The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-11-11


His opportunity had come, and he had
failed. Discouraged and limp in body,
ne rode sadly down to the highway
where he had seen the horsemen, and
followed It back toward his home.
As the raiders dashed through the
outskirts OF ST. Adams the people stared
in establishment at the cayalcade of
wild looking men carrying carbines.
and with pistols stuck in their belts.
Jean Dourdo. dressed as an Indian chief,
all his duh wits sharpened by excite
ment, led them on.
They rode into the midst Of the town.
The villagers, unconscious of danger.
did not modest them. Bourdo pointed
out the different banks; these had closed
for the day TO the public, but the book
keepers We're still at their desks. The
raiders overpowered them, broke open
| the safes and took what money they
could hastily gather.
In half an hour they were galloping
away, firing their pistols as they went
One citizen who appeared at his door,
/ step was shot and killed. But most Of
| the bullets were fired high in the air.
| They soon. passed the last house, and
rapidly moved northward over the same
| road which Pierre had taken on his re-
| turn home.
Jules old horse was growing more
| and more lame 1t was unshod, and
| this long journey had made its feet ten
der. Pierre did not like to urge it too
much, and so had to be satisfied with
slow trot. The night would now have
been quite dark had not crescent moon
shed an uncertain light on the brown
fields and fingered about the bright silk
which hung from the shoulder of a
small boy perched on a tall, gray horse.
Dark patches of woodland bordered
the road, and when Pierre was passing
one of these, which he thought not far
from home, he heard a Gathering of
hoofs behind him. He did not expect
the raiders to return so soon, but he
thought it must be they. The boy
feared to let Bourdo see him.
A wood road led into the bushes, and
Pierre, riding into this dark recess,
halted some twenty yards from the road
to let the horsenen pass. His horse was
hidden by shadows: but the little moon
slid down between the evergreens and lit
up the gay colors of the flag.
The raiders were riding recklessly,
singing and shouting. They were hilari-
Gus with success. Two young fellows
brought up the rear of the galloping
column. A startled owl tapped over
their heads, and one aimed his carbine
at the slowly moving bird.
''Jim, if we'd no orders not to fire I'd
bring down that fellow"
"If wanted to shoot" returned Jim.
sd take orders from no man. Hello!
look into this path. Don't that look like
the thing they call flag up here?" He
stopped his horse. raised rife and
} fired.
The two resumed their gallop and
caught up with the main body. The
captain looked back angrily, but did not
stop to demonstrate. Already the sharp
ear of Jean Bourdo had caught the
sound of pursuing horses. They were
only two miles from the Canada line
when troop of horsemen appeared on
) the brow of a hill short distance be-
hind them.
The robbers put spur to their horses
the better animals responded, but some
could not, and their riders were over
, taken, made prisoners and part of the
money recovered. The better mounted
men escaped into Canada They, too
, were finally captured and most of thu
! booty returned to the banks.
Jean Bourdo left the raiders befor,
= they were overtaken, and no one sus
pected his connection with the ''St. Al
bans raid"
g The next morning Jules was surprised
to find his gray horse, more lame thai
a usual, waiting at the stable door. Thu
old clerk went to the Bourdo house t.
ask Pierre if he knew anything about it
= The boy was missing. Jules though
his absence and the travel worn condi
e ton of the horse were in some way con
o nected. He returned to his stable, ant
d with patient care followed back tn
!. track of the shoeless hoofs.
e Slowly he traced the horses path til
: he was led to the swamp beside the road
Here he found flag and boy, equall
cold, and both pierced by rifle bullet.
In the evening a friend strolled int
{, the Ieutenant's quarters at the recruit
|, ing station. Heres news" he an
:. nounced 'Roughs from Canada hav
robbed the st. Adams banks. One VII
I lager was killed, and this morning DO
N cripple, wrapped in a flag and she
- through the heart, was found near tn
road by which the raiders returned t
II Canada
is GA crippled boy with flag" erie
the officer. He threw away his cigar
~ and the next day he was moody and too
re little interest in the drilling.
IN The evergreen bushes stuck into til
y. sand of the bay near the tamarac
= swamp dried and wilted, the plover u
= tered mournful cries, as they circle
Is over the deserted beach, and the blu
heron, wading along with droopin
u wings, found the oldtime relish for frog
re was gone.
ne Plover Pierre had left them.-Franc
he s. Palmer in Harper's Weekly.
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