The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-06-22
THE ADVERTISERS
 DAILY SHORT STORY


 leaders whirled about the wheelers fol- lowing and. barely escaping capsise, the Concord was spun around like whirl-
 %Sn Sons Msy n and hs hauling-or perhaps because of them away went Laramie's boasted mule
 quartet In panicky rush for the ranch, the sound of other sailopi1g noofs, the speed and terror. the Concord. with all Its imprisoned bliss bounding madly at
 Splash and splatter they went full tilt through the stream. Up the graveily bank they tore Swift in the faint moonlight
 they sped along the level bench, heading
 for the dim. distant refuge of the old
 yaey With Kaae arms
 about his neck and one of his own en-
 circlin1 her, Downs held firmly to the
 back of the seat and prayed through his set teeth that the mules might stick to
 the road. Then all on a sudden, dash ing alongside, gallant figure, a tall. stall
 wart horseman, .n slouch hat shot into
 view. squirting parallel with them and
 ssining on the team nor essry vsr stf'd if none e
 had free hand. which he hadn't Yet, all in minute the speed slackened.
 Soothing. then commanding voices were
 heard. and presently, Joltine, jumping
 and the driver. ieaping from his seat, sprans to the head of the off-wheeler and
 began launching kicks and curses at the Hold up, therew shouted warning l voice. Quit that, you idiot. or I.il-' Hold up!" yelled the driver. "Of course it's a hold-up! Any damn fool knows
 s but SeeY Y0a oa Ss asef dash Sssh us douos dashed son-of-a-St. Louis stick-in-the-
 mud; dash. dash. Iain't got any money. Whatre you corning at me for? This
 to a rider who suddenly struck at him lxnrtfh lnodoS n{ q wbin and in laundering tones ordered him to quit kicking at once and unhitch that mule. even while another with pohteness and
 n svsns s mos ao II hope Mrs. Downs Is not injured or friehtened. Really. I think you would better alight for moment until we get
 these nes oSss w Sau, Yoas narss viii stand. Mine won't. That idiot at the blufi must have hit him when he shot, I'll have to look"
 By this time as many as half dozen hardy frontiersmen as any one could see. even in that dim light, were gathered about the Concord.
 Six to one" said one, as 1 he l,sss, glanced
 stsrnly about him. i'm ..l,,n. Thank you anyhow Lucky we had so many" was the cheery answer. ''It was easy enough to catch you, but hard to stop 'em. What
 on earth scared em so? We were too What scared them?' spoke up the bridegroom, wrathfuliv. as he twined an
 arm about Rates wiiiowy waist. Do you mean"
 out of that clump of willows" .whanged Mullins. the driver. right at the heads of Joan an Laura, an course they whirled round and threw Murphy out. Then when I see you jays a-comin let 'em go. know ye. dash, dash ye! You've got the drop on us this time' but"
 But the rest was lost in shouts of up- roarious laughter that gradually gave
 way to strained silence, for somebody said, Hold on! Listen!'
 Up the Chug. toward the ranch. lights
 were beginning to dance. Down the Chug: | toward the bluff arose the thunder or hoofs-scores of thefn-coming at rush. and then in frantic joy the voice of Mui-
 lins was again uplifted, as he 'lepped" a wild Irish dance. Aha. me bould jay sic? Dye see them gray ghosts comin' through the moonshineT
 But again the startled mules would
 have torn away. and all hands had 10 deed were those a-coming-a dozen troop CTS of the Second, riding like mad to the rescue, for at the bend they had seen l the flash of Murphy's shots. and nad hoid-up, and while one squad had darted away in chase of two dim forms galloping westward for the hills. others, their big captain in the lead. went tearing up the nado they came. yet. so far from seeking safety in instant flight the captors of the Concord looked on in calm and crit teal interest. And when, in cloud or dust, a sputter of gravel and general mix up of snorting steeds and excited riders. the Grays triumphantiy surroun l. ed the silent group. there rose upon the night the voice of the leader of the cap tors, placidly addressing him of the cav "What on earth's your hurry. TeddyT' For an instant silence and amaze. Then a slap on the thigh another peal of up roarious laughter that was taken up by the troop, and, echoing through the foot hills, smothered the cound of shots far over to the west. When at last Captain Freddy could make himself heard, his words were again nearly lost in the con- yulsions of his own laughter. But Jimmy Downs looked up in astonishment from
 the pallid face pillowed on his shoulder.
 as the moonlight fell on the tall, erect
 figure of the leader. strdightened up from
 examination of his wounded horse. and
 Pike Mullins. the driver. essayed to
 crawl in confusion under one of his own
 mules and Kate herself, despite palior
 and faintness, lifted her head and gazed in sudden relief, rejoicing and merriment
 as the joviai captain was heard to gulf flaw: n.
 The facts that "B" Troop found the wires cut and caught two tough charac- ters after tougher chase; and that only peared in his old role of Chief of Scouts were needed to save Jim Downs from merciless chaffing throughout that cam paign. As 1t was, 1t cost the big-hearted fellow--and he paid 1t gladiy-many a case of champagne so drown the story of his Honeymoon Hold-up."