The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-03-05
Hy REX E. BEACH.

( til it covered her
breast, and at the same time she heard
the double click of the hammer.
Keep still and don't move" he
warned. We're desperate, and we
can't take any chances, miss"
"Oh. you are stealing the gold
She was wildly frightened, yet stood
still while the lookout anXiously d.
vided his attention between her and
the tents above until his companions
signaled him that they were through
| and the horses were loaded. Then he
spoke:
Il don't know what to do with you,
but guess III tie you up
WHAT" she said.
"I'm going to tie and gag you so you
can't holler."
"Oh, don't you darew she cried fierce
ly. "I'll stand right here till you've
gone, and l won't scream. promise"
She looked up at him appealingly, at
which he dipped his head, 30 that she
caught only a glimpse Of his face. and
then backed away.
"AH right! Don't try It because I'll
be hidden In those bushes yonder at
the bend and I'll keep you covered till
the others are gone" He leaped down
the bank, ran to the cavalcade, mount
ed quickly, and the three dashed their
horses into q run, disappearing up the
trail around the sharp curve. She
heard the blows Of their quirts as they
whipped the pack horses:
They were long out Of sight before
the girl moved or made sound, al
though she knew that none Of the three
had paused atp the bends She only
stood and gazed, for as they galloped
OF she had heard the scrap Of broken
sentence. It was but one excited
word sounding through the rattle Of
hoofs-her own name"Helen! and
yet because Of It she did not voice the
alarm, but rather began to piece to-
gether bit by bit the strange points Of
this adventure. She recalled the out
lines of her captor with wrinkle Of
perplexity. Her fright disappeared en-
tirely, giving place to intense excite.
ment. "No, no; it can't be! And yet
wonder If It is" she cried. "Oh. l
wonder If 1t could ber'
She opened her lips to cry aloud, then
hesitated. She started toward the
tents, then paused, and for many mo-
ments after the hoof beats had died
out she stayed undecided. Surely she
wished to give the signal, to force the
fierce pursuit. What meant this rob
berry. this defiance Of the law, Of her
uncle's edicts apdof Mcnamara? They
were common thieves, criminals, out.
laws, these men, deserving punish.
ment, and yet she recalled a darker
night, when she herself had sobbed
and cuivered with the terrors of pur.
suit and two men had shielded her
with their bodies.
She turned and sped toward the
tents, bursting in through the canvas
door. Instantly every man rose to his
feet at sight of her pallid face, her
flashing eyes and rumpled hair.
"Sluice robbers she cried breath.
lessly. Quick! A holdup! The watch
man is hurt"
A roar shook the night air. and the
men poured out past her, while the
day shift came tumbling forth from
every quarter in various stages Of un-
dress.
Where? Who did it? Where did
they goT
Mcnamara appeared among them,
fierce and commanding, seeming to
grasp the situation intuitively without
explanation from her.
"Come on, men. Well run 'em down.
Get out the horses. Quick!
He was mounted even as be spoke
and other Joined him. Then, turning,
he waved his long arm up the valley
toward the mountains. "Divide into
squads of fve and cover the hills!
Run down to Discovery, one Of you,
and telephone to town for voorhees,
and posse"
As they made ready to ride away
the girl cried:
stop! Not that way. They went
down the gulch-three negroes"
She pointed out Of the valley toward
the dim glow on the southern horizon,
and the cavalcade rode away into the
gloom. ~.