The Tomahawk., 1917-05-10

It'll" chuckied the leader. GAIL ahead
I will drive. At your pleasure, senior
ita."
Madge was compelled to mount the
wagon seat. The cavalcade in 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 were quite distance ahead.
There was spell Of silence. Madge
crowded to the extreme end of the
seat as her polite but insistent captor
resumed his observations.
'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 I,
lOyUl Sto l. nave OCCA, WILL ANAS>e AAAS
commander and my country if you will
become my bride. You will not speak?
I appear contemplate to you? Not so,
I am only in earnest. I can save you
I can save the precious safe. One
word from you and can turn from
the road. I know an obliging priest.
I will be true and loving. Think it
over"
Madge's heart sank. She knew that
his reference to his bandit chief bore
a tinge of truth. She shuddered.
Then suddenly she shrank back. 1t
had grown dusk, but the moon was
just rising. 1t cast a sudden shadow
across the front of the vehicle. Then
a hand shot from a horseman who
had suddenly appeared. 1t seized the
leader. He whirled from the seat
through 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 it's seat,
"Walter-oh, it cannot be" cried
Madge, and chung to his arm as he
spurted up the horse, his own, well
trained, acting as pilot.
A shot rang out. It 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. "TaEe
the whip. Lash up the horse. There
may be pursuit. The mischief!'
Half a mile covered at furious
rate of speed, wheel struck a boul-
der, cluttered to fragments and the We
hicle sagged to one side. Waiter
sprang to the ground and caught
Madge in his arms. He was outlining
q run to the cover of the near woods
when a group of half a dozen men
came dashing on horseback from the
direction of the cabin. Walter ran
up to their leader. The new party
hurried onward; he returned to his
fiancee. -
ldIUcI anu pussy, IN ~
planned. There was the echo of fire
arms down the road. Reuben Willis
and his companions returned with the
Mexican leader and two others as
captives. The others had escaped.
"And, oh! I was so sorry to see
your precious safe in their hands,
spoke Madge, when the captured raid
ers were headed on their way to the
nearest Jail, and she and her father
and Walter had reached home. Reub'
en- Willis laughed.
ut was needless, Jewel" he said
ssIts former contents are safe in tue
bank vault at Houston"
"And that handsome but wicked
fellow wanted me to run away with
him." pouted Madge.
ave will cheer the ennui of his ten
year sentence in the pcnitentiary by
sending him one of our wedding an
nouncements," proposed the happy
| Walter hilariously.