The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1895-08-24

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ing teeth, who had spoken before-cried
out sharply:
"See, my captain, he comes-with
the childn'
It was true; even as they looked they
saw an active, picturesque figure spring
ing from rock to rock toward them,
bearing on its shoulders a laughing,
growing, dark haired child. One hand
of the man held the baby, the other
grasped acarbine, and the late afternoon
sun CLEANED on the weapons in his belt.
They saw, too, that the baby had, fas-
tened lightly to one chubby fist, a fut-
terlIg WHITE ciCth. Seeing them, the
man stood quite still watching them,
only the white cloth fiuttering in the
wind.
"A flag Of .ruce!' grnnted the cap
tain, sharply calling a halt-he was too
true a soldier not to regard such Il sign.
"What does lie want, I wonder? Lower
your arms there, men, there is plenty of
time he added gr;nly.
The rObber came on again rapidly and
finally halted Il 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 defantly.
you have mel he cried at last, his
voice ringing out clearly through the
still air. You have tracked me up here
you, a hundred against one man. Yet,
even now, you should not have taken
me calmly thus, even though l stand
alone-you should not have taken me
thus, but for the little one
! He glanced mp for a moment at the
baby Oh his shoulder and drew one lit
tie hand down to lis lips, and then faced
the soldierT again, speaking directly FOR
the first time to the old officer:
"You are 4 brave man, captain" he
added almost appealingly, land such
men do not make war IN infants. What
do you DO with the little one, my cap
tain?'
Tie captain shrugged his shoulders.
THE child is nothing. Andreano,' he
said sternly. ''She may die with you"
With o hound 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 loyeled, fercely facing them.
beasts p he cried. 81 come to you
under the white flag, well knowing that
I must die, and asking nothing for my
self. l 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 a
death as few men have died, with a
dozen coward souls to bear mine W 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, Anareano!' he cried. You
are right. We make not wal OH babes.
This hunting down of L man is bu5
little to my liking, and will not foui
it more. The child is SAFE.
The man rose and luil down his cac-
bine and took I'D the child again.
aud the little Ono shall GoWith you
down into the valley ia aaiety::' A9
asked slowly.
4 have given ny word. Ne harrl
shall come to the little one. Give It &c
me.
The robbor kissed the baby soft face
Observation-Disclosures, twice, thrice-and
then moved quickly toward the captain,
down tho rocks, and passed the child
into his arms.
Il Thank you, my captain he saio
} gravely, "And now you are to shoot
me?"
"Such are our orders, Anareano.'
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
9 face, aud they took it quickly out of hi
. sight. Then came an order rapidly givel
l and another; a volloy rang out startling
I the echoes on those lonely hills for
4 moment; there vas a half sobbing CT,
3 and Andreano's course was run
G So il came about that when the sol
0 dicrs n ,rclltl down into the vale,
Il again one of them bore upon a ligh
pole teo head Of the notorious bandit
for ali tie wiue eyed peasantry to gap
, at, aad, s~trauSost sight Of all, upon til
front Of the captains saddle, with tn
> captains arm about her, sat q laughing
= growing, dark haired baby.-Firefy.
. Eac'eriolosy of the Sea.
n.p IrF-,I,~. 1,,,@ t,1D-i, 80 ~