The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1895-12-28

uie" a long. black rope from his pocket
Aha iooped u over a convenient rafter.
Carl Manning braced himself and
looked the man squarely In the eye az
nc nnlnhed hls omlnous eontrivnnce.
Call me what you WILL" he said
quietly, Il came out here In the inter-
ests Of the mine TO learn exactly what
you we're doing II you we're honest
you would not fear me. but As you are
only a pack Of thieves and murderers
you remble al my presence here and
nave brought your gang Of six 10 one
70 shoot me down or hang me-"
Then he folded his arms and raised
his head and his voice rang out deter
minedly:
DO your worst, you pack Of raven
ing wolves Lay your plans TO destroy
my Work-plot your brave schemes 10
take my life-prepare The moose. the
rope. the knife have everything ready
10 add one more murder 10 your list.
and then-then lay your hands upon me
II you darer And his eyes glared at
them sayagely with the fury Of an
angry tiger.
Hardly had his voice ceased TO echo
through the shanty when one Of the
rufiians sprang forward with a shout
and snatohed his pistol from tho table
Re ls gnlrmedl Take him by foreer
he shouted. vleiously. and the whole
gang surged forward together as II 10
tear his limbs asunder.
stand backr" Carts voice rang out
boldly. then quick as lightning his arm
shot forth and blow felled the nearest
brute 10 the floor. Then. lust as he re-
covered himself for a second attack.
his eyes were drawn lrresistlbly to-
ward the window. where once more the
CHASTITY face Of the girl peered In upon
the scene before her.
Look there" Carl whispered tragl-
caliy. as he pointed toward the window.
There Is the ghost Of your murdered
Girl How dare you think to Stay an
otherl"
As II expecting and dreading this
very apparitlon. the men turned. almost
with one accord. and glanced In fear
az the narrow window. There was a
shrek nom one. a curse from another.
and. seing ais chance In that moment
OF horror. Carl sprang forward and
wrenched his pistol from the leaders
hand. and for a second the whole place
beloved with the rapid empiying Of as
chambers
Sprlnging over that iumble OF with.
ing forms. Carl hurriodly collected hls
papers, aud then remembering. even In
his danger the volume Of poems. he
snatched the book from the table and
thrust Il into his pocket Then he
picked .his way carefully across the
rocks, a fes stray bullets keeping him
ominous company. and by running al
ways IN the shadow. was soon Tar away
from The little shanty.
There is a train al eleven" he whls-
percd 10 himself. that will take me
east OF the Mississippi" and thea he
stopped running almost too suddenly
as another vision came swiftly upon
him.
Kitty he called ,enderly: Kitty.
darling Is q you. or am stlll In the
land Of spirits?'
without a sound the young glri hur-
ricd toward him hnd threw herself into
his outatretched arms Take me with
you" she sobbed frantlcally. Take
NE with you or they viii XIII me too. ("
and Carl almost without a thought OF
what he vas doing. half led. half car
ried her 10 the station.
A year later In their Eastern house.
Carl Manning and bis wife sat down
for their after -dlauer chatting.
so old Tom Johnson was not your
father. after all" Carl said over and
over. as though the repetition Of the
words we're something more than ordl-
narily pleasant Then he took her on
his knee and his face assumed a
thoughtful expression.
Well. am glad did not kill him,
any way" he said softly. although
the owner OF the mine says might Just
a. well have done 90. for ! crippled
every man Of them that evening" Then
be smiled more tenderly into her eyes
as he added In lighter tone: But
what am sorry for. little one. Is that
did not walt TO solve tae mystery OF
that voman's face. for az live. Il was
she chat saved me-
without a word Kitty slid down from
his knee and began ransacklng In her
boz OF treasures VIII this help you
any To lay her ghost'" she said. merrl-
! Is. and then she unfolded before his
astonlshed eyes the half Of his poem.