The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-08-25

nor hand raised. The vehicles drove
victims the impression that the drivers
feared for their lives or liberty. and
the captiyes were ordered to get up ana
walk. 1t was all very sudden. and the
outlook was a bad one, but instead Of
Mysteries Miss Hattie gave her atten-
ton to young Weston. Here was some
thing that ought to arouse him ana
make good the record Of his race, but
he was not aroused-rhat is. he was
only aroused enough TO remark:
They might have waited till we had
finished cur luncheon bah love, but
suppose we'll have to go along with
them"
And go they did. Mr.. Graham fretted
that he had not been prepared for the
fellows, but young Weston was uudis-
turbed. Even the brigands. who had
gobbled up all sorts ana conditions of
men before, winked at each other and
wondered what sort Of fish they had
landed this time. We all know how
brigands work their rackets. They are
out for the money and do not i'll treat
their captives. y walk of ten miles
brought them to a wretched camp
among the rocks and trees. and the
captured were made as comfortable as
circumstances would permit. The cook
ing was rude, the tieas plentiful and
the demeanOr of the brigandS anything
but high toned, and after Il Wretched
night a Ialaver was called. The cap
tives couldn't speak the Turkish Ian
guage, and the brigands couldn't speak
the English, but in an hour or two Il
satisfactory conclusion had been ar
rived at. 1t was &c be $4,000 for the
girl, the same for her father and a like
sum for young Weston, all rated Al
and no discount for age, sex or previ-
Gus condition. Letters were written to
the American and English consuls in
the city and as the money could be
easily raised it looked as if the captives
would he restored after four or five
days detention.
On the second morning of their stay
peasant boy came into camp with 4
strange burden-strange to him and to
the brigauds. The contents of the bas-
ket were sticks of dynamite, which had
in some way been lost ON their journey
to a marble quarry three or four miles
away. The boy had brought his find
10 be examined and perhaps purchased,
but as the brigands knew nothing of
the stuff they had no use for it. The
four sat around the morning campfire
and handled the sticks and wondered
over them, and strolling down that way
from the huts on higher ground young
Weston saw and recognized the dam
gerous explosive. Not only that, but
he took stick in his hand and sumter
ed back and said to Mr.. Graham:
Bah Joye, but I've an idea. You and
Miss Graham keep within doors for a
few minutes"
He turned away before he could be
questioned, and walking back to with
in twenty feet of the fire he deliber-
ately hurled the stick against the big
rock at the brigands' backs. There
was 4 flash, roar, an earthquake,
and a quarter of an hour later the daw-
ding young man opened his eyes to find
Graham and his daughter bending over
him. He had been hurled a hundred
feet, but was only bruised.
1T must have gone off, doncher
knaw,' lie said as he sat up.
yes, it did" replied Graham. III
you meant to wipe those brigands off
the face of the earth you've done it,
and we all came near going to-
Bah JOY"
"Well, Nil Weston, you have ex-
perienced an earthquake" said Miss
Hattie, land can you tell me whether
it actually reused you out of YOURSELF"
ut may have, Miss Graham-it may
have, but I'll think the thing over after
getting back to town and let you k1iaw,
doncher knaw"'