The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1904-12-29
BENTON

carriage and with great effort forced
himself to say:
Now then. doncher knaw, luncheon
goes with this"
So did something else-something not
put up at the hotel and brought along.
The three We're picking at the luncheon
when four Turkish brigands, who had
the necessary amount of tleas. dirt and
rags to render them romantic, came
Of the season. two miuionaires and a
good looking girl and not a shot fired
uor 4 hand raised. The vehicles drove
off with great clatter to give the
victims the impression that the drivers
feared for their lives or liberty, and
the captives were ordered to get up and
walk. 1t was all very sudden, and the
outlook was a bad one, but instead Of
Mysteries Miss Hattie gave her atten-
tion to young Weston. Here was some
thing that ought to arouse him and
make good the record of his race. bit
he was not aroused-that is. he was
only aroused enough to remark:
"They might have waited till we had
finished our luncheon, bah Joye, but l
suppose we'll have to go along with
then."
And go they CD Mr.. Graham fretted
that he had not been prepared for the
fellows, but young Weston was undis-
turbed. Even the brigands who had
gobbled up all sorts and 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 ill treat
their captives. A walk of ten miles
brought them to wretched camp
among the rocks and trees, and the
| captured were made as comfortable as
circumstances would permit. The cook
| ing was rude, the fieas plentiful and
| the deneanor of the brigands any thing
! but high toned, and after Il wretched
| night palayer was called. The cap
tives couldn't speak the Turkish LAM
guage, and the brisands couldn't speak
the English, but in an hour or two a
| satisfactory conclusion had been ar
| rived at. 1t was to be $4,000 for the
girl, the same for her father and like
sum for young Weston, all rated Al
and no discount for age. sex or preyi-
GUS condition. Letters We're written to
the American and English consuls in
the city, and as the money could be
| easily raised it looked as if the captiyes
would lie restored after four or five
days detention.
On the second morning of their stay
peasant boy came into camp with q
strange burden-strange to him and tc
the brigands. 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 fnt
to be examined and perhaps purchased
but as the brigands knew nothing OF
the stuff they had no use for it. Tit
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 youn:
Weston saw and recognized the dan
gerous explosive Not only that. bu
he took stick in his hand and saunter
ed back and said to Mr.. Graham:
"Bah Joye, but I've an idea. You an,
Miss Graham keep within doors for
few minutes"
He turned away before he could b
questioned. and walking back to with
in twenty feet of the fire he delibel
ately hurled the stick against the b
rock at the brigands' backs Their
was flash, roar, an earthquake
and quarter of an hour later the daw
ding young man opened his eyes to fin
Graham and his daughter bending owe
him. He had been hurled hundre
feet, but was only bruised.
"It must have gone off, donche
knaw." he said as he sat up.
Eyes. it did," replied Graham. Il
you meant to wipe those brigands O
the face of the earth you've done i
and we all came near going to-
Bah Jovev'
"Wen, Mr.. Weston, you have e!
perienced an earthquake" said Mis-
Hattie, "and can you tell me whetEt
It actually reused you out of yourself
: sIt may have, Miss Graham-it ma
: have, but I'll think the thing over aft
!. getting back to town and let you knay
: doncher knawr