The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-06-03

luASosVAp Wv ~ - OoesSt
behind the barn. young Burt was saT
ing to them:
You go right down the road about
mile to the thick growth OF bushes
and go into ambush. When two young
ladies' in an electric runabout come
along look up and down the road ana
see if YOU can see an auto If you can
then 20 ahead and hold up the girls.
These revolvers are loaded with blank
cartridges. DO good deal OF shoot.
ing. If the chap in the auto stops to
Xix in give him fists"
Are we to hurt him." was asked.
eff you can. Don't fear that he
won't try to hurt you. II he doesn't
show up then let the ladies pass and
come back here"
"If it's highway robbery or assault
re may get arrested" muttered the
leader Of the trio.
Then I'll get you clear. It's all in
the way of joke. you know. The idea
is that the man in the auto rescues
the ladies', and the harder you fight
the more credit he gets. All as easy
as pie, you see!"
For four days Mr.. Winter had been
out in his auto, and for the sane four
days Miss Ruth Burt mad gone spin.
ming over the highways in her electric.
no meeting. One was due. however.
On this morning Miss Ruth started
for the village, and Mr.. Winter to ex.
plors a pond where there was said to
be good fishing. There came time
when he sighted her, but too far ahead
to tell who it was. He was about to
turn off when he heard the reports Of
pistols, and saw three men bound out
Of the bushes and stop the vehicle.
Five minutes covered the distance.
The autoist didn't stop to look at the
woman who was screaming at the top
of her voice. The three men we're his
game. They shouted to him to hands
up" but he didn't put them higher
than the professional boxer usually
does. They turned their guns on him.
but he got on to the blank cartridge
bluff. and then followed a sad ten
minutes for the cOnspirators. They
were knocked gally-west and gally.
east. and they finally threw away their
useless weapons and fled into the
woods.
1t was then that the putting, bleed.
ing Mr.. Winters had time to look
about him. He knew that the electric
and the young lady were there, and
that after his arrival the cries for help
had ceased.
"What-you." he exclaimed. as he
looked into the face of the girl who
wasn't sure that he was not a COW.
'rd.
And you here!" she answered.
you have come to no harm?"
mo, thanks to you"
Then there came an embarrassing
silence. One of the men had left his
cap behind, and Mr.. Winters stood
turning it over with his foot.
you did not call on your return
from Cuba" said the girl at last.
Il feared you might not be at home
to me-"
did you fight this way In Cuba?"
Il shall have to refer you to the
official reports"
Il am stopping at Eagles Nest"
"Yes?"
"And you might CALL"
Thanks. I will"
And when he did call It didn't take
twenty minutes to make satisfactory
explanations. and a week later young
Burt was saying to his mother:
They've made 1t up"
$50 Ruth writes me-"
Mighty lucky she had brother
about my size"
But what had you to do with IT."
"Oh. nothing much. except that Fred
has got to return ME the sixty dollars
l paid the robbers. You can't hire
fellers to be knocked into the mid
die Of next week for a nickel apiece"