San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-04-28

AS he spoke he caught Dan. by the
shoulders and held him down with
grip.o iron
Quick Meg. bring me some cords till
| bind the young rascal continued
Suggs hurriedly. IN soon fix him so
ne can't bother US.
1t was a critical moment. for Dan
Riggsby and he realized the desperate
character of the man in whose clutches
he had fallen. Dan still held the rock
in his hand which he had taken from
the wall and with a quick movement
he freed his arm from the grip of his ad
versary Then before the latter could
recover from his surprise at the unex-
pected move Dan struck him heavy
blow upon the head with the rock. The
man uttered gasp. relaxed his hold
upon the youth and sank upon the floor
Quick as flash Dan sprang to his
feet. and picking up the pistol that had
fallen from the mans hand. he darted
through the open door. On reaching the
cabin he was met by Meg Prone. who
uttered an exclamation of surprise and
rage and made an attempt to grasp him.
But he was determined not to be taken,
and throwing his weight against the half
intoxicated woman he sent her sprawl
ing over chair onto the floor, and then
darted from the house There was a
dense thicket of underbrush that skirted
the stream near by, and without an in
stant's delay he dashed into this and ran
speedily down the creek. Scarcely had
he gained the thicket when he heard the
enraged voices of the woman and man
as they rushed in pursuit. Then the
sharp crack of pistol sounded and n
bullet cut through the brush close to the
fugitive's head,
But now that Dan was out of the
clutches of the enemy, he made good
use of the opportunity to put as much
distance between himself and pursuers
as possible Keeping under cover when
ever he could, he ran swiftly down
stream, maintaining sharp lookout for
any OF the robbers that might be lurking
in his way.
For half hour he continued his course
rapidly down the stream: then pausing
and hearing no sounds Of pursuit, he
concealed himself in dense thicket of
willows Here he remained in conceal
ment till he had rested and then contin-
ued his way.
Dams first impulse now was to at
tempt to find the cabin of some settler
that he might obtain assistance. but he
soon saw the danger of making his pres
ence known to any one who might live
in that locality. 1t was plain that
large band of robbers infested that part
of the country and he did not wish to
take any risk of again falling into their
hands
After carefully considering the matter
he resolved to push Oh to the Marmaton
river by the way of the Military road.
This would afford him an opportunity
of meeting the paymaster and his escort,
when he could make known to them the
plot that had been laid for their robbery
at the Drywood ford.
But there was great danger yet that
threatened him. for well he knew that
the robbers on learning of his escape
would make thorough search for him.
That the man and woman at the cabin
would leave no stone unturned to find
him. now that they were aware of the
secrets he had found out from their con-
versation, he was fully convinced. 1t
was highly probable that they would
communicate with the outlaws and a
thorough search would be made.
AS Dan reflected over the situation he
became convinced that it would be haz-
ardous in the extreme to attempt to cross
the broad prairie lying between Drywood
and the Marlnaton until dark. A sharp
watch would doubtless be kept by the
enemy, and he saw no course left but to
conceal himself in the bushes and wait
patiently for nightfall Having selected
a dense thicket of dogwood bushes, he
crept into it. and throwing himself among
the rank weeds that entirely covered the
ground. he prepared to wait patiently
for the coming of night. He examined
the pistol he had captured from his adj
versary at the cabin and found that it
was of large caliber and contained six
loads.
The sight of the weapon brought forci-
bly, to his mind the startling events that
had taken place at the cabin in the woods,
and now for the first time he found time
to reflect ON the strange things he had
overheard there. 1t was all plain to his
mind now that the persons to be defraud-
ed by the two strange men who had stop
ped at the inn. were none other than him
self and mother. The conversation he had
heard at the inn and that between the
short man and the woman at the cabin,
hid fllllI- CON 1-incnd hin, of the fact