The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-05-30

~fs''C . oh"" ciiS h"uii nuiNO
eradicated.
The sun was still high above the
hills when she started to return to
her aunt's. AS she went down the
old state road sudden Gathering
caused her to turn her head. Three
men mounted on powerful horses
came trotting down the slope. Su-
san stepped aside to let them pass,
and one of the horses, catching
sight of her, suddenly sprang aside
and almost unseated his rider. Su-
san looked up anxiously and saw,
to her astonishment, that the mans
heavy beard was twisted very much
to one side. But he quickly regain
ed his seat, with an oath, and, strik-
ing the horse, clattered after his
companions. Susan wondered why
the man was disguised and dimly
fancied that the three rough looking
strangers were up to some mischief.
But she was thinking of Jack the
next moment, and the strange Incl
dent was shelved.
A few moments Of brisk walking
brought her to the brow of the hill
where the road turned sharply and
ran at an oblique along the side of
the steep descent. Susan seated
herself on log and looked down
into the village, which lay, as it
were, at her very feet She traced
the one long street of the hamlet,
which was but a continuation of the
highway, and followed its dusty line
past her aunt's trim home, and the
little park, with its soldiers mon
ument, and the town hall and then
along to the bank-Jack's bank
and there her gaze rested.
Miss Susan's eyes were good ones,
and the air was very clear. She saw
a horseman sitting in his saddle at
the bank door. He was holding the
brides of two riderless horses. Even
as she noted this the two riders
rushed from the building and leap
ed into their saddles. There were
puffs of white smoke and sharp det-
onations. Susan could see people
running IL wild confusion. Then
the three riders started at a sharp
canter up the road. Every dozen
yards or so one would turn in his
saddle and fire down the roadway.
Susan knew what this strange
scene meant. 1t was daylight bank
robbery-one of a series that had
terrorized all the countryside dur
ing the past summer. The three
robbers we're retreating with their
plunder. What had happened in
the bank? Why was Jack not pur-
suing them? She suddenly turned
sick and cold.
Then an indescribable impulse
seized her. She let herself over the
edge of the bank and began a mad
scramble down the steep declivity.
She meant to intercept the ruhians.
She slid, she stumbled, once she fell,
but she never let go her hold on her
precious rifle. And then, as the
earth suddenly seemed falling away
from her, she reached the level
ground in a confused heap. But
she was up on her feet in a moment.
The highway was directly before
her. The robbers were cantering
by. The man in the rear was the
man with the beard, and he had a
coarse bag flung across the saddle
before him. He was directly oppo-
site Susan as she plunged down to
the edge of the roadway. He must
have taken her for an enemy, for his
glittering revolver flew up, and he
fired in her direction quite at ran
dom. Susan felt sudden twitch at
her broad brimmed hat and quickly
dropped behind some bushes that
lined the roadway. The barrel OF
her rifle rose. The robber was rap
idly increasing the distance between
them. Could she shoot this man in
cold blood? She had him covered.
A moment more and it might be too
late. She thought of Jack and fired,
The horse of the fleeing man sud-
denly eaped to one side and flung
his rider heavily to the earth. As
he went down he dragged the bag of
plunder with him. The riderless
horse galloped after his companions
Then Susan Galton Brown sprang
into the roadway and fred five shots
in rapid succession after the two
horsemen. She did not aim to nil
them, but rather to frighten them
away. They hesitated a moment
and then dashed madly ahead, the
riderless horse galloping in the rear
Susan ran forward to the pros
trate man. He was unconscious
She stopped over him for a moment
and then drew away the coarse bag
AS she suspected, it was half filled
with currency. She shuddered as
she looked ct the livid face of the
ruffian and then at the blood thai
vas slowly saturating his coat
sleeve. She began to feel a little
faint.
She was aroused by the sound OF
wheels and the shouting Of man.
A light phaeton was coming toward