St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-04-30
The Highvaynan
Unmasked s..... 3 3, Sion.


The man with the black mask made
the nieke1-plated revolver fairly CLEAN
as he nourished it In Marshalps face.
Marshall ~shivered, though the very
line eyes and the very pleasing tones
of the highWayman hardly went with
things such ais killing.
T have my hands up Marshall
finally expostuated.
The masker chuckIed, but continued
to move the revolver about in a grad.
ually narrowing circle.
"You q trust me if you play no
tricks he purred.
Somehow the highwayman's soft ae.
cents soothed the man with elevated
hands. He felt no imminent danger
vet the revolver was q very grim
thing.
The masker diYed into Marghalrs
rest pocket and appropriated his
watch. The light from a little lantern
was sufficient to show a massive gold
time-piece, bearing a picture Of a deer,
and attached to a chain that weighed
half Q pound. The highWayman re-
turned the thing, while q derisiYe
light shone in the very blue eyes.
you have no taste In watches" he
said. why don't you carry an eight
day clock?',
And Marshall took comfort in his
own inelegance.
Next the highWayman levied on 6
pin from Marshall's gcarf-a perfect
gem in a setting OF exquisite gold
carving. The blue eyes were pleasure
lie now.
4 take it this is a gift he com.
mented. THE barbarian who bought
the watch would never see the opal"
And this time Marshall, with the lit
tie steel circle lowering evilly in his
face, bemoaned the fad that called for
costly opal pins in wonderful settings
Of gold.
Then the highWayman scored at q
signet ring and Jeered at a massive
button In the blue, green and red OF
the Ardent Sons of ST. Timothy. But
9 sparkling diamond DC price and d
ring of finest emeralds appealed to the
fantastic robber, and also the wallet
Of his victim was very fat-and you
know fat wallets are negotiable from
Boring sea to the Friendly islands.
So that altogether Marshall would
have done better to have avoided this
lonely open road.
The masker reached the bullying
side pockets now, and he examined
certificates of copper stock and q
budget Of Wheeling 4's with equal dis
gust.
VERY pretty engraving he de
clared, aand vastly desirable for Mr..
Man-With-His-Handssup. maybe. but
an honest gentleman of the road
makes q poor coupon clipper. I'll leave
these.
After the stocks and bonds came a
gaudy periodical of bulk, with a worn-
an ID flaming red taking the whole OF
the cover. The hignwayman glanced
idly at the thing and would have re-
turned II, but he caught the words,
The Adorner," on the flaming cover,
and he hesitated.
Lets see what the women are
wearing, he suggested. Hold steady
now" and the highWayman turned
the pages as best he could with n
hand. The light from the lantern,
placed on the fence, revealed skirtish
things and Waistish things ana gay.
nodding hats and other dressstreasure
Of quality, cut bias, cut V-shaped. cut
zig9zag.
Well, ! declare remarked the
masked man, "the polonaise is COM
ing back. / always detested the
things
The glittering pistol dropped Just
the least bit.
Nov these picture hats are just
dear went on the highwayman, and
the line of fire from the deadly circle
would have missed Marshall probably
half a foot.
It was the moment OF moments and
Marshall had the nIckeled weapon in
his own hand and the highWayman
flung two delicate palms heayenWard
in about the space of three ticks og
1hG 04S 1d40a1tI MdbGAs
observation-disclosures hummed
Marshall. as he tore the black mask
from q pretty pink face and stripped
the rough derby from coils Of glorious
yellow hair. 1T is the frillg and FUR
bellows that ever catch Q women
The lady of the highway sobbed as
Marshall took back the Jewels OF
price.
aOh, do take care,s she walled.
ssyou are mlssing my hair up dread
fully!"