Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1912-12-19
GIRL CAPTURED BY
BRIGANDS FINDS HERO
BY JOHN PHILIP ORTIZ.

Miss Clare Benson had the pony
and phaeton brought around to the
door of her fathers house in Bell
vile that she might take 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. A man always
utters cluck to start a horse; q
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 grove to sit down and think an
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 chipmunk ran
along the ground before her and dived
into his burrow.
3 Poor thing-he shall not smother
down there because he fears mel" er-
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.
-
the leader.
Miss Claire was duly seized She
wanted to stop and explain about that
suffering, suffocating chipmunk, bat
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 I
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 OF on
a run for life.
After 'em, boys!"
Shoot 'em down like dogsi"
mo quarter to brigands!"
"Ki-yi! Whoop!"
Miss Claire only partly lost con
sciousness. 1t was 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 1t 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 on
after being struck In vital parts
about thirty times apiece and then
the leaders horse gave a stumble and
q groan and fell to breathe his last
Nobody hurt IN the fall-merely
bounced some more. Behind the car.
cass knelt the last and the most des.
perate of the brigands and emptied
his guns at the advancing foe and
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 spraw1ed
out In a graceful and picturesque 20.
sition.
who are you, and how did yoa
happen to butt in here!"
She's the girl" answered the
brigand leader who had died and
come again to life with promptnsss
and dispatch.
"The girl be hanged! You made .
mistake! There is the girl over there
you should have carried of, but she
was late In getting here. Nice sort
of a 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 outraser"
"11l try to, miss, and beg your par
don a thousand times over. We are
moving picture actors, and are out
here acting play for reel. The girl
who was to be carried of by the
brigands is a farmers daughter, but
through some blunder she didn't reach
her assigned place in time. II seems
you were there, and the brigands
Thought it was all right to 60 ahead.
Isn't 1t so. Mr.. Aldrich?"
The brigand leader had dotted hat.
wig and whiskers and laid aside his
guns and bandolier, and he now ap-
,peared as fine looking young man.
With bow and smile he said:
Its my fault, and l can't hope to
be forgiven. 1 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
oncei There's a Door little animal