The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1912-10-17
GIRL CAPTURED BY
BRIGANDS FINDS HERO
BY JOHN PHILIP ORTIZ

vile that she might take a drive
down the Shady Beech road She
stepped into the vehicle, gathered up
the lines and gave the pony cut with
the whip and was off \ man always
utters cluck TO start a horse;
woman always gives him a cut.
After a drive of three miles Miss
Claire turned ont of the road and
hitched the pony and then strolled
into grove to sit down and think as
the summer breeze sighed through the
branches above her head.
The girl thought and thought and
thought! She had got it about settled
In her mind that her hero would never
come along, when a chipmuuk ran
along the ground before her and dived
into his burrow.
Poor thing-he shall not smother
down there because he fears me- ex-
claimed the tenderhearted girl as she
rose up and looked around for help.
In moment more she was running
through the woods, thinking she
heard the voices of men She was
right about that. She hadn't taken
hundred steps when three brigands
lying hidden in a hollow leaped up
and came rushing at her. They wore
rough clothes: they had long hair;
their whiskers were black as the ace
of spades and matted with leaves.
Seize her and to horse" shouted
the leader.
Miss Claire was duly seized. She
wanted to stop and explain about that
suffering suffocating chipmunk. but
the brigands were hustlers and they
made her hustle. too
In minute and half three horses
were reached, and the leader of the
brigands shouted:
Keep the sheriff off, boys until
can get a little START"
And then there were whoops from
the bushes across a creek. and the
reports of firearms from all around,
and Miss Claire was hustled further.
That is, the leader mounted his cay
use and she was grabbed and hoisted
up to him and the beast started off on
a run for life
After EN-, boys"
oIlOoJ Gil uOWH llhS Jugs.
mo quarter to brigands!"
"Kiyi Whoop!"
Miss Claire only partly lost con-
| seriousness. 1t was a wild ride up and
| down hills-across meadows and
| through thickets. and she prayed
that the sheriff's party would not fail.
| 1t was wonderful how very quickly
that suffering chipmunk was forgot
| ten.
| At length justice prevailed, as it al
ways should but never does when the
| other man has the most money to
| spend on lawyers. The two brigands
| covering the retreat were killed of
| after being struck in vital parts
about thirty times apiece and then
| the leaders horse gave a stumble and
groan and fell to breathe his last.
| Nobody hurt in the fall-merely
Apun9ed some more. Behind the car
cassSrrssr tns sssr stf. li1s Iriosr sre.
| perate of the brigands and emptied
his guns at the advancing foe ana
then died with the sacred name of
mother" on his ashen lips. Then
the sheriff's posse dashed in with
whoops of victory.
Miss Claire Benson lay sprawled
out in a graceful and picturesque po-
sition.
who are you, and how did you
happen to butt in here!"
She's the girl" answered the
brigand leader who had died and
come again to life with promptness
and dispatch.
"The girl be hanged! You made a
mistakei There is the girl over there
you should have carried off. but she
was ,>te in getting here Nice sort
Of thing you've done!"
Miss Claire recovered her dignity,
and as the sheriff" stepped forward
and raised his hat she demanded in
turn:
Sir, will you explain this outrage"
"I'll try to, miss and beg your par
don thousand times over. We are
moving picture actors, and are out
here acting a play for a reel. The girl
who was to be carried off by the
brigands is a farmers daughter, but
through some blunder she didn't reach
her assigned place in time. 1t seems
you were there. and the brigands
thought it was all right to go ahead.
Isn't it so, Mr. Aldrich?"
The brigand leader had dotted hat,
wig and whiskers and laid aside his
guns and bandolier and he now APP
peared as a fine looking young man.
With a bow and a smile he said
Its my fault, and | can't hope to
be forgiven. | think you tried to
} make an explanation, but it was too
late then. Our cue was out and we
had to hustle. You were in the woods
to gather flowers"
His query reminded Miss Claire of
that poor chipmunk, and she forgot
all else temporarily and cried out:
Some one must come with me at
once. There's a poor little animal
dying back there."
With her hand in Mr. Aldrich's they
fastened back to the woods with
scarcely a word between them, and
presently arrived at the tragic spot
When the chipmunk business had
been explained the young man sat
down on log and laughed.
1t was three months later when Mr.
Benson felt it his duty to say:
claire. l could never give my con
sent to your marrying an actor
II don't expect one TO ask for my
. hand" was the reply.
But this--this Mr.. Aldrich?"
ON. ne went into the coffee trust
long ago."