The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-07-18

together
How far do they live from here:'
about three miles straight back
tOdeS the swamp. \ lU1esJMer $50.
never was. Hanged if | don't think
its deadly risk for Il lot of unp8o-
tected females to be Twin in such Il
place with no locks and no men foIlls
At which juncture Mrs. BiXby had
appeared OF the store gallery and CIV
en- her peremptOry invitation To dinner
with such an accompaniment OF
frowns that Bixby accepted it without
delay. When they reached the family
quarters behind the store Mrs. Bixby
turned upon her spouse to rend him.
Heaven help you. Reuben Bixby,
for first class idiot. For you to up
and tell a strange man, from the Lord
only knows where, exactly how he can
help himself to all he wants out az
Pamela. If they are every one Of them
murdered in their beds tonight. poor
creatures, they will have You to thank
for it,
BiXby's flesh turned rough with ter
ror. He blanched at the picture Of his
wife's drawing She beamed her sat
isfaction at results.
so you begin to see it, do you?" she
went on.
He began to see it. In great distress
of soul he took counsel with his book
keeper. What should he do to prevent
those five innocent aristocrats from be
ing murdered in their beds or. to them
a much worse fate. being deSpoiled of
their ancestral belongings. the things
which were more than meat or raiment
to them?
BiNby's bOOkkeeper was young. More
than that, he had long entertained a
hopeless alteration for the youngest of
the Miss DaFons. He was fired with
the chivalric resolve to protect the
whole batch Of Pamela ladies from the
possible consequences of Bixby'S indis-
erection.
BY the time his own supper was dis
posed Of that night the bookkeeper's
plans We're perfected. He would drop
in at Brents. where the fellow had left
his sample trunks, and find out what
he was about. 1t was clearly his duty
not to lose sight of the villain. But at
Brcnts, where a laughing story telling
group Of knights of the road were fill
ing the air with smoke and chatter.
that particular drummer was not to be
found
The inference was plain and blood
curdlinG! He had already started for
Pamela with heaven only knew what
diabolical schemes in his head Inter
ceptcn then must lie his own role. 1t
was a good three miles tramp along a
dark and muddy lane. but immortal
glory awaited him at the other end.
The fellow must have had a good
start of him. There We're no signs of
the villain anywhere. Not even when
he reached the much bepatched fence
about the Pamela house were there anv
signs of travel In that direction save
the footprints he was himself leaving
in the heavy mud.
Under that llchen covered roof Stun
bered five timid, helpless females. all
Of them lovely, one of them adorable.
They would never know it. for he.
their guardian angel, would steal away
with the first gray shaft of dawn. hay-
ing kept vigil over their slumbars
through all the hours of darkness.
Or, greater glory yet, he might fall
a victim to his chivalrc duties. With
shuddering sense of his own in
ferlority he recalled the stalwart pro
portions of the inquisitIve villain. But
to die in defense of such a creature
his soul chung to the singular number
would be bliss provided he might ONLY
hear her say before his last gasp.
Jonas. live for me- which of course
he would politely decline doing.
As a group the Pamela ladies We're
interesting. As an Individual Miss
Maude was absorbing He had never
yet addressed her as an individual
She knew him only as a fletcher and
carrier of brown paper parcels from
BiXby's shelves to their buggy.
The world had doled out happiness
TO Jonas with but a niGgard's hand.
l'ut tonight he would wipe out all Old
cores. He CROPPED his way through
the wreck OF a highly ornate front
gate. He advanced boldly up the bro
ken brick walk. AS the villain had
not preceded him he was still to ar
rive. Fortune had given him the field
Tonight he was only Bixby's clerk.
Tomorrow he would be
Bang!
He spun about, with his hand to his
pistol pocket. Where was the mis-
rreant?
Bang! Bang!
Heavens! Those shots came from
5chind those faithless doors. The mis-
'rcant had already effected his en-
trance.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
There must be twenty men there. He
promptly put n tree between himself
and humiliation.
AS the smoke of this one sided bat
tie cleared away a gentle mistaken
voice fioated across the Intervening
mace charged with inquiry:
Kindly let US know who that is
Skulking behind that pecan tree.
Speak distinctly. please, so that no
mistake shall be made between foe or