The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-12
1ong-bareled revolvers covered

WALL ~ Uullct IL LIS DIdlu!
The command was echoed in uncouth
accents at the lower door, where, in
fact, a bearded savage had driven in all
and sundry at his pistols point. And
in few seconds the meeting was as
one which had carried by overwhelm-
ing show of hands proposition from
which the ladies alone saw occasion to
dissent.
"You may have heard Of me BEFORE
said the man on the platform, sweeping
the forest Of hands with his eyeglass.
My names Stipgaree." ~.
It was the word which Hilda Bou-
verie had heard on the veranda and
taken for some strange expletive.
"Who is he9'' she asked, In q
whisper that bespoke excitement, agita-
ton, but not alarm. 5'r
t'The fancy bushranger-the dandy
outlaw" drawled Radford, in cool
reply. "I've been expecting him. He
was seen on our run the day Mrs. Clark
son won't down to Melbourne
That memorable day for Hilda Bou-
veriel And it was this manner Of man
who had been her hero ever since; a
bushranger, an outlaw, a common robber
under arms! .r ~ "
"And you never told ,mel' she cried,
in an indignant whisper.
"We never told Mrs. Clarkson either.
You must blame the boss.''
Hilda snatched her eyes from Sttn-
garee, and was sorry for Mrs. Clarkson
for the first time in their acquaintance.
The new ball-dress of bridal satin was
no winter than its wearer's face, which
had aged several years in as many Sec
onds The squatter leant toward her
uplifted hands, Loyalty concerned for
no one and for nothing else. Between
the couple Sir Julian might have been
conducting without his baton, but with
both arms. Meanwhile, the flashing eye
glass had fixed itself on Miss>B
verie 3 companion, without resting for
an instant on Miss Bouverie.
"Silence over there!' cried Stin-
garee, sternly. II m here on per-
fectly harmless errand. If you know
anything about me at all, you may know
that I have a weakness for music Of
any kind, SO long as it's good of its
kind.' ~. -. D.. .
The eyeglass dropped for moment
upon Mrs. Clarkson in the front row,
and the irrepressible Radford was en-
abled to continue his say. -. -
- "He has, too, from mouth-organ to
full orchestra, from all accounts, Miss
Bouverie. My revolver's In the coat
pocket next you"
T cit is the music,' continued Stin.
; garee looking harder than before in
their direction, (which has brought me
. here tonight. I've come to listen, ano
for no other reason in the world. I'm
y fortunately, when one has price upon
; one s head, one has to take certain pre-
= cautions before venturing among ones
felloW-men. And, tho I IN not here fol
: gain or bloodshed, if any man of yo1
y gives me trouble shall shoot him like
= dog!'
! "That's one for me-" whispered tht
y intrepid overseer, in lower key. "Nevel
, mind. He's not looking at us now.
! believe Mrs Glarkson 8 going to faint
] You take what I told you and slip i
+ under your shawl, and YOU I'll save {
=. second by passing it up to me tn
f instant you see her sway!'' e..
q Hilda hesitated. A dead silence hat
fallen on the crowded and heated store
s and in the silence Stingaree was alread.
}. taking an unguarded interest In Mrs
r Clarkson's appearance, which as Ger
@ tainly betokened imminent collapse
j. "Nowl" whispered Radford, and Hild
hesitated no more. She was wearing
!, black shawl between her appearance
the piano; she had the revolver unde
a it in twinkling, and pressed it to he
', bosom with both hands, one outsid
+ the shawl and one underneath, as VIII
=, should hug beating heart.
HMrs. GARRISON said Stingaree
= 'you have been singing too much, an
e the quality Of your song has not bee
!, equal to the quantity
o It sounded a brutal speech enough
a and to do justice to portion OF tn
+ audience not hitherto remarkable TO
,. it's spirit, the ungallant criticism wa
audibly resented in the back rows. III
maudlin stockman had indeed to b
x restrained by his neighbors from preciI
l. itating himself upon the barrels o
8 Stingaree. But the effect upon Mr.
= Clarkson herself was still more remark
II able. and revealed subtle kindness
the desperado's cruelty. Her pale fac
flushed; her lack-lustre eyes blaze
" forth their indignation; her very ella
ID was on fire for all the room to see. :
le CT dom It sing for criminals and cut
ID throats!'' the indignant lady cried gu
y She glanced at Sir Julian as one fc
o. whom she did sing. And Sir Julian
t. ewes twinkled under the bushranger
LII guns.
IS ssTo be sure you dom IT," said Sti1
10 garee. with as much sweetness as h
Is Character would permit. "You sing II
t. charity, and spend three times as niue
in as you are ever likely to make in ARA,
re ing yourself for the occasion. We
90 we must put up with some song-bi1
~ without fine feathers, for I mean
~ hear the program out His .ey'
1e ranged the front rows till they fell c
", Hiida Bouverie in her corner. Yc
young lady over therel You we bee
1e talking since called for silence. Yo
d. deserve to pay penalty; be GOO
ee enough to step this way"
Hi1da's excitement may be supposed
is it made her scandalously radiant
&C. that company Of Inundated men al
he women, but 1t did not rob her Of b
an resource. Removing her shawl with a
it. parent haste, but, with calculated d
at liberation. she laid 1t in bunch upt
en- the seat which she had occupied, al
le- stepped forward with courage tn
in won a cheer from the back rows. Sti
ed garee stopped to hand her up to Il
to platform; and ! his warm grip told
at tale. This was what he had come f
nd to make her sing, to make her sing b
Cd fofe Sir Julian Crum, to give her
le, start unique in the history of the pls
y 4 n, Z. - No. 1s,.A1 I,