The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-09-18

He was perfectly sober thirty minutes
ago!"
AZ that moment the door of the living
room opened and the girl Kit stepped
into the bar. She walked straight up 10
the man, noticed his condition, and
turned on the captain with:
Didn't tell you to warn 'emP"
"And so did" he replied.
They've all got il and It's been
drugged! Daddy fixed TO drug the
coffee. but i beat him at il. He's ont
now 10 meet gang and bring 'em In 10
get the safe, and you'd better see how
your men are!"
The clerk came out at that moment,
and the two men started for the shed.
IL was pitch dark out doors and darker
still under the shed, but after cropping
around for awhile they found sleep
ing man. a vigorous shake failed 20
arouse him, and they CROPPED and dis
covered a second, third and fourth.
Every man had partaken of the drugged
whisky, and every man had been
drugged to insensibility. The captain
was cursing and the clerk cropping for
other bodies when they were joined by
Kit.
"Don't delay here!" she exclaimed.
daddy meant 10 do for 'em and has
done it. The gang may come now at
any minute, and they won't let your
two lives stand in the way of that safe.
Bring i'm all the carbines and cartridges
you can lay hands on!"
They felt about and got hold of four
carbines and four or five belts full of
cartridges, and with one of the weapons
in her hand, the girl led them back to
the house. Her first move was to bar
the rear door and secure the heavy.
blinds. Then the front was made fast,
and she brought, another light into the
barroom and said:
"'fou see the loopholes cut by the
doors and windows? There's others in
the back room. Daddy shouldn't have
gore into this. but hope he won't get
hurt. l hate TO GO back on daddy, but
Tn tired of this life. Get ready for
hot fight. for daddy must have des-
perate gang behind him"
During the next hour the rain came
down steadily and monotonously, and
no other sounds were heard The three
OIL watch inside blew out one of the
candies and shaded the other and con-
versed in whispers. BY and by the
rain ceased, and hardly had it done so
when q gentle tapping was heard ut
the bacl; door. The trio tip-toed into
The room. and with her mouth to one
of the loopholes, Kit called out:
"Is that you. daddy?"
"Yes, open the door," he replied.
"What have you done with the sol
dicrs?"
'ried 'em up. Open the door,"
"Who's out there with you?"
'No matter--open up"
''I can't do IL, daddy. You fixed 70
urug the captain and his clerk, but !
made new coffee. They are both ell
right and have got cGrbines, and mean
10 meke a fight for IL. don't want to
fight you, daddy, but / must help 'eni
out. Please give IL up and go away"
Jim Finch's gang had arrived. IL
was their work which had delayed the
escort-their plan TO oblige the pay
master to stop at the Ranche-their ex-
pectation of making an easy capture.
The soldiers had been drugged and
were helpless, but the house was Sc
cured against them and there were
three people inside TO handle weapons.
There was a moment of silence after
Kits appeal, and then IL was Jim Finch
who shouted through the door:
''inside, thar! We hev no time TO
fool away, and we ar bound TO hev that
safe. VIII you open the door to us?"
"Never!" replied the paymnster.
"Thcn we'll open II fur ourselves, and
you kin take the consequences"
The captain took one door-his clerk
and the girl the other, and they had not
long TO wait. Both doors were attacked
simultaneously with battering-rams,
while others Of the gang outside opened
fire on the windows. Bang! bangl
bangl went the tl,ree carbines, fired
into the darkness at venture, and the
logs were dropped and the assailant-