The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-08-04

room. bathing, ana dressing IN neT Tlu-
ting clothes.
While she dressed she saw one of
the cOwpunchers pass beneath her win
dow, and called down to him softly.
begging him TO saddle horse for her
and fetch il TO the entrance to the
patio. without letting on TO any
body.
He promised cheerfully, and went
his way. and had the animal waiting
for her when at length. fully attired.
she descended TO the patio and crept
furtively toward the arched passage
that opened on the Out-Of-doOrS.
But she was not to get away so cas-
liz. PARIS voice hailed her in amused
expostuIation before she gained the
paSSageway.
Here. now, What's all this?"
"Oh. dear" she complained. Its
just my luck
"Whv. what's the matter?'
"I did so want to go riding all by
mvSelf-this once. And, of course.
Won had To be up and about and spoil
I =.
everything"
"Bless your heart" he said. I'm
not going to ruin your day the very
first thing. Far be it from me 10 butt
in where angels fear-where one angel
does not fear to tread, he corrected.
laughing. Besides, l only got up SO
early in the hope of being permitted
to smoke at least one pipe in peace.
/ Cut along with you-and mind you're
not late for breakfast"
! With this she turned and sCurried
out of the patio; and Donald filled and
lighted his pipe. smiling tenderly to
himself as he heard the drumming OF
her horses hoOfs die out in the dis
lance.
! Something like quarter of an hour
/ later a heavy and confused roll of
hoofS reused him from the idleSt and
pleaSantest of daydreamS. Knocking
out his pipe against the sill of the pa
/ ito well, he saUntered curiOusly
through the pasSageway-and saw
that which startled him out of his
false feeling of security in the twink
ling of an eyelash.
4 small squad of the border patrO
was bearing down upon the hacienda
ut dead run, desperate haste anC
anxious purpose written plainly on the
face of each man.
Refining in and dismounting in the
| Il inc
the patrol turned and waved half o.
his men away.
"Get m" he cried. "ROuse the boy:
in the bunkhOuSe-get every man OF
the place under arms, and send hin
here in a hurry"
whats up?" Donald asked quietly
Devils loOSe-Or I'm in wrong,
the officer told him. "We've just sight
ed half a hundred or more 'GreaserS
headed this way. They crossed tn
border by the bridge over the arroyo
God knows what they mean, but if i
isn't mischief, l don't know the signs
Get your people together and shu
the house up tight before
He could not finish for the sudden
ness of that onslaught which, with n
more warning, swept down upon tn
devoted hacienda with the fury of
black sQuall out of blue sky.
In mid-speech the officer broke Of
and ducked into the pasSageway a
the vanguard of the raiders appeare
on the crest of the nearest rise an
incontinently opened fire on the grou
at the entrance to the patio. ,
His men followed him without a
instant's hesitation, leaving thei
: mounts to run free; and then DOnal'
obliged to concede the impossibility {
facing that charge in the hope {
: breaking through and satisfying h
. frantic solicitude for Patria, wa
: driven into the patio by a veritabl
hail of bullets.
Stout wooden doors, strapped hea'
, lily with iron, closed the inside end {
the passage; and these were hastil
barred by the troopers, while DOnal
D ran to find himself a weapon and Il
nOuSeHOlu Wdheutu W uHu llsell u
: sieged.
l Following the disappearance of Do
: aid there was a brief lull, durir
:, which no shots were fired by the raj
ers.
Then, as Donald ran out from
room TO the gallery, a rifle in hand,
frightful defamation rocked the hacie
da on its foundations and the dyn
|, mited gates of the patio were blow
a in, hopelessly shattered and splintere
:, A cloud of smoke momentarily FILE
v the passage; as the draught drew
: outward, bullets began TO rain inwar
r The defenders were driven to Gov
behind the well and other coigns
e shelter. whence they responded wi
e an Intellectual fire; half a dozen Me
s leans fell, but the momentum of the
r charge carried two score into d