St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-12-24

Two Of the fellows, Ill of whom
were masked, stood at the horses
head. The third advanced slowly
toward her, and she felt the cold bar
re! Of revolver touch her cheek. He
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 brief in-
spection. ''It amt man at all-it's a
woman"
by CAD, it's the schoolma' am" said
second voice. "She's 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.
I'm powerful hungry, miss, and that
that dinner-basket looks good to me-"
Both men released the bride rein as
he spoke.
Nellie Mcswain felt her heart throb
wildly, and then it almost seemed to
fail her. For a moment it seemed she
would faint.
It'll give you sandwich-it's all
have left in the basket" Her voice
was mere whisper. She reached in
under the napkin and her hand came
out holding something bright and
shinging.
'"This sandwich is buttered with
powder and lead!" she shrieked, "and
I'll give you a bite Of it if you don't
look out!"
Poor Prince has never understood
the cruel blow he received from the
schoolma'am's 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 rufians
behind.
It 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 it's 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
appointed duty to- the end. She
breathed easily only when she had
seen the gold safely deposited in the
hands of the express messenger.
Nellie McSwain was not the only
rider who dashed down the Sneffel's
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
girl and the bullion gone. One Of the
men said afterward that Anderson was
plumb locoed," and agreed that ne
was hard to follow in his mad chase
over the trail.
They reached the watering trough in
perhaps shorter period than the trip
had ever been made before, and the
party burst upon the three crouching
scOundrels in manner that was en-
tirely unprecedented in the history of
their carefully planned misdeeds. They |
were entirely disarmed, figuratively
and literally, without SO much as an
interchange of shots, and the men
roped them together, preparatory to
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 |
a few words that the wretches were |
in safe hands, and made further in
quiries, in somewhat 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 ill-con-
cealed smiles, which the early moon,
now visible, revealed with undesirable
clearness.
The sudden neighing of a 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.
I'm glad you are safe" he said,
huskily. She felt the intensity behind
his words.
THANK you" her voice went OF
into whisper, and he could not be GER
tain she had called him ''Tom."
Il found this at the watering
trough" He held out a silver case
knife. I'll didn't know but it would
be all would ever see again that be-
longed to you. was afraid"
The girl stopped him with sub
dued laugh. "That was the sandwich
which was going to feed to Black
Jack and his unpleasant companions"
Then she told him the story of her
ride, and how she had delivered the
bullion in time for No. 5.
you saved the dividends of the
Laura Leigh" said Andersen, laying
hand gently on Princes maine.
They sat without speaking for mo-
ment or 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
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