The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-08-30
man was disguised, and dimly fancied

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 incident was shelVeo'
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 hersell
on log and looked down into the Vii
iage. which lay, as it were, at her
very fees. She Traced the one long
street of the hamlet. which was but
continuation of the highway, AID fol-
lowed its dusty line past her aunt S
trim home, and the little park with
its soldiers monument, and the town
hall, and then along to the bank-
Jacks bank-and there her gaze rest
ed
Miss SuSan's eyes were good ores
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 leaped into their
saddles. There were puffs CT white
smoke and sharp detonations. Susan
could see people running in wild con-
fusion Then the three riders startei
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. It was a daylight bank rob-
berry. one of a series that had terror
lied all the countryside during the
past summer. The three robbers were
retreating with their plumber What
had happened in the bank? Why was
Jack not pursuing them? She sudden
ly 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 declivi,y.
She meant to intercept the ruffians.
She slid. she stumbled. once she fell,
but she never let go her mold 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 Ga
her feet in a moment. The highway
was directly before her. The robbers
were cantering by. The mal in the
rear was the man with the beard. and
he had a coarse bag flung across the
saddle before him. He was directly
opposite Susan as she plunged down
to the edge of the roadway He must
have taken her for an enemy, for his
gli,tering revolver flew up and he fire:l
in her direction quite at random. SUI
san felt a sudden twitch at her broad
brimmed hat and quickly dropped be-
hind some bushes that lined the road
way. The barrel of her rife rose. The
robber was rapidly increasing the dis
lance between them. Could she shoot
this man in cold blood? She had him
covered. A moment more and ii might
be too late. She thought of Jack and
fired.
The horse of the fleeing man sud-
denly leaped to one side and flung his
rider heavily to the earth. AS he went
down he dragged the bag of plumber
with him. The riderless horse gal-
loped after his companions.
Then Susan Cation Brown sprang
into the roadway and fired five shots
in rapid succession after the two
horsemen. She did not aim to hit
them, but rather to frighten them
away. They hesitated moment and
then dashed madly ahead; the rider
less horse galloping in the rear.
Susan ran forward to the PROSTATE
man. He was unconscious. She
stopped over him for moment and
then drew away the coarse bag. AS
she suspected it was half filled with
currency. She shu.ldered as she
looked at the iivid face of the ruftlan
and then at the blood that was slowly
saturating his coat sleeve. She be-
gan to feel little faint.
She was aroused by the sound OF
wheels and the shouting OF a man.
light phaeton was coming toward her.
In moment she recognized the driver
as the local livery stable proprietor.
He leaped out beside her.
Mailed him. didn't you?" he shout
ed in a paroxysm of excitement. i
was Just ready to drive out o my
stable when they pelted by. AS l got
into the roadway l saw you blazin
away Kill him."
No" said Susan, che is stunned by
the fall from his horse. l only aimed
to break his shoulder.
"You done it all right" cried the
livery man. "By George he shricked,
cts Jim Bascom himself
Susan felt her head going around.
Mr. Tompkins," she said. will you
kindly drive me to the bank as quick
ly as you CAM
Eyes, ma am. WILL" he replied,
with great heartiness. you've got the
stuff there, have you? Jump in
And a moment later they were
speeding toward the bank. They had
not gone 20 yards when they met the
first group of hastily armed men who
were on the trail of the robbers.
You'll find Jim Bascom lynn up
there shouted the liveryman. "She
shot him an we've got the bank stuff