La Junta tribune., 1907-08-03

together.
i How far do they live from herer'
\ about three miles straight back
todes the swamp. A louesoIner spot
never was Hanged II l don't think
It's deadly risk for n lot OF unpro-
tected females to be livln' in such
place with no locks and no men folks.
AT which juncture Mrs. Bixby had
appeared on the store gallery and CIV
en- her peremptory invitation to dinner
with such an accompaniment or
frowns that Bixby accepted 1t without
delay When they reached the family
quarters behind the store Mrs. Blxby
turned upon her spouse to rend him.
Heaven help you, Reuben Bixby.
I for a 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 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 ut the picture of his
wife's drawing She beamed her sat
isfsction at results.
$50 you begin to see 1t, 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 Ave Innocent aristocrats from be-
ing murdered In their beds or. to them
a much worse fate. being despOlled OF
their ancestral belongings. the things
| which were more than meat or raiment
to them?
Bixby's bOOkkeeper was young. More
than that. he had long entertained
hopeless alteration for the youngest, of
the Miss Daitons. He was fired with
the chivalric resolve to protect tho
whole batch OF Pamela ladies' from the
possible consequences of Blxby's indis
cretion
BY the time his own supper was dis
posed of that night the bookkeepers
plans were perfected. He would drop
in ut Brent's. 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 nt
Brents, where laughing story telling
group OF knights OF the road were tiil-
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
Panola with heaven only knew what
dla abOlical schemes In his head. Inter
ception then must be his own role II
was good three miles tramp along a
dark and muddy iane but immortal
glory awaited him Mt the other end.
THE fellow must have had a good
! start OF him. There were no signs Of
the villain anywhere. Not even when
he reached the much bepatched fence
about the Pamela house were there any
signs Of travel In that direction save
the footprints he was himself leaving
in the heavy mud.
Under that iichen covered roof slum.
bered Ave timid. helpless females. al
OF them lovely. one OF them adorable.
They would never know II. for be.
their guardian angel. would steal away
with the nrst gray shaft Of dawn. hay
ing kept vigil over their sIumbers
through all the hours Of darkness.
Or. greater glory yet, he might fall
victim to his chivairic duties. With
4 shuddering sense OF his own In
feriority be recalled the stalwart pro-
portions of the inQuisitive villain. But
to die In defence Of such q creature
I his soul EcIung to. the. singular number
would be bliss provided he might only
bear her say before his last gasp.
Jonas. live for mer' which OF course
he would politely decline doing.
As group the Pamela ladies were
interesting. AS IN Individual Miss
Maude was absorbing. He had never
yet addressed her as an Individual.
She knew him only as fletcher and
carrier Of brown paper parcels from
Bixby's shelves to their buggy.
The world had doled out happiness
8 sta Jonas with tMN a ..niggarl's hand.
But tonight he would wipe out all old
scores. He groped his way through
the wreck OF highly ornate front
gate. He advanced boldly up the bro
ken brick walk. As the villain had
not preceded him he was stlll 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 bis
pistol pocket. Where was the mis-
creant7
Bang! Bang!
Heavens! Those shots came from
behind those faithless doors. The mis-
creant had already effected his en-
trance.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
There must be twenty men there. He
promptly put tree between himself
and annihilation.
As the smoke OF this one sided bat
tie cleared away gentle unshnkcn
voice foated across the intervening
space charged with inquiry:
"Klndly let us know who that Is