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ssualH "Senorita, a brief domiciliary visit of necessity, order by superiors," lie observed in a suave, still half mocking tone. "No harm will be done to you, but there must be no outcry or attempt at escape. You are alone?"- x "Yes," she retorted, and her flash ing eyes dashed the audacious fel low with their sheer contempt and defiance. "We counted on that," remarked the lead. "Petro-Sanchez the box. We know it is here." Madge, chilled. She comprehend ed to what they referred the little safe in her father's bedroom. It had often held heavy collections and im portant documents. These ruffians had learned of it Their presence might mean beggary to her father, it might destroy all their fond plans for the future! Steadily she faced the leader. She, saw that resistance or pleading were alike futile. Madge paletf slightly as the two men who had entered the house returned. It required all their strength to carry the little safe to the wagon. "It is locked," spoke one of them. "The chief will know how to open it!" chuckled the leader. "All ahead. I will drive. At your pleasure, senor ita." Madge was compelled to mount the wagon seat. The cavalcade in the lead, the leader took up the lines. "You toust not be left behind to start an alarm," he remarked smoothly. "It -remains with the chief as to your permanent 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, although the horsemen had spurred up and were quite a distance ahead. There was a- spell of silence. Madge crowded to the extreme end of the seat as her polite but insistent cap tor resumed his observations. "The exigencies of warfare are cruel, Benorita," he. continued with 1 specious blandness. "For instance, Chief Avarro has little conscience. Listen, you are beautiful so much that I, loyal as I have been, will for- get my commander and my country if you will become my bride. You will , not speak? I appear contemptible to you? Not so. I am only in earnest. -, I can saYi; you; I can save the pre-j cious safe: One word from you I can n turn from the road. I know an oblig- ; ing priest I will be true and loving: t Think it over." Madge's heart sank. She knew that i his reference to his bandit chief bore a tinge of truth. She shuddered, j Then suddenly she shrank back. It 1 was growing dusk, but the moon was - just rising. It cast a sudden shadow 4 across the front of the vehicle. Then a hand shot from a horseman who had suddenly appeared. It seized the 1 leader. He whirled from the seat', through the air, and r "Splash!" -i He had landed ten feet down into i the waters of the broad, rolling river. The horseman leaped from his steed f, ancK ran to the head of the horse, backed the wagon, reversed it and ( sprang to its seat. "Walter oh, it cannot be!" cried B Madge and clung to his arm as heT spurted up the horse, his own, well trained, acting as pilot A shot rang out. It proceeded from r the revolver of the baffled leader and b he was shouting vigorously, as if ,1 hoping to attract the attention of the j cavalcade, now out of sight. "Don't faint!" spoke Walter. "Take. the whip. Lash up the horse. There ? may be pursuit The mischief!" A Half a mile covered at a furious j rate of speed, a wheel struck a boul- j der, cluttered to fragments and the vehicle sagged to Qje side. Walter - sprang to the groiSd and caught. Madge in his arms. He was-outlining 1 a 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 M&mMMimlmm&iML ;.?