The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-09-16
The men threw down five pounds of gold and seized the mare.

rein. and. before the other knew what
he would be at. he was off his horse
Mount, father" he said, land ride. AND
God be with you!"
For 8 moment the priest stared
d~umbfounded.
Sir" he said, you wear a sword!
And no son of the church goes armed
In these parts"
IF am not one OF your church ]
am a Christian" Colonel John an
swered. Mount, father, and ride in
Gods name. and when you are there
send the lad back with the beast"
The Mother Of God reward you!'
| the priest cried fervently, land turn
your heart in the right wayi" He
scrambled to the saddle. The bless
ing of ALL"
The rest was lost in the thud OF hoofs
as the horse started briskly, leaving
Colonel John standing alone upon the
road beside Bales stirrup.
IT'S something if g. mar serves
where he's listed" Colonel John re-
marked.
Bale smiled. And don't betray his
own SIDE" he said. He slipped from
his saddle.
you think It's the devils work we've
done?" Colonel John asked.
But Bale declined to say more, and
the two walked on. one on aither side
Of the horse.
They had trudged the better part of
two miles when they came upon the
horse tethefed ny the reins to one of
the two gate pillars. Colonel John got
to his saddle, and they trotted on. Not
w%ithstanding. it was late in the after
noon when they approached the town
Of Tralee.
AS the colonel eyed the mean houses
| which flanked the entrance to the
town, he recognized that IL all the
saints had not youchsafed their com-
pany. the delay caused by the meeting
with the priest had lone somewhat,
For at that precise ONE a man was
riding into the town before them. and
| the horse under the man was Flava
McMurrough's lost mare.
Colonel Johns eye lightened IS he
recognized its points. With a sign to
| Bale he fell IN behind the man and fol-
paved and squaiid streets. Presently
the rider passed through a loopholed
| gateway, crossed by an open space sur
rounded by drearys buildings which no
military eye coGld take for aught but
q barrack yard. The two still followed
the sentry staring after them. On
the far side Of the yard the mare and
her rider vanished through a second
| archway which appeared to lead to an
inner court. The colonel went after
them. Fortune, he thought. had favored
him.
BUL as ne emerged from sne tunnel
like passage he raised his head In as
tonishment. A din OF voices. an out
break OF laughter and reyelry, burst in
a flood OF sound upon his ears He
turned his face In the direction whence
the sounds came, and sawsthree open
windows, and at ZACH window three or
four flushed CONTINGENCIES. His sud-
den emergence from the tunnel, per-
haps his look OF surprise, wrought an
~instant's silence. which was followed
by a ruder outburst.
Cock! cock! cock!. shriekcG q tipsy
voice, and IN orange. hurled at ram
dom. missed the colonel's %astonished
face by q yard. The mare which Ind
led him so far had disappeared. and
instinctively he drew bride. He stared
at the window!
Mark one!n cried a second r~oister-
er, and q cork better aimed than the
orange. struck the colonel sharply on
the chin. A shout OF laughter greeted
the hit.
He raissi htn hat. Gentlemen.. he
demonstrated, gentlemen-
He could proceed no further A
flight Of corks. q renewed cry OF --Cockt
cock! cocks chorus OF Fetch him.
P0nto! Dead, good dog.. drowned his
remQnstrancesss .Akescc%s
Ing lace al hia. elhow wlts cs xxSssa
18th found amusement than In
the masters mild astonishment.
WE tho deuce Is hi ~ cried ono ~