Catoctin clarion., 1921-09-22
Ruth Outwits q
Bandit Gang
BY JOHN RENWIcK
%. 1921. Western Newspaper Union. }


"YOu had better get out of here, IL
you don't want trouble"
"I've got something to tell you. II
you don't want trouble yourself, you
had better listen to me-"
"What! Threatening me, are you?
Vamose, or I'll quicken up that dog
trOt habit of yours considerably. Gitw
and Martin Bayne made run for the
doorstep where his rifle lay.
With a detected air, but quite
sprightly, ragged, limping Coyote Pete
hastened his steps from off the Bayne
domain. He had disappeared by the
time Its proprietor turned around
ready to carry out his threat.
"Why, father, wasn't that rather
rude?" inquired his daughter, Ruth,
stepping through the doorway. She
was pretty as picture.
"Rude" repeated the ranchman
carelessly. ITS the only way to treat
such cattle as that. There isn't
worse Ioafer on the range. He's been
wire-cutter, raider, and is beggar
when he isn't on the verge of the de-
lirium tremens. It's all your fault,
his coming here. You encourage him
by giving him snack whenever he
takes the fancy to wander by. and now
he's making a regular station Of it.
I'll be back before midnight. Expect
your company about dark, don't your"
II think so; / hope so," replied
Ruth.
Before the evening was over she ex-
pected to welcome her lover, Rodney
Morse.
1t must have been half an hour later
when there came a timid tap at the
door. Coyote Pete. his threadbare cap
In his hand, stood on the step in an
humble attitude.
"Why, won't you come in?" asked
Ruth In her usual cheerful. generous
way. "You look tired, and-perhaps
hungry" she lnsinuated gently.
mot this time, Miss" replied Pete.
"You see your father don't welcome
me very heartily, and I don't want to
intrude. But you're the only critter
on the range ever takes time to give
me bite when need ii. and I wanted
to do you folks a good turn. Your
father wouldn't listen to me after I'd
tramped twenty miles to give you
warning"
"A warning| repeated Ruth vaguely.
81 understand your young man and
some friends are coming through on
the stage this evening""
"Why-yes," replied Ruth slowly.
"Well, l overheard two half-breeds
down on the Taylor place talking early
this morning, planning to join two
other bad characters, hide between
here and the railroad, and hold up
the stage COACH"
In a moment Ruth became alarmed.
Within quarter Of an hour she and
Pete had arranged to outwlt the ban
dts. He had been gone two hours
when the horse he had gone away with
came back riderless.
Instantly Ruth buckled belt about
her slender waist, sprang to the saddle
and was soon on the trail Ruth had
gone about twenty miles when at
bend I'm the road she drew rein
promptly near some high bushes.
A flicker Of light, like that Of a
match suddenly tiaring in among some
heavy timbers ahead, had attracted
her attention. Ruth tied the horse
and began a detour Of the vicinity.
Within five minutes. true daughter
of the frontier that she was, she un-
derstood the situation completely. She
had viewed four men smoking and re.
ciining In natural hide-out. II
seemed that during some recent storm
half uprooted by the force of tha
wind.
Ruth crept cautiously around to the
spot where the top Of the tree was
caught. Her experienced eye told her
that this, once released, would shoot
back to its original position with cat
apult force" For nearly an hour she
hacked and clipped.
R-rip-snap-cras Like strick-
en- giant rising from the dust, the
great tree at last tore from its fet-
ters. There were shouts Of dismay
and frantic yells Of pain as the roots
sank back into place, shutting the
baffied plotters into a prison.
Ruth ran out into the road. The
stage coach came to a stop. Her
lover sprang out, and Ruth was in-
closed In his loving arms.
1t did not take long for Ruth to ex-
plain. Crushed and subdued. the out
laws were dragged out and secured.
Ruth had saved the passengers injury
and her lover the little fortune he car
ried with him.
They searched for Pete, and found
him where the horse had thrown him.
His head had struck stone and he
was unconscious.
Long before the wedding the out
laws were convicted. Then Pete be-
came the handy man about the Morse
place, where his greatest satisfaction
seemed to be to enjoy the loving hap
piness of Rodney and his frontier
bride.