The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1902-12-25

and said with as much of a laugh as
she could summon up:
III wrap him up and carry him.
Her laugh was echoed boisterously,
and one of. the men handed her a
flask of liquor, which Milly took
gratefully, and forcing a little be
tween the elenehed teeth. soon saw
with joy the color return to his
cheeks and his eyes open with sur.
prise at his surroundings. Aside from
the broken arm he was unhurt.
Fearing he might spoil the good
effect she felt she had made with the
robbers, she whispered to him to be
silent. and the man. still only half con-
scious, obeyed her.
AS we'll as she was able, she bound
up the injured arm in such a way as
to ease the pain, and supporting his
head on her arm she waited anxiously
for the outcome of the adventure.
While Milly was ministering to her
lover, the bushrangers had been con-
ferring at little distance, and the
leader now came forward and spoke
to her with a little harshness in his
tones:
The men say you know our hiding
places, and IL we let you go you may
inform on u.s. Who are you, and who
Is this chap?"
MY name is Milly wickham. and
this is Frank Goodwin" the girl
answered. MY fathers place is only
few miles over there" indicating.
Frank is herder with Shepstone.
nd IN he a,-rfa I'D in Eahr
III never say anything of this, believe
me, and l promise for him. You can
trust u.s."
We've got to trust you II we let
you go, but, by -, II you ever say
word about where you found us,
wen get you, be sure of that. Do you
understand? Not a word, even to
your father, and don't ever ride this
way again. Will you swear?"
Gladly Milly gave the promise,
and repeated after the man a rough
formula calling down vengeance on
herself and her friends II she ever
violated the oath. And well she knew
how fearful would be the vengeance
Of these men If through her their
hiding place should be found.
Tales are still told in Australia OF
atrocities wreaked by these outlaws ON
persons whom they even suspected OF
betraying them, and rarely was a gang
of desperadoes so utterly wiped out
that none survived to do the work Of
vengeance. Milly felt gratitude toward
these men, in addition to fear, for her
enterprise had been extraordinarily
successful,
Then the leader of the gang gave
her her dismissal, leading up the tired
horse, which had stood patiently wait
ing.
Now, you've got to get him home
on your own horse. We can't spare
one of ours" said the man. He'll
carry you both all right. though you
rode him pretty hard Must have
been in hurry, weren't your" with
chuckle at the pleasantly.
And Milly in her JOY looked up in
his face and smiled with him, too
pleased at her success TO be afraid
of his rough, bearded. face and I'M
hempt hair, whichs in the growing
light she could almost see plainly
Well might she be proud of her
nights work.
Frank, still hardly conscious, was
lifted onto the horse in front of Milly,
and the pair started out at a walk to
cover the many miles she had ridden
so fast a few hours before.
Stern injunetions from the rangers
not to look back on their journey
were strictly oheyed, and in the dawn
the pair went homeward. Milly sup
porting in her arms-as she often
told husband in after years-ths
'Bushranger's' Christmas Gift"