The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1912-10-04
GIRL CAPTURED BY
BRlGANDS FINDS HERO
BY JOHN PHILIP ORTIZ.


and phaetou brought around to the
door OF her fathers house in Bell
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 or. A man always
utters a cluck to start q horse; .
woman always gives him a cut.
After a drive OF three miles Miss
Claire turned out of the road and !
hitched the pony and then strolled |
into a grove to sit down and think as
she 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 chipmunk ran
along the ground before her and dived
into his burrow.
Poor thing--he shall not smother
down there because he fears mel" ex-
claimed the tender-hearted 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 a
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 l
; can get 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 on on
a run for life.
After 'em, boys!"
n Shoot EN- down like dogs!"
y mo quarter to brigands!"
"Ki-yi! Whoop!"
q Miss Claire only partly lost con
seriousness. 1t was wild ride up ant
down hills-across meadows anC
p through thickets, and she prayed
that the sheriff's party would not fail
1t was wonderful how very quickl,
Il that suffering chipmunk was forgot
r. ten.
At length justice prevailed, as 1t al
ways should, but never does when thu
other man has the most money t
spend on lawyers. The two brigand
covering the retreat were killed OF
after being struck in vital part
about thirty times apiece and thel
the leaders horse gave stumble an
groan and fell to breathe his last
Nobody hurt in the fall-merel
bounced some more. Behind the cal
cass knelt the last and the most des
perate of the brigands and emptie
his guns at the advancing foe an
then died with the sacred name c
mother" on his ashen lips. The
the sheriff's posse dashed in wit
whoops of victory.
Miss Claire Benson lay sprawle
out in a graceful and picturesque p'
sition.
who are you. and how did yo
happen to butt in here,"
She's the girl" answered tn
brigand leader who had died an
come again to life with promptnes
and dispatch.
1.-The girl be hanged! You made
mistake! There is the girl over thel
you should have carried off, but ST
was late in getting here. Nice SO
of thing you've done!'
Miss Claire recovered her dignit
and as the sheriff stepped forwal
and raised his hat she demanded
turn:
"Sir, will you explain this outrage
I'm try to, miss, and beg your pa
don thousand times over We a
moving picture actors. and are o
here acting play for reel. The g
who was to be carried off by u
brigands is a farmers daughter, b
through some blunder she didn't rea
her assigned place in time. 1t seer
you we're there, and the brigan
thought it was all right to go ahes
Isn't it so, Mr. Aldrich?"
The brigand leader had dotted h
|, wig and whiskers and laid aside
, guns and bandolier, and he now {
peared as a fine looking young ma
With a bow and a smile he said:
It's my fault, and / can't hope
be forgiven. l think you tried
, make an explanation, but it was
5 late then. Our cue was out and