The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-05-26

IT." chuckled the leader IAN ahead.
will drive. At your pleasure, senior
| tia"
Madge was compelled to mount the
lead. the leader took up the lines.
You must not be left behind to start
an alarm" he remarked smoothly. 1T
remains with the chief as to your per
manent detention
Madge turned her face away from
the speaker. She refused TO exchange
words with him. He allowed the lines
to trail and the horse went slowly. al
though the horsemen had spurred up
and We're quite q distance ahead.
There was Il spell Of silence. Mndge
crowded TO the extreme end of the
seat as her polite but insiStent captor
resumed his observations.
1.-The exigencies Of warfare are
cruel, senorita," he continued with Spe-
cious blandneSs. For instance, Chief
Avarro has little conscience. Listen,
you are beautiful-SO much so that /,
loyal as / have been, will forget my
commander and my country If you will
become my bride. You Will not speak?
appear contemplate to you? Not so,
I am only in earnest. l can save you;
| can save the precious safe. One
word from you and l can turn from
the road. l know an obliging priest.
| will be true and loving. Think 1t
over"
Madge's heart sank. She knew that
his reference to his bandit chief bore
n tinge of truth. She shuddered.
Then suddenly she shrank back. 1t
had grown dusk, hut the moon was
just rising. 1t cast a sudden shadow
across the front of the vehicle Then
a hand shot from q hOrseman who
had suddenly appeared. 1t seized the
leader. He whirled from the seat
the air, and
Splash"
He had landed ten feet down into
the waters of the broad, rolling river.
The hOrseman leaped from his steed
and ran to the head Of the horse
ahead, backed the wagon, reversed it
and sprang to Its seat.
'Walter-Oh. 1t cannot be-" cried
Madge. and chung to his arm as he
spurted up the horse, his own, we'll
trained, acting as pilot.
A shot rang out. 1t proceeded from
the revolver of the baffled leader, and
he was shouting vigorously. as if
hoping to attract the attention of the
cavalcade, now out of sight.
Don't faint spoke Walter "Take
the whip. Lash up the horse. There |
nay be pursuit. The mischief"
Half a mile covered at a furious |
'ate Of speed, a wheel struck a boul- |
ler cluttered to fragments and the We
licle sagged TO one side. Walter |
'prang to the ground and caught |
Madge in his arms. He was outlining |
l run to the cover of the near woods |
when a group of half dozen men
direction of the cabin. Walter ran
Up to their leader. The new party
hurried onward; he returned to his
iancee.
"Your father and a posse" he ex-
blamed. There was the echo of fire.
arms down the road. Reuben Willis
md his companions returned with the
Mexican leader and two others as
'aptives. The others had escaped.
"And. oh! I was so sorry to see
our precious safe in their hands,"
poke Madge. when the captured raid
RS were headed on their way to the
learest jail, and she and her father
md Walter had reached home. Reub-
n Willis laughed.
1T was needless, Jewel" he said.
It's former contents are safe In the
ank vault at Houston"
"And that handsome but wicked
elbow wanted me to run away with
im," pouted Madge.
eve will cheer the ennui of his ten
ear sentence in the penitentiary by
ending him one of our wedding an
proposed the happy
Walter hilariOusly