The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1903-01-24
S bank-and there her gaze


two rider rushed from the building and
leaped into their saddles. They were
puffs of white smoke and sharp detona-
tions. Susan could see people running in
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 series that had terrorized all the
countryside during the past summer. The
three robbers were retreating with their
plunder. What had happened in the
bank ? Why was Jack not pursuing them?
She suddenly turned sick and cold
Then an indescribable impulse seized
her. She let herself over the edge of the
bank and began mad scramble down the
steep declivity. She meant to intercept
the ruffians. She slid, she stumbled,
once she fell, but she never let 20 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 di-
rectly before her The robbers were can
tering 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 opposite 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 random.
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
rapidly increasing the distance between
them. Could she shoot this man in cold
blood? She had him covered. A mo-
ment more and it might be too late. She
thought of Jack and fired
The horse of the fleeing man suddenly
leaped to one side and flung his rider heav-
lily to the earth.
AS he went down he dragged the bag
of plunder with him. The riderless horse
galloped after his companions.
Then Susan Gallon 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 a
moment and then dashed madly ahead; !;
the riderless horse galloping in the rear.
Susan ran forward to the PROSTATE 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 at the livid face of the ruffian
and then at the blood that was slowly sat
urating his coat sleeve. She began to
feel little faint.
She was aroused by the sound of wheels
and the shouting of man. A light phae
ton was coming toward her. In mo-
ment she recognized the driver as the local
livery stable proprietor. He leaped out
beside her.
''Nailed him, didn't you?'' he shouted
in paroxysm of excitement. II was
just ready to drive out O my stable when
they pelted by. As | got into the road
way 1 saw you blazin' away. Kill him p
"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 liv-
cry man. "By George! he shrieked,
s'it's Jim Bascom himself r
Susan felt her head going around
"Mr. Tompkins,'' she said, "will you
kindly drive me to the bank as quickly as
you can p
Eyes, ma am, will, " he replied, with
great heartiness. ''You' We 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 lyin' up
there" shouted the livery man. ''She
shot him an we We got the bank stuff all
here!' And he touched up his horse
again. And the next group heard the
same story, and the next, and the next.
And they all turned and stared after
blushlng Susan Brown.
And then they were at the bank. There
was little crowd about the door. But
they quickly made way for Susan, and the
hveryman, and the precious Dag.
And there was Jack sitting up in big
chair, and somebody was bathing his head,
and he was blinking queerly like man
slowly waking up. But he suddenly
seemed to regain his faculties when Susan
Brown, forgetful of the curious eyes about
her, suddenly dropped on her knees be-
side him and put up her loving arms and
cried, "Oh, Jackr'
"Why, Susan, dearP murmured Jack.
''There, there, don't worry. I'm just
little dazed. One of them hit me ovel
the head with something from behind and
stunned me- I'm almost all right again.
arryt,