The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-01-16
Our Daily Sport Story

ed grimly. when the second reading was finished.
 What in thunder is the matter with your" one of the men asked.
 Nothing" he blurted out, but some thing is the matter with Serena Green"
 Serena Green!" a chorus exclaimed.
 Serena Vincent" Bluff Henderson corrected.
 NO. Plain Serena Green" Barney declared.
 Let's have it.. Crispin--the whole of it." bawled Bluff Henderson.
 The time has come. boys, when I can talk Barney declared. as they gathered around him. eager for the explanation that they knew was com ing.
 The organ-like pealing from the ad- joining grotto, made by the wind pass ing through the gigantic formation of stalactites and stalagmites. alone broke the silence with it's solemn dirge in the silence that preceded the story.
 Tt was my watch after midnight the night they went away" Barney com menced slowly When I came on dEty the chief and Serena Green were still sitting here in the light. She called me by name and stopped me as I was making my way to the single-flle cut out there She'd rigged up in some of the finery we'd found laying around in baggage cars, and I had to own to myself that she looked all right. and, boys. I'd never seen the boss quite like he was then-the rough marks that we fellows pick up with our plunder had left his face. and he was that hand some and changed that I could hardly keep my eyes off from him. We're going to be married by the preacher to- morrow says he, looking at her as she sat running her white little fingers through the box of jewelry before her he meant you, parson." said Barney to the one- time leader of -fock.
 Go on; go on." shouted >a dozen voices.
 wall. I stood there stupid-like, and he tells me, Barney, she's promised me her hand. Yes, says she, playful-like just my hand. Barney; hell have more trouble to get my heart. I'll be satis- fled with the hand first, for know the heart will follow he told her, like a gentleman but the hand I'll have. now it's promised. if I have to go around the world for it. I turned away then to make for the look-o out, but she nailed me again Come back, Barney, says she it's my treat tonight-you know I'm an old hand at mixing the drinks, and with that she goes to the cupboard 1 and in no time she comes back with | the finest tanglefoot I ever taste-it was a tanglepate too, boys, for that was the last I knew till the boss let me have a kick in the ribs that raised me off the floor She's doped us says | he. quiet like: she's gone with all the l jewelry and money she can carry ana | the lay of the Cock pit" to sell to the man hunter that will pay her the best | for it The devil was loose in him
 I don't care says he, for all the in | formation she can give, for the whole of Uncle Sam's pea-shooters can [ storm us out: and, as for the things | shes carted away, there's plenty more where they came from-but to be fool ] ed by woman" He ordered me to follow, and when we got to where the horses were tied, his own critter was missing. We struck the trail on the | two next hest animals and made for Farsight When we pounded up 10 the l station his own horse was there ana the train was just moving out He l threw his lines to me. dfopPsu them with my own ribbons over post ana
 kept to his heels. As the passenger coach came slipping past a niue wntte hand, covered with jewels ana knlck- kancks was thrown out and waved him as pretty a farewell as you ever saw. His short sword was drawn, and like a flash he struck. He missed the
 iewelcd thing he aimed at and tell' l
 got The blow intended for her upon
 the cheek The train swung out Of
 sight around the curve. He dressed
 my wound. which had found inc bone
 with steady fingers that were cold
 You heard her say her hand was mlneY
 he asked me. and me tell her that Id
 go around the world, to claim H'