West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-11-07

been warnes OF bis responsibility aud.
Knowing that much gold lay In bis
keeping was disposed to gaze on the
cur.ois mined with the sourness or
s,isp.csoa. Therefore. as q man lead
Ing a pacihorsc approached out OF the
s.oon Of the creek trail. his eyes wero
on Linn from the moment he appeared
The road wound along the gravel OF
the bars anu passed In proximity to
the fumes. However. the wayfarer paid
ID attention 20 them, and the watch.
L:aa detected an explanatory weari-
ness In his slow gait.
'fciec proprietor getting Ia from a
trip IL t,ior;:.it
1ic ss-ai;ssr stopped. scratched a
match. AMI as lie undertook TO light
LIS PIPE. 49, Observer caught the ma
LoelaI f'i,;c o. Il negro's face. Tho
'aat'i sp~,;c.ci out nuL ten came i'm
patient bilsp'.emy "a Lie searched for
another
"Even'n'. sahl Yoa-all oblIgc me with
a in9'tiT re addrcs-eI the watcher
On the bant above AMI. without wait
Ing IA rely. 'ecan to climb upward.
no smoker ON the trail will deny the
luxury Of "a light 10 the most humble.
30 NJ the rrscro gained his level the
man irachPd forth TO accommodate
nir. itlior; warning the black man
seapc'. forward with the feroc;ty Of On
Eil,.lGl AMI struck t!ic ether a fearful
bow. The Waterman sank with
faint startled cry, aud the African
dragged him out Of sight over the
brow OF the bnnk. where ne rapidly
tied t!m .i...i aaG DOT. E;uf.lng ,.a,
| iiI.o his Mouth. Al the Ya.ae moment
| two ether 4: u-cs rounded The brnl
Le.Ow AID Approached III. y were
low sheen. and yet this was incredible.
hundred men lay within sound of her
voice. She could hear their laughter.
One was whlstlIng n popular refrain.
quarter mile away on every hand
were other camps. A scream from her
would bring them NIL Nonsense. this
was no sluice robbery, ami then the
man In the bushes below moaned for
| the third time.
| what Is tbatr she said
Without reply the negro lowered the
muzzle OF his rifle TIL II covered her
breast, and Mt the same time she heard
the double click of the hammer.
| Keep still and don't move,"> he
warned. Were desperate. and we
can't take anx,chances. miss
| "Oh, you are stealing the goid"-
She was wildly frightened. yet stood
still while the lookout anxiously di-
vided his attention between her and
the tents above until his companions
signaled him that they were through
and the horses were loaded. Then he
spoke:
IL don't know what to 10 with you.
but guess I'll tie you up
WHAT" she said
I'm going TO tic and gag you so you
can't hollcr"
"Oh don't you dare" she cried fierce
iy. I'll stand right here tn you've
gone, and won't scream. ! promise"
She looked up mt him appealing,y. at
which he dipped his head. so that she
caught only glimpse Of his face. and
then backed away.
"All right! Don't try II because I'll
be hidden In those bushes yonder at
the bend. AMI I'll keep you covered TIL
the others are goae." He feaped down
the bank. ran to the cayalcale. mount
ed quickly, and the three dashed their
horses into rCn, disappearing up the
trail around the sharp curve She
heard the blows OF their quirts rs they
whipped the pack horses.
They were long out OF sight before
the girl moved or made sound. al
though she knew that none of the three
had paused at the bend. She only
stood and ga=ed, for as they gl,ioped
Off she had heard the scrap of broken
sentence. IL was but one e-Ci.el
word sounding through the ra.!.c OF
hoofs-her own name-"uelen r~l
yet because of II she did not voice tie
alarm, but rather began TO r.s.c to-
gether bit by bit the strange points OF
this adventure She recalled the or
lines OF her captor VIII wriu. e Of
perpiexity. Her fright disappeared c..
tireiy, giving place TO ia.oa:c erc!.e.
ment. mo. no: II can't be! Ard ct
wonder If II is!' she cried. "Ch. I
wonder If 1t could bc!'
She opened her lips to cry aion :. chen
hesitated. She started toward ne
tents. then paused. aud for u.uny :.lo-
ments after the ho1f beats N,I dol
out she stayed undecided. Surrey SIG
wished to giyc the signal. to force the
herce pursuit. What meant this r,,!,-
berry. this defiance OF the law, OF her
uncle's edicts aud OF Mcnamara? They
were common thieves. criminals. out.
laws, these men. deserving punish
ment and yet she recalled darker
night, when she herself had sobbed
and quivered with tie ter:crs OF pur-
suit aud two men had shielded her
with their bodies.
She turned and sped toward the
tents. bursting in through The canvas
door. Instantly every nal ~ c t. his
feet at sight OF her nallld face. her
flashing eyes aa1 ruripe.. hair.
"Slulco robbo:9." she cried breath
lessIy. "Qulckl 4 holdupl The watch.
man IL hurtw
ronr shook The nicht air. aud the
men poured ont past her. while the
day shift came tunlbllns for.h from
every quarter In various stages OF un.
dress.
''wherc2 Who did It? Where did
they gor
Mcnamara appeared among them,
fierce and commanding. seeming to
grasp the situation intwtlvely without
explanation from her.
Come on. men. Well run 'em down
Get out the horses. QuIckp
He was mounted even as me spoke
and other Joined him. Then, turning
he waved his long arm up the valley
toward the mountains Divide into
squads OF Eve and cover the hillsl
Run down to Discovery. one Of you,
and telephone to town for Voorhees,
ana a posse"
As they made ready to ride away