El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-09-24

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The trio had started out by them
selves and made fair progress when n
couple of picturesque villains suddenly
bounced out upon them The escort
of man and his two boys fed 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 a 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 a place of safety. they learned
that their savior had fallen into the
hands Of regular brigands. headed by
old Beppo. and. though a show of pur-
suit was made by Il detail of soldiers.
the fellows were not overhauled.
As soon as I had heard the story
saw the little scheme Burns had work
ed He had hired a couple of rascals
In Athens TO 60 over to Marathon and
play brigands for him. but after becom-
Ing a hero n gang of the genuine article
swooped down on him and carried him
of. The only man I'm Marathon or Ath-
ems who was at all disturbed over the
who feared he might not get his bill
Mr.. Wallace and his daughter seemed
to have n suspicion after their return
that little job had been put up, but
the father came forward and guaran-
teed the hotel bill. and not u great deal
was said. Two days later an ugly
faced native presented Wallace with
note from Burns He had not only
been carried Off. but the brigands want
ed $1,000 in gold for his ransom. In
his trunk he had about $3.50. but they
had refused that. The rascals took It
that he was n rich mans prospective
eon-in-law and that the $1,000 would
he forthcoming at once. but the Ameri-
can carried the note to the British con-
sulate- The minister was OF on a 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 I'm due time the matter
would be Strengthened out Two days
later there was a second note Burns
said IL 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:
1.-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 n bulky letter. Its bulk arose from
the fact that one of Burns ears was
Enclosed. In the letter lie stated that
unless the cash was raised lie would
lose the other. The sight of the ear
stirred them up at the consulate-that
is, another demand was made on the
Greek government, and the Greek gov
eminent replied that the case would
be taken up in its regular order. Then
Wallace did Il 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
1t 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
III. n. al Ia
not want to meet him.
"Egad," said he, "but doncher see
how 1t is? The hero is no hero. but an
ass! He must have seen through my
little game. The fact is. the two bloody
villains I had hired for the little COM
edy began to fall down and beg for
their lives before had fired a shot. I
believe the old gent was smiling when
the donkeys started to run The brutes
overdid it. doncher see. No. can't
see him. He'd quite knock me out as
he'd take my hand and press it and
say. Hero. 1 thank thee for thy gallant
conduct"
But the girl:'' I queried.
"Egad, but that's worse yet. I saw
her looking at one of the bloody vii
lains to see where he was hit. and
heard her ask her father IL the fellow
wasn't doing some tail running for n
wounded man. / couldn't face IL.
doncher know. She might fall on my
shoulder and call me n hero and de-
clare that 1 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 love, angels on earth.
n n.