Cochise review., 1900-10-22

might nave to deal with gang or hardened criminals and ae praba ole result of such an euaou ter would SO upset arrangements that Mary would in future thank her 9 leave her aG fairs alone. So the little joke had de- yelOped into 8 huge tragedy, and Jack must not be sacrificed. Even in the hour of danger she c0Ud not rcg-Gss a smile as she though how the papers ! would make such a sensation of .he affair No; Beatrice aCclUaG taat it 1 should not be- And so Jack slept on. unconscious of the opportunities for distinction that awaited him down stairs.
 l In the meantime, the enterprisinE i young lady with the smudPy face and 1 ragged clothes had seizeu an old duel | ing pistol and intrenched herself I | the rear or the sofa from which she could obtain an uninterrupted view of the proceedings within the room. There she proppsd herself up with one arm extending over the back o& f the sofa, pointing an unloa6ec pistol ia menacing manner .Ano there she meant to fight and die, 2s she had heard her uncle tell of brave men in the trenches, for it was . desperate matter now, and it was scarcely real
 zable that such terrible plight could ever have originated in 8 harmless lit. tie joke
 A man crept stealthily into the room through the half-open window and cast the light of his lantern in all directions. Then, upon sign that all was right, another long-legged villain followed, and the two conferred in muf1ed tones Then they carefully shut the window, closed the shutters, lit the gas and bounced upon the safe That was Beats opportunity
 Hands up!"
 If an electric wire had been connect ed with the automatic figures, and button had been pressed, the upper limbs could not have responded more promptly than did the hands oi those two desperate burglars. Scared and baflled as they were, they staggered round or their heels, to discover the source of that sudden command, and encountered the drowning muzzle o1 pistol It was enough. The younger man groaned snd the older one said something beneath his breath.
 Five minutes passed, and not word was spoken. Two pairs of hands still moved aloft and two pairs of cowed eyes fesrfully watched the muzzle o2 the pistol. But it never moved The aim was deadly!
 !" Urry up, guv'nor!" at last groaned the younger man. "Ring for the serv. ants, or what yer like, on-y don't let us get cold in cur armpits!"
 Tn support of which the older man again swore, but the victorious one said nothing. Only the pistol contin- ued to frown threatepingIy.
 Two more minutes that seemed like hours to the captured men passed by, and the older burglar commenced to swear more loudly. The younger man also began to indignantly assert his rights to humane treatment, aud mat ters were just becoming strained when the door opened, and poker, followed by the white fscA of Jack WirchSe.d, appeared upon the scene.
 It was the first time Jack had taken an active part in a burglary case, and he was considerably nonplussed to find two hardfeatured villains straining their arms to the ceiling at sight of 6 common domestic poker. But he concluded it must be the usual thing among such gentry, and his face re- gained some of its color as he took the cord from his dressing and requested one of the men to hold down his hands to be bound. which he did with a grateful glance. 4 curtain cord l served for the other, and the two soon stood side by side, trussed like cock erels.
 "Now, then, guv'nor. tell the blolte behind the sofy to shift that pistol don't like it!" exclaimed one.
 Pistol? What pistol2"
 Jack looked round in the direction indicated, and staggered back as he encountered the drowning muzzle. The idea suddenly occurred to him that this was another burglar in hiding. and that he had been cut6anked, as the colonel would probably have called it Bur as he moved, the p'stol held stead. fsstly in it's place, and at .ast he ma. neuvere6 round and discovered a slight ! form, dressed in ragged mems clorhes and propped up with cushions and chairs.
 Now, young 'un, put up that gun It's all over, Why, look herel Great Scott! It's ,Beatrice And she's 
 "Fainted?" echoed the two trusse6 men in chorus Painted? Painted? Ere, guv'nor, let us loose to kick our selves, and we'll go quiet"
 "A smart capture, Jack, and a bold venture on your part, said the colonel You ought to have been a soldier. my boy, There's career waiting for you in the srny!"
 "YeE," said Jack, but"
 A vicious tug al his coat tail stopped him, and at that moment the colonel was called away