Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1917-05-03

IT," chuckled the leader. IAN ahead.
/ will drive. At your pleasure, senior
tia"
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 a spell Of silence. Madge
crowded to the extreme end of the
seat as her polite but ins.stent 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,
loyal as have been, will forget my
commander and my country II you will
become my bride. You will not speak :?
I appear contemplate to you? Not 50,
am only In earnest. 1 can save you;
can save the precious safe. One
word frem you and I can turn from
the read. 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
a tinge Of truth. She shuddered.
Then suddenly she shrank back. 1t
had grown dusk. but the moon was
just using. 1t cast a sudden shadow
across the front Of the vehicle. Then
hand shot from q horseman who
had suddenly appeared. It 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 1t
and sprang to its seat.
"Walter-oh. 1t cannot bel" 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 II
hoping to attract the attention of the
cavalcade. now out of sight.
Don't faint" spoke Walter. stake
the whip. Lash up the horse. There
may be pursuit. The mischief"
Half a mile covered Mt a furious
rate of speed. wheel struck boul-
der. cluttered to fragments and the We
hicle sagged to one side. Walter
sprang to the ground and caught
Madge In his arms. He was outlining
run to the cover Of the near woods
when group Of half 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
flancee.
"Your father and a posse" he ex-
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 NO 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.
"Its former contents are safe In the
bank vault at Houston"
"And that handsome but wicked
fellow wanted me to run away with
him." pouted Madge.
I'VE will cheer the ennul Of his ten
year sentence in the penitentiary by
sending him one Of our wedding an
nouncements." proposed the happy
Walter hilariously.