The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1912-09-11
Copyright. 1914. BY n. K. Fly 90.
CHAPTER xxxviIi.
Hands upi

hanus Opl
All this time Lieutenant Mallory
had been thinking as hard as an Of
ficer in an ambuscade. His narrowing
experiences and incessant defeats or
the past days had unnerved him and
shattered his self-confidence. lie was
not afraid. but intensely disguised. He
sat SYSTEMATICALLY patting Marjorie
on the back and repeating:
Don't worry, honey; they're not
going to hurt anybody. They don't
want anything but our money. Don't
worry. won't let 'em hurt you"
But he could not shake of a sense
OF nausea. He felt himself a repre-
sentative of the military prowess OF
tho country, and here he was as help
less as man on parole.
= The fact that Mallory was sol
der occurred to a number Of the pas
sengers simultaneously. They had
been trained by early studies in those
beautiful works of fiction, the school
histories of the United States, and by
many Fourths OF July, to believe that
the American soldier is an invincible
being, who has never been defeated
and never known fear.
They surged up to Mallory in a
wave of hope. DR.. Temple, being near
est, spoke first. Having learned by
experience that his own prayers were
not always answered as he wished,
had an impulse to try some weapon
he had never used.
young man." he pleaded across the
back of a seat, will you kindly lend
me a gum"
= Mallory answered sullenly: Mine is
in my trunk on the train ahead, damn
It. If had it Id have lot of fun"
Mrs. Whitcomb had an inspiration.
She ran to her berth, and came back
with a tiny silver-plated revolver.
I'll lend you this. Sammy gave it
to me to protect myself in Nevada"
Mallory smiled at the .22-caliber
toy, broke it open, and displayed an
empty cylinder.
where are the pills that go with
TT" he said.
"Oh, Sammy wouldn't let me have
any bullets. He was afraid I'd hurt
myself"
Mallory returned it, with bow. 1T
would make an excellent nut-cracker.
aren't you going to use it?" Mrs.
Whitcomb gasped
"It's empty" Mallory explained.
But the robbers don't know that!
Couldn't you just overawe them with
it?"
mot with that" said Mallory, "un-
less they died laughing"
Mrs. Wellington pushed forward {:
Then what the devil are you going to
do when they Gomez"
Mallory answered meekly: IF they
request it, shall hold up my hands, "
and you won't resist?" Kathleen
gasped.
mot a resist"
"And he calls himself a soldier!'
she sneered.
Mallory writhed, but all he said
was: "a soldier doesn't have to be
jackass. | know just enough about
guns not to monkey with the wrong
end of EN-"
Coward" she flung at him. He
turned white, but Marjorie red, and
made a leap at her. crying: He's the
bravest man in the world. You say a
word, and I'll scratch your eyes out.
This reheartened Mallory a little
and he laughed nervously. as he re
strained her. Kathleen retreated out
OF danger, with a parting shot: "Oui
engagement is OFF"
Thanks" Mallory said, and put ou'
his hand: will you return the brace
LETT"
II never return such things" sale
Kathleen.
The scene was so painful and sucf
an anachronism that DR. Temple trief
to renew a more pressing subject
Its your opinion then that wed best
surrender"
"Of course--since we can't rum"
Wedgewood broke in impatiently:
swell, | consider it a dastardly out
rage. I'll not submit 10 it. Pm z