Middletown transcript., 1906-03-03


the hall, where she sank agaii
upon the settle, white and numl
only her eyes saw everything
and her brain was as alive as be
body seemed dead. She daret
not move; she could only think
But she did not mean that an.
chance should slip her, and j
seemed as though some chanc
must come. She thought of Zetto
and her finger nails cut the palm
of her hands. Only then she rea
lized that Ned had left the rim.
there. It made her angry tha
he should have thoughther capa
BILE Of caring for it while he was il
| danger. She could have throw
| it on the floor. But at that mo
ment a curious thing occurred.
The stranger had flung himsel
again into the chair beside th'
table, motioning Colonel Morgan
to chair opposite. -Four mer
stood together in the broad door
their rifles ready for instant use
In sitting down Ned bent for
ward and looked under the broad
brim of the sombrero, then threw
himself into his chair, with a bois
ferrous laugh, exclaiming; It's
Brisbane himself! By the pow,
ers! Now that's a new joke, old
man, and a good one.
A joke? the outlaw muttered.
Why, yes, Ned replied, still
laughing. Don't you see? I've
just left a whole company, out in
Devils Gulch, watching the en-
trance to your cave, waiting to
nab you; and, presto! meet you
thi.tJ miles away, making a birth
day call.
Morgan, with company, waits
in Devils Gulch to capture Bris-
bane, while Brisbane, with only
six good men, captures Morgan
right under the guns of his fort.
Yes, it's a joke. see it now, the
outlaw said solemnly. And next
I'll see that diamond ring. Meb-
be TIL fit my gal as well as yours.
And that's another joke. He
slowly stretched his great hand,
palm up, across the table.
I haven't got it, Brisbane, Ned
replied deliberately, and if l had,
I wouldn't turn it over to you.
Mona saw an opportunity for
which she had been waiting.
Before Ned could finish or Bris.
bane reply, she said: Here is the
ring, if that is all you want, and
hurrying to them she laid it on
the table.
She expected the frown which
contracted Ned's forehead, and
she was not sorry to show him
that she thought more of him tlan
Of the ring. The opportunity,
however, for which she had been
was an excuse to place
herself between Ned and the four
rifles in the door. She measured
he line carefully, with a marks
mans eyes, before she started
Ind stopped beside the table
where she was sure that she COW
,red it. Neither Mona nor the
expected thequick motion |
With which Colonel Morgan pick
ID up the ring, and smiling in |
'pite of the frown, slipped it into
lis pocket. j
The muscles of Brisbane's big
land frightened and the hand |
moved toward his belt. Mona |
Jaw it. Her heartstood still, but |
the only clutched the table, for |
'he dared not move from between |
Ned and the other four. But the
zig hand stopped On the edge of |
he table. The game was his. |
There was not haste. The outlaw |
ourposed to play it slowly, for
What there was in it. He pre-.
erred to see Colonel Morgan |
Yield to him. With eyes fixed on |
lim he muttered:
I let ye in to say a peaceable |
;ood-by with the gal. But I've |
10 great crop O. patience handy. |
You fork over thet ring, an git |
through yer nonsense lively and |
Iuiet, or I'll leave yer right here
or the. undertaken, see? And |
hats another joke.
Ned leaned back ia his chair. |
slowly:It would be Bris.
zane, if it would only work; but
here's no point to it. When / i
leard that you had intercepted |
nd read my letter to Miss Sher-
nan and had laid a trap to catch
ne here to night-Don't you dare
0 move a finger, old man, or
hree bullets will find you quick!
you can look over your shoulder