Gloucester County Democrat., 1900-08-16

tombs on the backs Of donkeys, and It
Is q rough road and full of ambushes.
The trio had started out by them
selves and made fair progress when a
couple OF picturesque villains suddenly
bounced out upon them The escort
Of man and his two boys lied at once,
and the villains were about to lead. the
donkeys up into the hills when Burns
came to the rescue. He alone was
armed. He descended from his saddle
and began shooting, and after tum-
bling over themselves the scoundrels
left him In possession Of the battle
field. He had saved the party, and he
was hero, entitled to admiration and
gratitude, but before the father could
pat him on the head or the daughter
announce that his love was returned
something else happened Shots were
fired from behind a ruin, and the dom
keys ridden by father and daughter
started off on gallop, followed by
the others. Burns was not hit, but In
hero of one moment became the cap
tive of the next When the others had
reached place Of safety, they learned
that their savior had fallen into the
hands of regular brigands, headed by
old Beppo, and, though show Of pur-
- ..1 "0ade by detail of soldiers,
the fellows were not overhauled.
AS soon as I had heard the story I
saw the little seherz had werls.
ed. He had hired a couple Of rascals
in Athens to go over to Marathon and
play brigands for him, but after becom-
ing hero a gang Of the genuine article
swooped down on him and carried him
off. The only man in Marathon or Ath-
ems who was at ali disturbed over the
matter was the landlord of the hotel,
who feared he might not get his bill
Mr.. Wallace and his daughter seemed
to have a suspicion after their return
that little job had been put up, but
the father came forward and guaran-
teed the hotel bill, and not great deal
was said. Two days later an ugly
faced native presented Wallace WITH q
note from Burns. He had not only
been carried off, but the brigands want
ed $4,000 in gold for his ransom. In
his trunk he had about $3.50, but they
had refused that The rascals took II
that he was rich mans prospective
son-in-law and that the $1,000 would
be forthcoming at once. but the Ameri-
can carried the note to the British con
sulate. The minister was off on jun
ket, and the official in charge had no
Intention of hustling in the matter. He
said he would notify the Greek govern
ment and that In due time the matter
would be Strengthened out. Two days
later there was second note Burns
said if the messenger came back with
out the cash he would lose one Of his
ears. When this was handed in at the
consulate, it was greeted with the re-
mark:
''The case must take the usual chan
nels, and he was an ass to go and get
captured"
Two days passed again, and this
time the messenger handed Mr.. Wal
lace a bulky letter. Its bulk arose from
the fact that one of Burns ears was
inclosed In the letter he stated that
unless the cash was raised be would
lose the other. The sight of the ear
stirred them up at the consuIate-that
is. another demand was made on the
Greek government, and the Greek gov
ernment replied that the case would
be taken up in its regular order. Then
Wallace did a handsome thing The
messenger had been detained to see
what the minister would do. and, as it
was plain that nothing would be done
until too late, the ransom was handed
over. 1t was three days before the
captive was handed over His right
ear had been sliced off as slick as you
please, and he had had hard time of
it moving about ON the mountains in
the company of the villains. He did
not come to the hotel. but sent for
me to come to the lodgings he had Sc
cured. While his gratitude to Wallace
was unbounded and he said he would
speedily arrange to repay him, he did
not want to meet him.
"Egad," said he, '.but doncher see
how 1t is? The hero IS no hero, but an
asst He must have seen through my
little game The fact is. the two bloody
villains had hired for the little com
edy began to fall down and beg for
their lives before l had fired shot l.
believe the old gent was smiling when
the donkeys started to run. The brutes
overdid 1t, doncher see. No, | can't
see him. He'd quite knock me out as
he'd take my hand and press 1t and
say, Hero, thank thee for thy gallant
conduct"
"Bnt the girl?" l queried.
''Egad, but that's worse yet. l saw
her looking at one Of the bloody vii
lains to see where he was hit. and
heard her ask her father if the fellow
wasn't doing some tall running for
wounded man. couldn't face 1t,
doncher know. She might fall on my
shoulder and call me hero and de-
clare that had saved her life, but it's
more likely that she'd welcome me as
the prize donkey of the century. Real
ly, but couldn't take chances. doncher
know"
"And how about your volcanic and
overwhelming loye, angels on earth,
and so forth7'
why, hang II, man, can you see
the blooming situation? Haven't lost
blooming ear and made an ass Of my !
self, and does a one cared ass love like
two cared man? Can't you see, and
doncher know. that the rest Of my
blooming life will be spent in feeling for
the ear that's probably been thrown
out to the bloody dogs of Athcnsf And
when Pm not feeling for the ear I'll be
training a lock of hair to fall down
over where 1t ought to be, and If there
is any time left, I'll put It In in kick
ing myself, doncher see?"
saw and sent his belongings over
to him and gave him my sympathy,
and that evening when / told Miss
Wallace that he would depart on the
boat a small grin hovered around her
mouth as she replied;
Papa must find me that ear as
souvenir