The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-11-26


laid one hand upon the horn of her
saddle and leered up at her; the white
mask gave his face an unearthly as
| pect.
why, this amt our man. he
growled, sullenly, after a brief in-
spection. ct amt a man at a1i-it's q
woman 4
by CAD, it's the schoolma'am said
! a second voice. shes purity, amt
she boys?"
The first speaker interposed. Let
her go, boys, it's dangerous to talk
here. She can't get to town in time
| to interfere with our game
| The second man reached out hand.
! 'sl'm powerful hungry, miss, and that
| that dinner basket looks good to me. .,
| Both men released the bride rein as
be spoke.
Nellie McSwain felt her heart throb
wildly, and then it almost seemed to
fail her. For moment it seemed she
would faint.
I'll give you a sandwich-it's all I
have left in the basket" Her voice
was mere whisper. She reached in
under the napkin and henAhand came
out holding something bright and
Singing.
'"This sandwich is buttered with
powder and 1ead!" she shrieked, "and
| I'll give you a bite of it if you don't
look outi"
4 Dr.Svr so rn 57nHnrCfNnn
the cruel blow he received from the
| schoo1ma' ANS riding-Whip at that mo-
ment, though she has tried to explain
| it to him time and again. He respond
| ed nobly, however, and then began
wild flight over the winding trail, dur
| ing which the schoolma' am was con-
scious of nothing save the reverbera-
tions in her mind Of the discordant
| laugh that followed from the ruf1ans
behind.
1t was wild figure that rode up to
/ the little station, where the trainmen
were giving the air-brakes on No 5 a
| final test before its departure. She
gasped out her story to the open
| mouthed station-agent, and almost
| dropped the heavy basket on his foot
| in her anxiety to perform her self
1 appointed duty to the end. She
breathed easily only when she had
seen the gold safely deposited in the
| hands of the express messenger.
1 Nellie McSWain was not the only
rider who. dashed down the sneffeps
| road unmindful of all danger that
night When Tom Anderson returned
| to the schoolhouse, accompanied by
/ several sturdy miners, armed to the
| teeth, and ready for any ARRAY, he
/ found the place deserted, and both the
1 girl and the bullion gone. One of the
| men said afterward that Anderson was
plumb loeoed," and agreed that ne
was hard to follow in his mad chase
| over the trail.
They reached the Watering-trough in
| perhaps a shorter period than the trip
| had ever been made before, and the
party burst upon the three crouching
scoundrels in a manner that was en-
tirely unprecedented in the history Of
their carefully planned misdeeds. They
were entirely disarmed, fguratively
and literally, without SO much as an
| interchange Of shots, and the men
roped them together, preparatory to a
march on foot down the hill to Ouray.
On the outskirts of the mining camp,
Anderson, who had dashed on ahead,
met party Of korsemen who had been
quickly mustered together to go UP
the trail and see what they could do
toward fixing things" for Black Jack
and his gang. Anderson told them in
few words that the Wretches were
in safe hands, and made further in
quiries, in olaeWhat restrained man
ner this time, as to the whereabouts
Of the school mistress. He learned that
she had ridden over somewhere in the
neighborhood of Box canyon to await
further news.
The information was accompanied
BY significant grimaces and i1l-con-
cealed smiles, which the early moon,
now visible. revealed with undesirable
clearness
The sudden netghing of horse,
which he recognized Immediately, and
which was quickly answered by Swing
ing Sarah, came from the mouth Of the
canyon. The girl sat quietly on her
horse as though waiting. Alder son
was first to break the awkward silence.
Tn glad you are safe he sad,
huskily. She felt the intensity behind
his words.
Thank you-'' her voice went of
into a whisper, and he could not be GER
tain she had called him E.Tom"
st found this at the watering
trough" He held out silver case
knife. "I-I didn't know but it would
be all I would ever see again that be-
longed to you. was afraid
/ The girl stopped him with a sub
dued laugh. THAT was the sandwich
which I was going to feed to Black
Jack and his unpleasant companions. y
Then she told him the story Of her
ride, and how she had delivered the
bullion in time for No S.
you saved the dividends of the
Laura Leigh" said Andersen, laying a
hand gently on Princes maine.
They sat without speaking for a mo-
ment OF two. The horses moved close
" together, and Anderson was trem-
bling with the nearness Of this brave
girl who he now knew was everything
to him. Over on the trail they could
hear the lusty voices Of the miners
and townsmen. gleefully bringing the
!. cu1prits to town.
u thought for moment you might
have gone over the side of the can
49,, EE;ee RTire IT;r rro;oo ro:Jo3