Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-08-03

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him" he said, with determination; Ito
ask him what he means by thus logging
me-"
"oh, mol" she said. "At least--well,
perhaps that would be as good a way as
any. So at least you will meet him pre-
pared. But do be careful"
Are you afraid, Ditas, that may
harm him9"
mo-" she said simply, "but that he
! may harm you"
/ ION, DIUasl"
Don't speak to me like that-in that
tone, " she whispered fiercely, her cheeks
euame. If yod DO, I shall hate myself
for coming. At least have warned you
now. shall get off at the next station. "
The Englishman, cruelty abashed, said no
more, but feeling that his revolver was
ready to his hand started off through the
train on tour of inspection. He went
through one car after another until the
last one, looking searchingly at each occu-
pant None of them was Manuelo. He
came back doubtfully to the girl "You
were wrong, he said. He is not there. "
Doubt of her motive in coming was again
expressed in his words. 'Do you dare not
believe me?" she asked again angrily, her
face crimsoning: Come and see for your
self then" Slowly she rose and followed
him down the cars Their occupants re-
turned their searching looks with interest,
but there was no Manuelo.
You see, " he said when they had come
to the end, 'he is not there
ut is very strange" she said thought
fully. Suddenly she exclaimed, Where
are your boxes of ores"
In the express wagon, suppose"
II seel l see it all now' she said. "It
is there that we shall find Manuelo"
"Therel WhyP But it is all locked.
The expEessman is forward in the train. ="
is it lockedS" she said. eve shall see"
The Englishman, his heart beating high
with excitement, climbed the rail of the
hindmost car and along the footboard of
the express wagon. Wonderful to say, the
bars and fastenings of the wagon were all
hanging loosely down. The door was but
pushed to. In an instant it yielded to
his hand The bright moonlight stream
ing in showed the figure of man bending,
working away, over an open box, which
the Englishman had time to recognize as
one of his own before the kneeling figure
turned, and the flash of pistol for a mo-
ment blinded him, while the report echoed
dercely in the inclosed space.
The Englishman felt sharp, redhot
sting in his shoulder; but, Unconscious of
the hurt, he sprang ON the kneeling figure
The door swung to, and they struggled in
the darkness. The Spaniard wrenched
himself free from the others grip and
dashed out of the door. AS he jumped
from the train q second report of his pis-
toll was followed by the shrek Of a wom-
ans voice, and at the same moment the
Englishman, dashing after him in the
darkness of the wagon, struck his fore
head violently on the door as 1t swung to
again, and fell unconscious.
"You warn t spry enough with the shoot
ing iron, you see" was the sound in a
strong Yankee accent to which he regain
ed his senses.
Whats happened" he asked in weak
voice.
"Waal, you see, the crittur was fixing
up to work a little improvement in the
samples of that there ore you was taking
home with you; got dummy keys to the
boxes, l reckon. Seems he had some sort
er interest in the making 1t as good as
might be-owner Of mine or something,
from what they say-and he kinder got a
bead on you afore you got one on him.
That's what happened. But reckon you
amt hurt any"
where's Ditas?"
''DitasS Oh, Ditas, that's the girl, 1
see! WAL, she's hurried some reckon,
but not SO bad as might be either"
did she get off at the next stopS"
Next stop? No, nor won't for several
stops, reckon. No one seemed to know
where she was going, and there warn't no
place to put her off, so as she would be
looked after. There's doctor on board,
and he's got her into berth-the forward
berth in the car there. Perhaps you'd
like to go and see how she ISL You amt
hurried any. The orittur's bullet only
skinned you"
The girl was lying in the lower bunk of
sleeping compartment. The upper bunk
had not been let down, rare concession
to her wounded state. The bullet had
passed through the upper part of her arm,
injuring but not breaking the bone. Her
face was very white and deathly from the
loss of blood, and the long lashes of her
closed eyes lay far down upon her cheeks.
"Oh, Ditas!" the young Englishman
exclaimed, and at the words the great
dark eyes opened, and smile played on
her face. "Oh, Ditas, and all this for my
sakel'
In answer the girl let her other hand
stray feebly out over the counterpart.
"Take it, you fool, /" said the doctor as
the Englishman sorely embarrassed by
this ingenious southern advance, hest
tated.
where's ManueloP" she asked in low
voice when she was satisfied by feeling the
hand she sought within hers.
II don't know; gone-isn't her" the
Englishman asked, appealing to the doc.
tor.
Eyes; they stopped the train, but the
rascal had got the start of them. don't
expect any of them was in an all fired
hurry to get within shooting distance Of
him either.
But how did he get into the express
wagonP"
Howl Squared the expressman, of
course. We've got him fixed up all right.
He'll be handed over to what they call the
law in this country at Laredo"
81 see, seel Doctor, she'll get we'll,
won't sheP"
"Welli OF course she will. There's
nothing wrong with her; lost little blood,
that's all. Where's she going to2'
"I-I don't know. She said she was
going to get off at the first STOP"