The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-03-19

/ thank you" and taking her hand he
raised it to his lips. God bless you!' he
said, and was gone.
God amt got nothing to do with such
as me-" she muttered slowly. Then she
called out after him: 'Foller the river
daown till ye reach the town. Then yer
safe."
Hank and the hatless one stood staring
stupidity after the retreatinR figure, rs it
swiftly disappeared in tho oncoming dark
ness. Then Hank tuTned and said peev-
islly:
Some day, girl. we'll get caught by yer
tricks-a-letting off scot free every Teller
that blunders in here. Soon them whit
livered yankees dnown Mt the Forgc'll
know We keep q whisky still and tho
sheritf'll be up here with here with a posse.
But l Won't DO took alive" he growled.
Mirandy said nothing. She stepped back
into this cabin and busted herself preparing
the evening meal. Ben skulked off to the
mysterious looking affair in tho rear, and
the smoke scon ceased to come from the
rusty chimney.
Night came swiftly on. All WAS still in
tho little cabin; the occupants were locked
in slumber. For hours not a sound was
heard. just a. the first streak of dawn be-
gan to pail tho sky there wasa movement
Gs OF o band OF armed men away Down in
the valley. They were ascending tho pass.
As they npp' cached and the light became
"a ~ SooAo ~ bSCA LAau thNy OK
strong. muscular fellows. mounted and
carrying Wiuchosters and tevolvers, though
in citizsns' drsss.
They reached tho clearing after a hard
climb. Swiftly and silently they sur
rounded the little shanty while it's inmates
pletely invested it they stopped and re-
NAMED as silent and immovnble as eques-
triau statues.
An hour passed. The fiery rim of the
sun burst over tho Jagged peaks in tho
east. shooting out splendid pencils of light
glitterod like jewels on the crystals of
quartz in tho mountain crags. Something
stirred inside. The strange warriors on
guard looked at eRoh other. but did not
speak. Soon n frowsy head wac thrust out
OF tho door; a ianky body followed ID.
Swiftly. ailontly and rs mechanically as
automatic two of the guards desoended
from their horses and before Hank had
timo to rub his eyes had gagged and bound
him. In Il minute moro Ben, tho hatless.
was !rnssad up in like fashion. Then tho
hotsemen ret ented Il distance, leaving the
two men bound and helpl as.
A female head was ssen Mt the door.
Hank! BENZ she drawlel.
No answer came, only u faint curele, IL
glug, glug, such ns water makes when
pom cd from n bottle. The woman paused
ami listened. Again catching that indis-
tiuCb EulGllhR sounu Sne ktsnpsu out OF the
shanty md marched over to wins. Q the two
men lay gaspinr and struggling.
"Oh, Lo ," What's the matterp"
She dropped on her knees bcsido tho pros
trato Hank. Thirty feet away n s,alwnrt
fellow took u revolver from his belt. dis
mounted and advanced toward h +. Hank
saw him. With q mighty effort the mau
wrenched his AIMS free from tbs rope that
bound him. md raising himself to a sitting
postIrs made u dash for the other just az
he came within a ma length. Tho plunge
WAS n fierce ono. Hank and his foe went
down III u heap, tho nan still holding the
cooked revolver. Then came n sharp re-
port, n Gull, sickening thua, and thi ~
horsemen dashed in. The revolver had
gone oil and tho bullet had struck Miranly
full in tho temple. She fell back dead.
ID what yer will with me-shs's gomez
And Hank groaned aioud.
three weeku afterward seventy barrels of
whisky found in sn illicit still in the noun.
tRins were oonfiscatod. and three unkempt,
degraded children consigned to the county
POOR house. A plain grave wss dug on the
mountain side with n deaastone marked
simply, ''Mirnndy"-nothing more. But
before the next year there were two more
tlampa i'll tho state of Alabama.-Wayerly
Magazine.