The Democratic advocate., 1908-09-04
OLIVES
OUTLAW.
By TAYLOR WHITE.
,,,rvrighted, 1865, by Associated
Literary Press.

rho ortlaw had been making things
,..r lively for the guests of the
Scouting Springs hotel ever since the
I.;nq season had got fully under way.
,s business getter the outlaw was
hinge success. No shore resort with
authentic sea serpent ever enjoyed
.rcb nopularity, and the stages that
,no+ the trains from the east numbered
hook over the twenty mile trail loaded
:. canacitv with women who openly
,,,orred their timidity and men who
,.,od more or less successfully to con-
zeal theirs.
Almost every afternoon the porch
r.os crowded to witness the departure
IF thp sheriff and his posse, and al
r,ost rs regularly some of the guests
cor,e burrying back to the hotel to
roll how they had been held up and
s+rnned of their valuableS with an
ovnedtion that rxcelled the speed Of
The man back of the marble counter
IN the rotunda. The latter kept the
hooks and each day set down op-
pos!te each account sum that would
haze obtained boardand lodgings for a
,rool at a hotel not curSed-Or blessed
by bandit
ApDreciating the fact that much Of
his booty was keepsakes and heir
ooms, the bandit was always ready to
trade back his plunder for the more
convenient specie, and as the landlord
insisted upon making good all losses
there were no complaints. Indeed, the
guests rather enjoyed being held up.
# gave them something to talk about
when their visit was over. Many of
the visitors by oft repeated telling SO
diyidual 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.
Until then the outlaws taciturnity
had been his most pronounced char
acteristic, but when the slip Of 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 al hour, every woman in the
hotel turned envious The following
afternoon the banks of the stream fed
BY the springs We're dotted with wo-
men waiting to be captured and talked
to that they might share Miss Mar
chands 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 a
mask Of black velvet that lent deeper
brilliance to gllttering gray eye.
I'm glad to see you this afternoon"
was the greeting. II rather thought
should find you here. The woods are
too crowded above, and so I came down
this way. trust that you suffered no
Ill effects 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
goOdly company he had passed on his
way down the trail. There was no
question nhA11f IF In vYnfi0yoI h,, %r
seat On the fallen trunk of tree
and sat down beside her.
Inc girl was an eager Questioner, and
presently he was reeling off stories of
adventure with a dash that brought
ne glow of excitement to Miss
Nafchands eyes. To make 1t still
more thrilling, there was a crashing
SOUND among the trees, and without
WORD the outlaw swung himself up
I'o tall pine tust as the sheriff and
US posse came tearing along.
Ihey paused long enough to warn
Ge girl that Black Pete was supposed
y De somewhere in her vicinity and
Iat II would be well for her to return
y Tue hotel by the trail instead of
~iougn the woods; then they hurried
~ and Pete swung himself down
nom his perch.
LUIS is the easiest experience ever
.s,.. uau. ne declared laughingly. "The
s1efil trusts to numbers and hard rid
", With the result that I have plenty
VI ume to disappear when hear him
coming"
~ must be terrible to feel that you
%v v hunted thing" mnsed Olive, with
slttle shudder.
~, mats the joyous part" declared
ths ousiaw' Il am not hunted when
sho-,p pursuit Is In the hands Of the
ba bn, aa But Let's forget the sheriff."
ss,. auoea. I've told you all about my
"a, a.. NOW, turn about is fair play"
rOn ~ would seem so tame after what
sSo ua'e Todd me-" she demurred, but
's soon deep In her subject, and
l.roas "as not until the afternoon shadows
bsrss,s baeaed that at last she recalled
bs s.I ia anu hurried up the trail toward
n,,.' e'' where half a hundred disap-
unon ~ women were already gathered
mon. .e .. was not exactly an arrange
bat p,a " meet the following afternoon,
b. oraS ack Pete had said that he would
him tn. VI The branch" and she found
uno efe I IN the hate afternoon. This
tos,nn ne mad removed his mask, dis
hiut g lace in which there was no
saa tae depraVity with which he
tace c W., 1t was an honest, manly
se w si'n frank, gray eyes and tan
snoo.s crisp yellow curis above a
l sH l white brow. With the mash