with
foam. The two women alighted, pale
as ghosts. Ben was carried into the
Longtown hotel on an improvise d
stretcher.
| "Not bit Of danger" said the local
medic an hour or two later He was
talking to the pretty girl OF the stage
coach.
| Hell be out again in q month. You
can go in and see him if you wish.
miss"
What is his name?" she asked.
| hurriediy.
Ben Holcombe," answered the doc
tor; hes one of our most promising
young men. I'd like to string up the
wretches who shot himr'
The young woman entered the parlor
softly, and saw by the dull fame OF q
faring oil lamp the young man
bolstered up on the sofa Her beauti.
full eyes filed with tears
ut is very strange" she said. ''but
cannot find my father. There is some
thing wrong! What is it?"
Ibid he expect you?" asked Ben.
family.
NO. 1 came to take him by sur
prise. I wrote that was sending him
n present It is six years since !
have seen him. He is all have in the
world"
Your father will be here in the
morning: he is out on his ranch, no
doubt, and-l have sent for him."
Have you? Oh, how kind you have
been to me! What should have done
without your help? do hope you are
not seriously injured. Was it not
strange that those wretches should
have given up their booty?"
OF under the circumstances. You
see they have rules among themselves.
and when you-oh, what am l saying?
am getting light headed" and he
turned deadly pale.
And no wonder. will say good
night, though it must be almost good
morning hope you will be able to
send my father to me, and that you
| will rest we'll"
Ben Holcombe did not rest at all, for
the emissaries whom he had sent out
for Col. Bob brought him in-drunk,
ugly and half-crazed with excitement
What took place in the two hours of
| angry talk between the men no one
knew, but the next morning found
Ben Holcombe delirious in a high
fever, and Col. Bob. clothed and in his
right mind, conversing affectionately
with his daughter, but looking every
where except into her clear, rcproving
eyes But she never suspe ctcd.
Wasn't it surprise. papa. dear" she
kept re peating as she playfully pulled
his whiskers, and half smothered him
with kisses.
u should - say-it-was," gasped
the colonel, with a deep suspiration.
And we'll have q lovely winter to-
gether. you and i?''
And Ben"
"Oh. forgot suppose MS he saved
me from those dreadful bandits. we
must include him. Papa, what an in
fuence you must have. when just to
X now that was your daughter mado
them give back my diamonds-the
grand diamonds You sent me. / only
cared for them for that. You must be
a very great and good man"
God helping me, l will be" he an
swered, with the first reverent feeling
he had known for years.
That all happened year ago. The
other day Sim, the driver of the Long
town stage coach, brought an immense
box with him, which he left at the
Longtown hotel.
"It's for Kurnel Bob's daughter" he
said, as he deposited it in the house.
whats in it?" asked the landlord
II reckon I amt opened it," an
swered Sam, but l heard them say
there was n cruso in it reckon it's
come from the states"
When the colonel's daughter heard
that her ''cruso" had arrived she
laughed heartily; so did her father, the
colonel; SO did Ben Holcombe.
What air you goin' to give her fur
weddin' present, Benz asked Sim the
next day. Sim had pair of little red
mittens in his pocket that his old
mother had knit out of the finest
Saxonv warn to be had for love O,