Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-08-20

80 sst fS' sSe ~ ~ ~
Tom was gone. With horse pistol
IN each hand, he dashed into the store
and caught Peggy and Miss Sullivan
IN the act of lifting down the fowling
pieces.
Surrender he roared.
| Miss Sullivan shrieked and hid her
face. Peggy advanced.
Shoot a woman IL you dare" said
she. "'Tis me that dares ye!''
Peggy he whispered.
"Tomw
II am here to save you both. Do as
tell you, and make her do the same.
I'm here to save you both!' he repeat
eel aloud. There are horses in the sta
BILE. Come with me. and I'll put you on
them. Undo those outer doors, Peggy"
He had said her name by accident.
She gave him warning glance. And
now Miss Sullivan stood her ground
steadfastly and. having recovered that
mettle which was in the blood, refused
to move until she knew what they
We're going to do with her father and
| brother.
Nothing at ALL" said Tom. "Its you
they're after"
me, indeed!"
1.-THE two of you" said Tom. 1.-THE
men are all right, they've given in, but
they'll carry OF the women IL they
can, though not If know it,"
By this time Peggy O'Brien had I'M
fastened the great outer doors at which
the store drays could unload without
entering the yard. In another moment
Tom had both women out In the open,
with the front west angle Of house be-
tween them and the palisade. Even
the burning hut was thus hidden from
their view. Yet the voice Of Hockey
Simpson sounded dreadfully close.
"You shall lay 1t on yourselvesw be
was shouting out. LET the man who
had the last fifty come forward and
lay on the first"
That's me-" said Macbeth's voice.
"Gfe us the catr'
There was none.
"Then the aul cove's cane"
Tom had seized Miss Sullivan by the
arm.
Il don't stlrv' she declared. mot one
stepm
Then worse will come Of It,"
"But my father!'
tits idle threats-they don't mean
word of IT."
"Ah, miss, come onw urged Peggy in
an agony for Tom.
"She shall!' he muttered, with the
nozzle of one pistol against the lady's
neck. And so between them they got
her to the back Of the house and thonce
across the open space to the stables.
AS they ran Tom turned his head and
just saw one end of chain of ruddy
convict faces, all horribly intent upon
some unseen spectacle before the pail
SADIE.
The stable proper faced the open
gate through which the bushrangers
had ridden. Their saddled horses stood
two In stall. and Tom was backing
out couple when he discovered Peggy
meddling with third. He told her
three would not be wanted.
"An' what about your?
II stay with my mates"
vivid thin murtherin' vilrns?"
'I'm one myself" y
"Already" she cried. "Tom, Tom
1t was his turn to hold up warning
hand.
Miss Sullivan stood listening at the
door, but not to them.
Tom listened too.
For some instants all was still
Then thwacE, thwack. thwack. was
greeted with a yell Of savage joy. and
Miss Sullivan was gone from the door.
LET her go" cried Tom. selling Peg
gy's wrist. II did my best for her.
You, at all events. shall be saved"
mot without you, Tom"
Nonsense, Peggy! must see this
through"
can so must I. then"
With these words, she set her back
to the open door. But there stood
Tom. looking past and beyond her. as
though he had not heard one of them.
Presently a soft laugh came from his
lips.
"All right, Peggy! You are safer
|
The girl obeyed, and there. trotting
two abreast through the open gate.
were score of troopers, with the
glare from the still blazing hut red
dening their whiskered faces, jeweling
their spurs and gliding from hllt to
point the waving sword of the lad who
rode at their head.
Peggy stood aghast, with an amaze
ment that left no room for thought It
was only when the cavalcade had
swept close by and SO out of sight at
gallon that she heard Tom speaking to
her from height. He had himself
mounted one Of the horses and was en-
| treating her to stand aside and let him
out.
And then she realized how the situa-
ton had reversed itself and how he
was now the one to fly and gallop for
his life. Without word, she sprang
out of his way. He clattered under
the Intel and was gone. She came out
to see him gallop through the open
gate. He had already vanished, but
not that way. He had dashed to the
assistance of his rascally mates.
But dozen shots had been fred
already and blue wreaths were curling
in the glare-like clouds at sunset
Wall-eye lay stretched upon his face.
Slipper and the aboriginal were fight
ing desperately back to back, but both
We're wounded and their moments
numbered. Troopers surrounded them;