Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-12-19
CHAPTER n.

- CHAPTER II.
When the stage arrived In front OF
the Hotel Grand at Tampa there was
the usual crowd Of the town sitting IN
front of the office and Charles Rodgers
lost no time in telling Of the hold-up.
The news spread quickly and soon
reached the marshal who was pitching
horse-shoes with the blacksmith.
Madge and Ena had been in their
room few minutes when a loud knock
sounded at their door.
Upon being hidden enter, the mar
shall introduced himself and walked In.
81 have been informed, Miss Morris"
began the officer, "that you are the
only person who had an opportunity
to see the face of the principal bandit,
therefore, I would like to have you
describe him."
For a few moments Madge sat In
silence as if meditating, then speaking
to the officer she said, "He was a big,
Hstrong man about fifty-fve years of
age, very dark complexion, and wore q
black beard. I would say he was
Mexican" AS Madge finished speak
ing she felt as If Ena's eyes were look
ing at her in startled manner.
'Did you notice anything peculiar
abeat ,himf" ,-.-ls4-,- ssss..-sl.t ---4sGA.-za
Again Madge hesitated. 'Yes," she
replied, II noticed he lmped."
Anything else?" h4& i .
Nothing more"
"He exchanged revolvers with you,
did he not"
"He did"
"Will you kindly let me see the re-
volver he gave your
Madge produced the pistol. The
officer looked it over carefully and
found it nothing more than an ordi-
nary automatic revolver that had un-
doubtedly seen mich service, as the
blue steel was badly worn in places.
'Do you care if keep this gun for
q while" asked the marshal.
Indeed 1 do" was the reply; ut be-
longs to me until I can get possession
Of my own"
every we'll, Miss, I think that will
be ALL"
No sooner had the door shut him
from sight, and his footsteps could be
heard going down stairs, than Ena
turned to Madge. "Why, Madge Nor
ris, what in the world is the matter
with you? Can 1t be that you have
lost your senses? You told me the
bandit was young, with 0ear-cut
smooth features, and distinctly saw
that his hair was light, and as for the
limping you know very well that he
walked like a soldier"
Don't, Ena! Please don'tl can't
understand it myself" said Madge as
she intently examined her newly ac-
Quired revolver.
The first thing Madge did the follow
ing morning was to inquire If the BAN
dts had been caught. The proprietor
of the hotel said the posse was still
out but as the description she had
given had been sent over the entire
country the bandits would undoubtedly
/ be landed soon. .
Madge appeared to be in the very
best of spirits and that day she and
Ena took q horseback ride out to The
Morris coal mine where they were
welcomed by Superintendent Elliot.
Under the careful guidance Of jim
Elliot, the two girls were shown about
the mine and were quite enthusiastic
about everything they saw. OF course,
Elliot had heard Of the hold-up and
in speaking of it to Madge said: "You
young ladies were most fortunate to
be let off so lightly, as those men un-
doubtedly belong to the McCacty gang
and they certainly are bad ones"
/ It was not long before Madge no
ticed the furtive glanceS that the
young superintendent was casting at
Ena. 1TItither could she help ObserV-
ing that Fna appeared to be deeply in
terested in everything said and done
by Big Jim as he was called by his
friends.
After week had gone by and there
was no news Of the bandits, the sub.
ject was no longer the principal topic
Of conversation in and around Tampa.
Every day Ena and Madge rode out
to the mines and frequently Madge
would steal away from Ena and Big
Jim. Then she would walk along a
lonesome trail or into the woods until
she came TO secluded spot. There
she would take the badly worn pistol
from her pocket and turn it about and