The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-15


soon as I'm through with this"
She managed to slip between the
safe and the robber. . s Nl
Look ere. gal I'll hurt you, ef you
don look out" he muttered menacing
ly. He thrust her aside, but she re-
sisted with all her might. sN
I'll give you ten seconds to leave
this placer She was in deadly earnest
Meanwhile her fiuttering heart prayed
that the late train might make up time
and that the light on the hill might
avail her. She thought of escape, but
there was the money.
With an-oath he flung her to the 9TH
er end of the room.
Col darn you.i want no interfer-
ence." he drawled, trying the safe once
more.
Margaret steadied herself in a last
effort. The man on the hillside had
said: "one can never tell" Was this
the time? She was the guardian Of the
safe this outlaw was rifiing.
Thus in all her strength she cried
out:
Get out this minute, eor I'll shootP'
A revolver was leveled at him. He
rushed forward to disarm her. so sure
of his strength was he. But he. fell in
a heap at her feet. She remembered
four shots and a groan. She looked
queerly at the weapon in her hand,
then at the bleeding thing on the floor.
With a scream she dashed out of tie
door into the darkness. A strange fear
clutching at her heart and her brain
in terrible tumult. she ran on and
on. The night suddenly seemed full
of dangers. Would she never reach
the little house on the hillside?
THE cbarn aScapf DROVE her hreaf l.
less to his door. She paused a mo-
ment She could hear him pacing up
and down the room. So he was not
studying after all. She gave low
knock.
Margaret, he exclaimed, seeing her
flushed face and disheveled hair.
She could not speak, blu. she man
aged to gasp out:
1--WE come to give myself up. L
Dick Gray-is Shutdown at the de-
pot Your revolver-did it"'
He gazed at her wonderingly.
you, you shot that terror" he asked
incredulously.
II couldn't let him get away with
that money-and you gave me the PTS
tol, Howard, you remember?
Howard was not listening to heI
foolish questioning.
y
she ended, passively. Her face was
growing pale and her voice low.
He led her to an arm chair and put
a glass of water to her lips. Inc
breathlessness was all gone now, anc
dark shadows danced before her. Ht
laid her head on his shoulder, pattine
her hands continuously.
MY train,' she suddenly exclaimed
lifting herself with an effort.
Never mind, dear. I'm going fol
you, instead of with you, this time.
Then he called his sister. TAKE
care of her. Kate. Dick Gray's IL
Coalton I won't be gone very long
He left the house and walked quick
ly to Margaret's station. He arrives
there in time to meet No. % with thu
precious parcel The incoming trail
made a longer stop than usual Coal
ton does not hold dead Dick Ora!
often. The trainmen heard the new
with eyes wide opened. And that lit
tie Miss Margaret, too! Who woul'
have thought it?
So the girls heroism flashed up ant
down the road. All the world knew
it the following day. A mere slip of I
girl had ended the career of a mos
dangerous character. for whose cap
ture. dead or alive. big reward hat
been offered long since.
Howard entered his little house OF
tiptoe. Kate met him smflingly. say
ing. NO she's not asleep. She's IL
your sitting room waiting. She thinks
she ought to go to jail or something
silly child. 1 had to laugh at her
| Howard"
He went to Margaret and found he
huddled in his big chair. He bent owe
it slowly, calling her name very softly
She looked up. stareled. "Oh. In
afraid of your she cried.
Her nerves were s-rung to the ut
most, that he saw readily. He knee
beside the chair and folded her in hi
| arms. efeft NO. sA
"Afraid& he queried gently.
She met his eyes wonderingly. Ther
the tension snapped Her haggard lit
tie face was buried in his neck anC
she wept like desolate child.
MY Margaret. my Margaret! he re-
peated again and again, stroking hei
bright hair in infinite tenderness.
Something in his voice destroyed for
ever her want of girlish freedom. Here
was her rest and mayhap her work.
All of which accounted for the pres
ence of the stubby little old man nov
master at Coalton stop