The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1913-04-25
VIVIEKS CAPTURE.
Not a Bank RObbsr as She
Thought, but a Willing SerV-
ant and Lover.
BY CARY DELoNE.

GEAR BTllbu VOAVo IAuA o1b VITA eA-
mistAkAble emphasis.
How careless that would be-" re-
piled the man in tone Of gentle
irony.
He paused In his efforts to get him
self and q pair Of saddle-bags over
the rude fence, and turned calmly In
the direction Of the voice. A black
haired, black-eyed girl Of about TWEEN
ty stood at the edge Of the clearing,
not two rods away, She had on a
aerviceable brown suit and leggings,
her cloth cap was slightly askew--
and she was pointing straight at him
a light but businesslike rife. Her
cheeks were aflame with excitement,
and the man could see her bosom ris-
ing and falling rapidly.
Excuse me for referring to It," he
said quietly, standing motionless by
the fence, "but If you keep up that
careless, unsociable way of pointing
guns at people, some day therell be
IN accident"
IF you resist, or try to draw your
gun, I'll shoot you sure as fate" ex-
claimed the girl, "and / can shoot
straight, too. Put up your hands!"
Before you get utterly foolish, and
do anything you may be sorry for"
said the man, disregarding the order,
and still leaning easily against the
fence, stop and think whether you
hadn't better tell me what is on your
mind, and why you threaten to muir
der an unarmed stranger"
"As If you didn't know, and you
standing there with the saddle-bags
themselves-my own saddle-bags, and
the money probably still in them"
ooh, as for these saddle-bags, well,
perhaps there is more method in your
madness than there seemed to be at
first. Do these belong to your"
'Of course they do; and you are the
robber who stole them from our sta
BILE last night; and there is my silver
monogram on them; and what have
you done with my horse? And oh,
you robber and murderer, ought to
shoot you anyway. But If you will
keep your hands up and walk ahead
of me, will take you back to Gin
ton and give you up. l don't know
but they will hang you as soon as
you get there. They ought to-"
my dear young lady," said the
man, with unruffled calm, to the pant
ing girl, whose eyes blaze& anew at
this address, 81 can see that there is
some reason back Of your mistake
But you are making complete blund-
er. am no robber. And these sad
dle-bags l found"
mo Doubt" said the girl, with
raging sarcasm; found them growing
on huckleberry bush probably. And
you didn't shoot at the cashier of the
Clinton bank; and you didn't steal
my horse and saddle last night to es-
cape with; and there aren't a hun
dred men with guns looking for you
this minute. Now, tell you what, |
mean business! viii you surrender,
or shall shoot?"
We'll, on reflection, | think I'll sur
render"
Put up your hands then. shall
make you walk ahead of me and car
ry those bags"
How can carry them with my
hands above my head?"
well, you know what l mean. You
must-Oh, aren't you hirrid villain!
You smile as if 1t was all a joke.
Take up those bags at once and go
ahead; and remember, my rifle will
be pointed at you all the time. And
l shall be close behind you"
She started toward him. But she
had not fully counted on the difficulty
of keeping steady aim and at the
same time walking over the very
rough ground. Her foot caught In a
root, and she fell fiat, the rifle going
off as it struck. In three leaps the
man was at her side, one hand grasp
ing her weapon, and one held out to
assist her. She sprang to her feet;
and her brave, bewitching little face
went deathly white.
Now, fortunately, you will be COM
PEELED to listen to me-" said the man |
in the same quiet, commanding tone
that he had used throughout. See,
my mistaken young friend. l have
your rifle. You are powerless now.
Pray, keep your self-control, and just
listen reasonably to what l have to
say. wouldn't harm you for the
world. And am no more bank rob
Der than you are"
The girl stood white and motion.
less, her lips trying not to tremble.
Il am a lumber surveyor, a
stranger in this part of Michigan.
walked over from Port Coleman this
morning. More than an hour ago,
down the road, met a riderless
horse, a white horse, with one dark
stocking. l tried to catch him, but
he was shy. These bags found
while was prospecting through the
woods; they lay near the body Of
man in that clump of bushes over
there. You can go over and look at
the body, If you don't believe me. ]
guess he is your robber all right; and
/ judge he didn't get away without
carrying some lead in him. looked