The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-10-12

like a douche of ice water on Bevis.
Though she had accepted his i'm
promptu gift. IL was apparently only
for the value OF il. He noticed. too.
that she never looked az him. and
with a sigh devoted himself 10 the
task OF winning money he would
never have the chance 10 spend.
The scene next morning formed n
fitting sequel to- that OF the preced-
ing night. The condemned man
walked free and unconcernedly 10 the
place of execution. chatting in a cas-
ual way with those about 10 usher
him into eternity. One thing alone
betrayed-to the initiated-the fact
that Dan was a prisoner; he was un-
armed.
The preparations were primitive.
A tree. rope with a moose AT one
end and half dozen stalwart miners
at the other. Dan had seen men die
in this way before, and he knew the
agony of it. Nevertheless there was
jest on his lips.
You haven't got that gallows built
yet and you need it badly" he re.
marked.
I'VE didn't expect YOU back so soon
or we'd had it ready" was the quick
retort from one of the crowd. And
Dan laughed. for he liked good re.
turn, whether in word or blow.
Erect and with unmoved features
he felt the fatal loop tighten around
his throat. Then his indifference
vanished. and the spectators saw a
look of sharp pain on his face. A
moment later came a clatter of hoofs.
and jimmy. mounted on the gam.
bler's horse, dashed up. Brown and
Lupas both sprang forward.
What are you doing here, Jinny?"
asked her stepfather. This is nc
place for a girl"
i've come TO say goodby," she re.
piled, calmly enough. though her
heart was beating furiously. Then,
turning TO Lupas, she added, You
need not grudge him that, at least. "
The tone and look which accom-
panied the words were a delightful
with a glance of triumph at his un.
fortunate rival, he stepped back
He was rewarded with a bewilder-
ing smile of gratitude, as jimmy, lead
ing her mount, stepped up TO where
the culprit was standing.
Dan" she whispered, I'm going
to cut the rope and then you must
Jump for Deuce and GO"
He looked up and she read refusal
in his eyes. He had seen her smile
at Lupas. But he did not speak.
Motif come with you, DAM"
she questioned, softly.
For a moment he could not believe
his ears, but then she lifted her eyes
to his in one single flash, and he
knew the truth; he had won. The
touch of her arms round his neck and
her warm breath on his cheek re-
called him. -
But they'll shoot, and may hit
you" he whispered.
But his eXpostulation came too
late. A sharp click told that jimmy S
hands had not encircled him useless
ly, and the rope was severed. At the
same time she released him and
stepped back a pace. Life was very
sweet now, and Dan did not hesitate.
Two bounds and he was astride his
horse, and a moment later his strong
arms had lifted jimmy up in front OF
him. The spectators, paralyzed by
the uneXpectedness of the event, only
recovered their senses when the horse
bearip-I his double burden with the
utmost ease-was dozen yards
away.
Then Lupas, with wild yell of an
ger as he realized how he had been
tricked, sprang after them, only to
stumble headlong with bullet in his
brain. It was his friend Brown who
had fired the shot in an attempt, as
he afterward explained, to cripple the
fugitive's mount. But as Brown was
a notoriously neat shot, and the dead
man was hardly in the line of fire,
there were some who doubted.
Late in the afternoon the minister
OF a small but lively mining camp
some thirty miles from Deep Hollow
earned a sum equal TO half his yearly
income by the performance of sim
pie ceremony, and Dan Bevis, having
escaped from one moose, very cheer
fully surrendered himself to another.
AS he himself put it, "Matrimony was
bis strong suit, and he was going his
pile on it."-London Paper.