Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-06-30

4ozen miles farther, and on their return
stop at the fort for dinner In few
minutes the troopers were in their
saddles. and the party departed Two
hours later Becky and Lord Lawton
dined with the colonel and reached the
ranch at 10 o'clock.
Where's Mary?7 asked Becky Of
Dick, before dismounting.
"Gone to bed
That satisfied her, and she permitted
his lordship to hand her down from her
horse Prompted by whisper from
Becky, Dick took the Britisher in
charge and did not leave him till he
had landed him in his room for the
night. Becky meanwhile went to the
outhouses. where she corrupted serv-
ants. cowboys, men, women and chill
dren to aid her in carrying out a ne
farious plan.
1t was just before sunrise on the
morning of July 4. Slulnber reigned
at the ranch. The dawn, of which
Mary Blanding would have spoken rs
.'the rosy fingered Aurora and Becky
would have called ''sunup" was break
ing in the east. Suddenly there was an
explosion, followed by chorus of
blood curdling yells. In a moment
came loud rap on his lordship's door.
and the words in Becky Bianding's
voice:
get up, Lord Lawtonl They're on
usi Wen all be scalped!"
The nobleman, in pink pajamas, rush
ed into the hall, where he found the
rest of the family, also in night attire,
Becky alone having on very becom
ing morning gown. The yells and ex-
plosions outside. continued, and several
ladies tainted. The Britisher, true to
the instincts of the Anglo-Saxon race,
Selling an unloaded rifle that hung
against the wall, rushed down the
stairs with it, to take a hand in the
fray There he saw a number of fan
tastically dressed people, with feathers
on their heads, brandishing knives and
tomahawks, while a couple of cannon
under the command of lieutenant
were firing gun after gun at regular in
tervals. Savages and soldiers were
blended in smoke. Inspirited by the
becoming uniform, taking his rife by
the muzzle, rushed into the melee and
was about to brain one of the savages
when the weapon was caught from be-
hind in the nick of time by Dick Bland
ing. Then, as suddenly as the battle
had commenced, the guns were linn
bered up" and the savages peacefully
scattered and disappeared
When the explanation came that
Becky had,s as she confessed, put up
the whole job,' had got the cowboys
and others to attack the ranch, had
persuaded the colonel to fire Fourth
of July salute before the house had.
in short, made fool of them all, espe-
cially their honored guest-there were
no bounds to the family Indignation.
His lordship took it all in good part.
declaring that if Becky received any
kind of punishment he would take it as
a personal affront to himself Mr.. and
Mrs Blanding apoIogized profuselT,
and Mary intimated to his lordship that
most families had 'black Sheep
and she was sorry to admit that it was
so with the Blandings. It was deter
mined at family conclave that Becky,
as soon as autumn came, was to be
confined in the most prison-like school
in America
However, the whole matter came to a
very abrupt and startling termination
by Lord Lawton on the day of his de-
parture going to Mr.. Banding and
asking for the hand of Miss Rebecca
Banding, the arch offender. Becky
herself only consented to marry him on
condition that he would spend the
honeymoon with her lion shooting in
India, condition he was obliged to
fulfill
singular creatures, American girls,
said his lordship to his friends when
he reached England. IF you're going
in for that sort Of thing it's well to
take a pronounced type. Our girls are
too slow"
All Of which goes to show that the
devil doesn't always get his due.
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