Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-08-28
OLIVES
OUTLAW.
BY TAYLOR WHITE.
Copyrighted. 1905. by Associated
Literary Press.

sprlug season nad got fully under way
As business getter the outlaw was
a huge success. No shore resort with
an authentie sea serpent ever enjoyed
such popularity. and the stages that
met the trains from the east numbered
back over the twenty mile trail loaded
to capacity With women who openly
avowed their timidifS and men whA
tried more or less successfully to con-
zeal theirs.
Almost every afternoon the porch
was crowded to witness the departure
of the sheriff and his posse, and al
most as regularly some of the guests
came hurrying back to the hotel to
tell how they had been held up and
stripped OF their valuables with an
expedition that Hxcelled the speed of
the man back OF the marble counter
in the rotunda. The latter kept the
books and each day set down op-
posite each account n sum that would
have obtained board and lodgings for a
week at hotel not cursed-or blessed
by bandit.
| Approaching the fact that much OF
his booty was keepsakes and heir
looms, the bandit was always ready to
trade back his plumber for the more
convenient specie. and as the landlord
| insisted upon making sood all losses
| there We're no complaints. Indeed. the
guests rather enjoyed being held up.
1t gave them something to talk about
| Wnen their visit was over. Many OF
the visitors 10y oft repeated telling SO
embroidered the accounts OF their in
dividual holdups that the tales would
have offered good material for mag
azines. But it was not until Olive
| Marchand came that the real sensa-
ton was sprung
Unth then the outlaws taciturnity
had been his most pronounced char
actertstic. but when the slip of a girl
came rushing down the path from the
springs TO tell how Black Pete had
| not only held her up. but had de
| tanned her in conversation for more
than an hour, every woman In the
notei turned envious. The following
AFTERNOON the banks OF the stream fed
| oy the springs were dotted with wo-
men waiting to be captured aud talked
to that they might share Miss Mar
Glands prestige.
| Possibly it was for this reason that
Miss Marchand, walking down the val
ley Instead OF toward the springs, was
confronted by 1.-the figure above
whose square cut chin appeared n
mask or black velvet that lent deeper
briiliance TO glittering gray eye.
IN glad to see you this afternoon. :"
was the greeting. II rather thought
should lind you here. The woods are
100 crowded above. and SO / came down
this way. / trust that you suffered no
Ill enects from the shock OF our meet
ing yesterday"
Il rather enjoyed It," admitted Olive
frankly. Il really think that the other
women are envious"
Pete smiled at recollection OF the
goodiy company he had passed on his
way down the trail There was no
question about it, He motioned her to
seat ON the fallen trunk OF a tree
and sat down beside her.
Inc girl was an eager questioner, and
presently he was reeling of stories of
adventure with dash that brought
the glow or excitement to Miss
Marchands eyes. To make II still
more thrilling, there was a crashing
sound among the trees. and without a
word the outlaw swung himself nm
into tall pine just as the sheriff and
his posse came tearing along.
They paused long enough to warn
the girl that Black Pete was supposed
10 be somewhere In her vicinity and
that IL would be well for her to return
TO the hotel by the trail Instead OF
through the woods; then they buried
on, aud Pete swung himself down
from his perch.
| This is the easiest experience | ever
had. he declared laughingly. The
sheriff trusts to numbers and hard rid.
ing. with the result that / have plenty
or time to disappear when I hear him
| coming"
1t must be terrible to feel that YOU
are hunted thing" unused Olive. with
n little shudder.
That's the joyous part" declared
the outlaw. II am not hunted when
the pursuit is In the hands of the
sheriff. But let's forget the sheriff"
he added. I've told you all about my
SELF Now, turn about Is fair play"
1T would seem SO tame after what
you nave told me-" she demurred, but
she was soon deep in her subject. and
1t was not until the afternoon shadows
| heightened that ut last she recalled
herself and hurried up the trail toward
the hotel. where half hundred dIsap-
pointed women were already gathered
upon the porch.
There was not exactly an arrange
ment to meet the following afternoon.
but Black Pete had said that he would
be over on 1.-THE branch" and she found
him there In the late afternoon. sThis
time he had removed his mask. dis
closing face In which there was no
hint or the depravity with which he
was credited. 1t was an honest. manly
race. With frank, gray eyes and tan
sic or crisp yellow curls above a
smooth white brow. With the mask
of, only two 45's swung on his hin.
suggested the bad man. aud while
they talked Olive forgot that she was
In company of a man who was out
iawed by society and upon whose head
there was an increasingly heavy price
dead or alive" as the bills of reward
read.
pete escorted her nearly to the hotel
by short cut. and not until she came
upon the hotel piazza and heard them
discussing the holdup OF that morning
al Il oh