The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-11-07
writes poetry about 'em and about old

place with no locks and no men folks"
At which juncture Mrs. BiXby had
appeared on the store, gallery and Civ
with such an accompaniment of
frowns that Bixby accepted it without
delay When they reached the family
quarters behind the store Mrs. RiNby
turned upon her spouse to renl him.
Heaven help you. Reuben Rixby.
for first class idiot! For ven r. up
and tell a strange man. from the Lord
only knows where exactly how he can
help himself to all he wants ont at
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.
$50 you begin to see it, 90 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 desroiied Of
their ancestral belongings. the things
which were more than meat or raiment
to them?
Biybys bookkeeper was young More
than that, he had long entertained n
hopeless alteration for the youngest of
| the Miss Daltons. He was fired with
| the chivalric resolve to protect the
whole batch of Pamela ladies' from the
possible consequences of BiXby's indis-
cretiOn.
| BY the time his own supper was dis
| posed of that night the bcokkeeper's
/ plans were perfected. He would drcp
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 al
Brent's: where laughing story telling
group of knights of the road were fill
ing the air with smoke ana chatter
that particular drummer was not to he
found
The inference was plain AMI blood
culdling! He had already started fol-
| Pancla with heaven only knew what
diabOiical schemes in his head Inter
ception then must be his own role II
was good three miles tramp alon., !:
dark and muddy lane, but immorsa
glory awaited him at the other end
THE fellow" must have had n goot
start of him. There were no signs o
the villain anywhere. Not even whel
he reached the much bepatched fence
about the Panoia house we're there an;
signs of travel in that direction save
the footprints he was himself leavin,
in the heavy mud.
Under that lichen covered roof slum
bered five timid, helpless females, al
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 slumber.
through all the hours of darkness.
Or, greater glory yet, he might fal
q victim to his chivalric duties. Wit
a shuddering sense of his own in
feriOrty he recalled the Stalwart pro
portions Of the inquisitive villain. Blu
to die in defense of such creature
his soul clung to the singular number
would be bliss provided he might only
hear her say before his last gasp
Jonas, live for me'' which CT cours,
he would politely decline doing.
As a group the Pamela ladies' wer,
interesting. AS an individual Mis-
Aaude was absorbing. He had neve
yet addressed her as an Individual
She knew him only as fletcher all,
carrier of brown paper parcels from
Bixby's shelves to their buggy.
The world had doled out happines
to Jonas with but nicgard's hand
But tonight he would wipe out all ok
scores. He groped his way through
the wreck of a highly ornate from
gate. He advanced boldly up the bro
ken brick walk. As the villain ha,
not preceded him he was still to al
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 hi
: pistol pocket. Where was the mis-
creant?
Bang. Bang!
Heavens! Those shots came fror
behind those faithless doors. The mis-
creant had already effected his en-
trance.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
There must be twenty men there II
promptly put 4 tree. between himsel
and annihilation.
AS the smoke of this one sided bat
tie cleared away a gentle unshake
voice foateti across the intervenin
space charged with inquiry:
Kindly let us know who that
skulking behind that pecan tret
Speak distinctly, please, so that n
mistake shall be made between foe G
friend before we fire again.
Bixby's bookkeeper preferred not t
Epeak at all. He was making q mentf
map of the premises he had traverse
with view to strategic movement
toward the rear. Again that sweet III
. shaken voice:
"Please let us know who that is b
: hind our pecan tree. We do not wa
to hurt any one, but we ought to te
: you that there are still three loade
, pistols on hand'
A dim vision of flying legs and flu
tering coat skirts was yollchsafed til