The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-10-16
CHAPTER XII.
eTEALING THE GUNS.

I'll men crowded about her, staring
Cd at her, uttering exclamations Of
admiration, vainly seeking way to
do her honor. Presen, .. they cut sap
lings, out Of which they constructed n
rude chair, decorating 1t with twigs,
and one III favored bandit, to whom
nature had impartedsSa spark Of art,
gathered wild flowers with which to
put on finishing touches. When the
seat was completed, the men looked
awkwardly at Jack, and the captain.
presenting the tips of his fingers, led
her to her improvised throne. Helen,
who at the first sign that was to bc
temporarily spared had recovered her
equanimity and had infused some of
her restored courage into Jack, saw at
once the advantage of keeping up her
Cousins popularity. Selling some Of
the flowers, she wove them on frame
work of green twlgs into circular gar
land and insisted on crowning the ia
Sorite, not queen of May, for May had
not yet come, but queen of n month far
more appropriate-April.
BY this time night had come on, n
roaring fire was lighted, and the guer-
was the gem, threw themselves on the
ground and listened to her chat. her
songs, her stories, their fire lighted
faces standing out of the gloom In
grim contrast with her refined beauty.
The captain, with his superior breed
ing, served as link between her and
his men, keeping them In check and
stimulating their admiration by his
own. If Jack Jagged for a moment be-
tween her stories and her songs, Helen
was quick to suggest new ones, and oc-
cnsionally both were relieved by little
Buck, who would throw in some quaint
remark typical of that peculiar crea-
ture, the American boy.
So long as the songs and stories last
ed there was nothing to precipitate
trouble, but the entertainment could
not go on all night, and l began to
dread the moment when the girls
should attempt to take their del 'rturc.
Presently Helen in n firm voice said:
Come. It's time for us to CO."
Shouts of Nor "a dancer "a songw
greeted the proposition, and the gucr-
rillas began to form in groups to resist
an exit. Helen, selecting the noisiest
knot of men, drew revolver from her
pocket and, cooking 1t, moved toward
them with her eyes fixed upon them,
calm and steady. Whether 1t was that
they were cowed by the weapon or al.
mired this evidence of woman's pluck,
they opened way. The captain, sez-
ing the opportunity, quickly took Jack
by the hand and led her n er her
cousin. Once beyond the ring, he as.
sisted the girls to mount, then, mount
Ing himself. the three rode away, fol-
lowed by cheer. AS for me, breath
ed one long sigh of relief.
"Well, Ginger" said Buck, "reckon
eff we uns air goin to git to Sparty to-
morrer We'll have to travel all night"
lis the niger takin yo' to Sparty or
air yo' takin the nigger2" asked one
Of the men.
"Dat amt gwine to max no differ"
said Ginger. MARS Buck an l dom
never had no trouble. Mars Buck, he's
my mars till l gifts to de new one"
Buck led his horse to the log and
mounted, giving me significant look,
as much as to say, II won't desert
you." then rode away, followed by Gin
ger, with the remark:
"Goodby, yo' fellers. Much 'bliged
TO the good time"
The restraint OF the girls presence
being no longer felt, the mems behavior
changed In twinkling. The captains
absence left Pete Halliday, the worst
man in the gang, free to foment trou.
bic. and be began to do Sc by sneering
at his chief for being brought, as he
expressed 1t, under pettlcoat govern
ment. There appeared to be two fac
tions In the band-the one headed by
Halliday or Jaycox and the other by
Captain Ringold. Halliday set about
instigating the guerrillas, or, rather,
his adherents, to go after Helen and
Jack and bring them back for another
dance. To make matters worse, one
OF the men found some applejack, and
1t was not long before the gang were
half drunk. Meanwhile the captain
returned and received hearty cursing
from Halliday and his adherents. Sew
eral OF them started to bring back the
girls, but Ringold drew upon them and
threatened to shoot them unless they
returned. They staggered back, grum-
bling, and the captain adroitly pro-
posed another pull at the applejack.
This diverted them. and after finishing
the liquor one after another sank into
drunken slunber.
1t was midnight. Every member Of
the band was asleep save the man who
was deputed to guard me. He was sit
ting on piece of firewood, 80 placed
that he could watch me across the
flame. lay on my back looking up at
the stars and featherlike clouds that
now and again hoated across the great
blue dome, the only motion apparent
save the tree tops bending under an oc-
casional breeze. The fire fiickered, the
guard nodded, and an owl In the dis
tance gave an occasional hoot.
heard something stir in the under
brush. Glancing eside, I saw O small
light disk over bush. 1t was the face
OF little Buck.
Now. In the name OF all the gods, will
those devoted friends never give over
risking their 1ves in these useless at
tempts7 What is to happen new? I
seowled an Oeder to the boy to 20
away, but he paid no attention. to 1t.
Something came sliding along the
ground and !SS1sad against me. The
guard heard II, started, cast q quick
glance at me, then about him, but,
seeing nothing, relapsed into his for
qeee quieeu6& I &aat .HaR Wiaax had
etruck me and ciasped jackkniee.
Meanwhile Buck disappeared, but,
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