Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1896-04-04

Just fork over yer watch, Beauty, |
wild der chain and yer joolry. Wen
take the hoss and wagon along, Beauty,
and pay yer in Kisses" one said with a
leer.
"And It's mesilf will help yez down
from your safe, me swate craythur, II
yen be afther extinding hand to de
clint mon-och, will yes stop wild yez
screaming and foiting like heathen-ti-
ger cat ENTIRELY" the other snarled
with an awfur curse.
Natalie had screamed as only wo-
man can scream, while she struggled
with all her strength 10 prevent the ruff
fans from getting any nearer.
The loathsoae brutal visages we're
peering gloatingiy into her b1auti-
full, terror blanehed face, four big, red,
hairy hands were clutching for her
throat; the hRlf-fainting girl felt that
only miracle of Heaven could avert
her dreadful doom; and just then
Then, an arm-looking larger than
human in the pale weird light-hashed
seemingly out Of space, and one of her
assailants reeled backward and dropped
senseless in the road.
Again that mighty arm circled through
the air and the other ruffian fell head
long on the opposite side of the cart.
The tramp at the pOny's head whirled
for flight.
With leap Natalie's invincible res
cuer was upon him and he was forced to
share the ignomlnous downfall of his
accomplicsS.
Not a word had been spoken.
1t had all happened in a breath.
But now this son of ARak turned and
approached the cart.
For the first time Natalie noticed that
he was disguised; handkerchief of
some durk color was fastened like a
mask over his face.
"DriVe home as fast as you can" he
said shortly, In hoarse, stern-sounding
voice.
"But won't you let me thank your
May not know the name of the brave
man to whom owe so much3" Natalie
said wonderingly.
"Drive home without delay. There Is
a gang of those vagaboRds. in that old
barn half mile up the creek" he re-
piled abruptly, In his curiously-harsh
voice.
He put the reins In her hands, and
wrapped the disarranged robes about
her. But she had no chance to utter a
syllable further.
For, almost before his own voice had
ceased, he was gone.
AS he came he went-vanished with
out sign or warning
Natalie did not hasten home with the
precipitation which might be supposed.
Her fright had subsidized, If not wholly
dispelled. And besides, she had uHac-
countable feeling that her unknown res
cuer was som ewhere near her, that he
was holding himself ready to defend
her, and that he would watch over her
until she should be safe under her own
roof
Again and again she turned, half, un-
consciously, looking for the one she
could not see, listening for the voice
that singularly gruf and muffled voice
she could not hear.
She was stii nervous and excited; but
instead OF fea, md dread, her predomin-
ant feelings were perplexity, curiosity,
and some little pique.
Who was her strange heroi
And why, oh, why had he disguised
himself?
How tenderly he had wrapped the
robes around herl And when he put the
reins in her hands, how the touch of his
own had thrilled her!
She could feel her cheeks flushing
warm and red at the memory of it.
And, oh, how brave he was-how dar
ing and heroic!
What other living man would under
take conflict, single-handed and un-
armed, against three such desperate
brawny rufians as those weres
ooh, how could worship such hero
How devotedly how passionately, could
love him! No other man can be to me
what he might be. Oh, do hope can
find out who he isp she thought.
Her masked hero haunted her dreams
and her first waking thoughts were all of
| him.
ooh, if | could only discover his iden-
tity-my disguised Launcelot-my Lee
ander in a mask" she said to herself.
Some subtitle feeling of instinct some
thing which was far stronger than mere
will or desire-lured and impelled her to
the scene of her nights adventure.
Finally she had Dapple saddled, and
started for canter TO Sycamore Hol-
low.
The spot was safe enough In the broad
light of open day. And besides, Dap.
pies stable companion-a big ST, Der.
nard-had followed her.
When she reached the hollow she dis
mounted and wandered about the place
as If searching for something she
knew not what.
Presently she noticed a small frag'
ment of silk futtering at the jagged enc
of low, broken Sycamore branch.