Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1908-10-08
had opened h.r little satchel with an

had opened her little satchel with an
imploring look toward the handsome
man, who turned his blue eyes upon
her long enough to say, mo, no! we
don't want anything from you. Make
yourself as comfortable as you can"
And he smiled again, showing his
even white teeth.
Garrett heard little snort from the
engine The men who had come out
Of the sheltered lane by the track had
ordered the engineer to uncouple. He
saw the fingers going from pocket to
pocket, and heard the peremptory low
voiced remarks of their owner, as he
searched for and transferred the
booty He saw the man at the door,
his revolver leveled, his eyes search
ing every corner of the car.
The strenuous silence had endured
until Garrett felt that his nerves were
ready to rebel or TO break, when a
sharp explosion tore the air and lit
tie stiletto of flame leapt out of Miss
Alamo's lap. AT the same instant the
handsome man dropped his weapon,
giunting, You little devil"
Almost before the revolver reached
the floor Garrett sprung for it, andrits
owner followed him. the two soon
wrestling confusedly in the aisle.
Hands up" yelled the man at the
door, firing as threat, and the young
ish man who had been looting the
pockets stood for a moment irresolute,
to he, ba
floor.
Three shots in quick succession
sounded from the direction of the
smoker; the robber with the booty fell
forward on his face. The man behind
him staggered, then dashed for the
platform.
AS Garrett and his opponent at last
struggled to their feet, the little gilt
tering thing they wrestled for barked
in their hands.
Garrett had the weapon. The hand
some man faltered backward, his face
stiffening. Garrett heard him shut
fle on the platform as he himself
turned to the uproar. The quick bat
tie was over.
No. There were other shots. They
saluted the three men who had mount
ed the horses in the lane. At first
Garrett thought his late antagonist
was one of these, but they found the
handsome man in the ditch.
Three dead" muttered big stock
man at CARROTS side. 1T didn't pay
en-
The handsome man opened his eyes
when they had propped him against
the embankment When he smiled, a
faint bloodless imitation of the thing
he was capable of doing, Garrett
turned and saw Miss Alamo with a
cup of water. She held the cup to the
mans lips.
You wouldn't leave me to the buzz
yards, would you?" he asked, and tried
to smile again.
81 forgot to tell you that | could
shoot little" said Miss Alamo to
Garrett. But her lips trembled. Pm
so glad none of us was hurt Garrett
fancied at the moment that she in
Guided him in a pleasantly definite
way.
Are the others all right?" he asked,
with real magnanimity, though he felt
every other emotion to be obscured
by his admiration of her.
Yes, and the funny thing is that
my husband fired the first shot in
there He's awfully set up about it.
And | never knew he had a gun with
HIM"
Your hus-husband?" stammered
Garrett, before he could check himself.
The exultant visage of the Fatted
Calf doomed behind the girl. Here's
the best part of it ALL" murmured the
Fatted Calf. Those two other fell
lows who were killed were the fellows
with the plumber. What luck"