The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-06-20

tering white cloth. Seeing them, the
man stood quite still watching them,
only the white cloth fluttering in the
wind.
"a flag of trucer' grurted the cap-
tain, sharply calling u hal:.-he was too
true a soldier not to regard such sign.
"What does he want, I wonderi Lower
your arms there, men, there is plenty Of
time" he added grimly.
The robber came on again rapidly and
finally halted little distance above
them, with the baby still perched upon
his shoulder. Then he, too, lowered his
carbine and stood there, with head up
raised, looking at them deflantly.
"You have mel' he cried at last, his
voice ringing out clearly through the
still air. "You have tracked me up here
you, hundred against one man. Yet,
even now, you should not have taken
me calmly thus, even though I stand
alone-you should not have taken me
thus, but for the little one"
He glanced up for a moment at the
baby on his shoulder and drew one lit
tie hand down to his lips, and then faced
the soldiery again, speaking directly for
the first time to the old officer:
"You are brave man, captain, he
added almost appealingly, "and such
men do not make war on infants. What
do you dc with the little one, my cap
tain?''
The captain shrugged his shoulders
"The child is nothing, Andreano," he
said sternly "She may die with YOU"
With a bound the bandit had sprung
back from them, and in an instant the
child was off his shoulder and behind
him, and he knelt there with his car
bine leveled, fiercely facing them.
''BeastsP' he cried. 81 come to you
under the white flag, we'll knowing that
I must die, and asking nothing for my
self. I crave only that you should spare
the innocent little one. Know this, then,
since you will not-I will kill the child
rather than she shall fall beneath your
murderous blows, and will die such
death as few men have died, with
dozen coward souls to bear mine own to
hell Now, what say you?''
He knelt there quite calmly, with his
carbine leveled and with the child
thrust behind him. But the old captain
had stepped forward and raised his hand.
"Stop, Andreano!" he cried "You
are right We make not war on babes.
This hunting down of one man is but
little to my liking, and will not foul
it more The child is safe. -
The man rose and laid down his car
bine and took up the child again.
"And the little one shall go with you
down into the valley in safety?' he
asked slowly.
II have given my word. No harm
shall come to the little one. Give it to
me-"
The robber kissed the baby's soft face
passionately-once, twice, thrice-and
then moved quickly toward the captain,
down the rocks, and passed the child
into his arms.
81 thank you, my captain,'' he said
gravely. "And now you are to shoot
me?"
"Such are our orders, Andreano.
The other shrugged his shoulders.
$50 be it, he said softly, "only cover
the face OF the little one that she may
not see -
The captain passed the child into the
hands of the little soldier of the swarthy
face, and they took it quickly out of his
sight. Then came an order rapidly given
and another; volley rang out startling
the echoes on those lonely hills for
moment; there was half sobbing cry
and Andreano's course was run.
So it came about that when the SOL
diers marched down into the valley
again one Of them bore upon light
pole the head of the notorious bandit,
for all the wide eyed peasantry to cape
at, and, strangest sight Of all, upon the
front Of the captains saddle, with the
captains arm about her, sat a laughing.
growing, dark haired baby.-Firefiy.