The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1896-04-09

Hollow.
ii wonder what makes me say such
's,eiul things to poor old Steve'" she
styled remorsefully. 81 could be as fond
Of him as he is of me If only he was of
my idea of hero. / esteem him more
than any other man | know. But the
man love must be Leander for bra
very"
She had reached the bridge which
spanned the frozen creek
The pony's feet small hoofs clattered
over the loose planks of the crazy old
structure; the low wheels of her little
road-cart bumped and jerked across the
idges and burrows, and the noise Jared
strangely upon the intense Stiffness of
the solemn night.
Natalie could distinguish every object
by the wayside in the ghostly light of
staTshine and moonshine rejected by
the streaks and patches of frozen snow.
She had reached the top of the short
ascent at the further end of the bridge
when she heard stealthy footsteps some
where just beyond her, and a moment
later she saw mans figure skulking
behind clump of stunted bushy pines.
"Go on, Dapple! Oh, fly, DappleP
she cried in low startled voice to her
pony.
She had ps.whip. but that would not
have helped her any, perhaps.
At the sound of her voice the pretty
little animal seemed to understand all
which was required of him, and he
bounded forward as If winged.
Too la.e!
At that instant. three men, tramps-
dirty, ragged, vile beyond expression!-
started up around her, as If they had
sprung out of the earth.
One seized DapPle by the bride, and
the other two stationed themselves on
either side of the cart.
"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 q
disgusting leer.
"And it's mesilf will help yer down
from your safe, me swate craythur, II
ven be afther extinding hand to do
clint mon-Och, will yer stop wild yel
screaming and foiting like a hesthen-ti
ger cat enthirelyi" the other snarled
with an awful, curse.
Natalie had screamed a. only wo
man can scream, while she struggled
with all her strength TO prevent the ruff
fans from getting any nearer.
The loathsome brutal visages were
peering goatingly into her beauti,
full, terror blanched face, four big, red
hairy hands were clutching for hel
throat; the half.fainting girl felt thai
only a miracle of Heaven could aver
her dreadful doom; and just then
Then, an arm-looking larger thar
human in the pale weird light-aashec
seemingly out of space, and one of hel
assailants reeled backward and droppeC
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 whirle'
for flight.
With leap Natalie's invincible res
cuer was upon him and he was forced t,
share the ignoninous dowsfaIl of hi
accomplices.
Not word had been spoken.
1t had all happened In a breath.
But now this son of Anak turned an,
approached IRE cart.
For the first time Natalie noticed tina
he was disguised; a handkerchief O
some durk color was fastened like
mask over his face
"Drive home as fast as you can A.
said shortly, in hoarse, stern sound
voice.
"But won't you let me thank you
May not know the name of the brav
man to whom owe so much'" Natali
said wonderingly.
"Drive home without delay. There |
a gang of those vagabonds In that oil
barn half mile up the creek" he re
piled abruptly, in his curiously .harsl
voice.
He put the reins in her hands, an
wrapped the disarranged robes abou
her But she had no chance to utter
syllable further
For, almost before his own voice ha
ceased, he was gone.
AS he came he went-vanished with
out sign or warning!
Natalie did not hasten home with tn
precipitation which might be supposed
Her fright had subsidized, if not who'll
dispelled And besides, she had uRac
countable feeling that her unknown res
cuer was somewhere near her, that h
was holding himself ready to defen
her, and that he would watch over he
until she should be safe under her owl
roof.
Again and again she turned, half, mr.
consciously, looking for the one sh
could not see, listening for the voice
that singularly gruff and muffed voic