The daily Alaskan., 1913-06-16
She Took to the
 Road By BERTHA l.. TOMLlNs

than when they lght a foreigner
 Gertrude MubauE, Che daughter Of a country gentleman Of DevoushIro found herself at Che time Cromwell be- came ruler of England under Che title Of lord Droleclor-her father and two brothers having been killed fighting for their kng-an orphan and without any one to lean upon. Her fathers estate had been forfeited and she had no means of sustenance Reared In lux ury she was brought face to face with wuut
 In that age two professions were pracucpd by gentlemen, one Of which Is now obsolete while the other has been relcgated to Che criminal classes. These were highway robbery and pl. racy The hIghwoyman was popular cbaructers while Morgan, the most bwmry bIo0dthirsty of pirates. died iu EuuIuud uupuulshed for his many crimes At the end Of the war that lost Charles ! his kingdom and his head many of the young officers who bad fought for him being impoverished took Co Che road for a living Gertrude Mrbauk. bitter against the Rouudhcuds who hud bchcadcd her king, killed her father and brothers and robbed her Of her patrlmony, having heard Of these cases of cx.soIdIers turning highway men. determined to Initiate their ey- ample. She stood five feet eight inches and was a marvel Of beauty and state. Illness. The former did not serve her purpose. for while on the road she was masked, but the latter helped hel to maintain the appearance Of a man.
 Having aulrcd herself In the male costume Of Che period, her own black hair falling In curls over her broad white lace collar booted and spuTed. mounted on a horse she had ridden constantly since she was a little girl she saIIIed forth one starlight night Co take a purse. Having waited for some time behind a clump Of trees for the passage ot a victim she ut last heard Che sounds of wheels Her courage was ooz0ug out Of her finger ends, but she stopped lt by recalling thc wrongs Of her family and riding Into the road. called upon Che coachman to stop. He obcycd. and Gertrude, putting pIsto. i'm through the window of the coach, called out In somewhat uemuIous tones:
 "Your money or your lifc!
 There was no reply for few mo mcnts. then a mans voice said: "I have but a few pounds In my pocket to which you are welcome. sir But wour ring of considerable value which you win be able to turn Into money"
 "such UbcralIty." replied Gertrude, 'couId not come from am Uccursed Roundhead. You must be a loyal sub- Ject of our king across the water; there fore | shall lct you pass without tr0b. ute. for ] win take nothing from one Of Che king n0rty"
 Gertrude was about t0 whirl her horses head around when the man in che coach stopped her
 "Y0u are mistaken" he said. I would not save my property under false prctcnses; support thc protec. tor"
 Such action was a surprise to Ger trude. who could not understand why Che man should give her Information unasGcd and with lt property he might have saved. While she hcsitated her victim got out a wallet, took a ring from his finger and handed both to her She accepted them mechanically, her mind being diverted by the mans strange action.
 "You need not take the trouble to raise money from thc ring. he added. "It Is 0n heirloom and ] prefer to re- deem IL"
 "I shall not make myself known by calling upon you to do so" replied Ger trudc. Rather keep l,"
 "Drlve on." was thc only reply, and this was addressed to thc coachman. who whipped up his horses, rcsuming the tourney. As Che carriage drove 7wav the man within called out l will car upon you when wish Co re- deem Che ring. Miss MiIb0uk, and will give you thrice what you can get for it elsewhere"
 As the coach rolled away Gertrude gat on her horse paraIyzcd The man l dlI he spoke the Inst words disguised ! his voIca and she had not recognized ! it. She had robbed one to whom when ! inc war broke out she was engaged, | but whose father had persuaded him to cspouse the cause Of the parliament The son had refused to listen to Ger trude's efforts to retain his loyalty for ! the king. and when he broke with bis 1 king she forced him to break with her.
 The recognition was quite enough to cure her on it very threshold of any desire to follow the career of a hig' wayman and. riding back to the cot. tnge she had come from, she divested | herself of male attire and resumed her
 wontcd garments.
 The next morning she was meditat. . hg hiding herself from the man she
 had robbed and wondering how she could return his property before doing so, when he rode up to her door, dis
 mounted and entered the house.
 "I have come to redeem my ring | Enrfrudnn he gnid.