The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-05-17

"Thank you," said the poor woman
delighted at the prospect. ~ ann very
willing to do the work. | feel so much
better up here already. | should have
died if had stayed in Sacramento"
"It's an unhealthy Place, l know
said he "but it will be renovated in
time. BY the way, you needn't be
frightened, but l must tell you that
thieves prowl about our camp. They've
been going it for some time, and we
can't catch them"
Mrs. Wilder was somewhat startled.
sob, don't be scared - said he.
"They're not dangerous. They are the
sneaking kind. They only pick up
things slyly, and get out of camp a.
soon as possible. They've been seen,
but always escaped. Joe Harris saw
them one night last week, and says
they're Indians. 1t won't be good for
them if they're caught"
"What would be done with them Pr
"Oh, they'd be hung, of course We
folks hate stealing; and it's the only
thing any one has ever been hung for
at Forest HILL"
"Would they come into our tenty'
asked Mrs. Wilder.
"Oh, no! They might reach in at
the door, or under the canvas, to see
what they could carry of, but they are
mighty sly"
"If they come here, mother" put in
the little boy, "rll kill them with the
AK"
What could you do, George !?
They're big men, you know"
I'D fight them, anyhow" he said,
bravely.
"Good, my boy'' said the miner.
You'll be the right kind of man
when you grow up. But OF course
you're not very strong yet. If the rob.
bers trouble you, just yell. That would
do more good than your ak. 1t would
rouse the camp; and if you should be
the means of getting them caught, I'd
raise collection of FIVE hundred dollars
for you before the breath should be
fairly out of their bodies"
The miner stood talking with the
Wilders till the sun had set-then he
sauntered on.
"lf l can do anything for you or the
children" said he at parting, "let me
know. Ny name is Tom Cook. / live
in that cabin over there, just next to
the one with the sign of Choice
Liquors. There is a mess of us-six.n
Mrs. Wilder thanked him, and when
he had walked away she took her hand.
kerchief and wiped away some tears
that were gathering in her eyes. The
kind voice Of that blunt, honest man
had touched some tender chord in her
heart, and she wept-she knew not
why.
1t was far, far in the night. The
moon had not risen till eleven, and it
was now away up in the bright sky, so
that it could look down into the deep.
est canon. The Wilders had lain
awake for hours talking about the rob.
bers, which seemed to have made an
impression on them, but at
last dozed off into unconscious rest,
and the whole camp was wrapped in
sleep.
The children slept soundly, but Mrs.
Wilder was restless, and awoke fire.
luently from halffeverish dreams.
When l relate the singular circum.
stances that occurred before the morn.
ing, do not claim that they were di.
rected by supernatural agencies; nor
do l avert that they were not. l SIM
ply tell the story.
1t was between and o'clock when |
Mrs. Wilder seemed to fall intoa deeper |
'lumber than she had enjoyed that |
night. But it was not free from
dreams. Thus far she had dreamed |
only of the mysterious robbers of which |
Tom Cook had told her; now her Wis.
ons wandered away back over years.
Again she was on the Platte river
lgain she saw her husband-so dis.
bodybuilding his ferry again she
Did him good-by, and travelled on over
he prairies; again she saw the Rocky
Mountains loom up in the distance.
But here the dream made a digres.
ion. Sears and Mallity did not come
low; but instead of them came Abram
Wilder. She flew to meet him, but
topped, for her husband wore such
TRANCE look on his face. He stood
till, waved her of, then pointed to the
,rass at her feet. She looked down
lad saw grave open saw her husband
wing in it, with CHASTITY wound on his
read saw two men hastily filling the
,rave up. They were his hired men
sears and Mallity.
With a scream that must have wax.
med every sleeper at Forest Hill, Mrs.
Wilder started up from her rude couch,
low fully awoke, and in the dim light
he saw a shadowy figure standing few
eet from her, with hand still point.
ng at the earth, for it was the same figure
he had seen in her dream. 1t stood
perfectly motionless for couple of
econds, then vanished.
Within the same two seconds several
hadows were described against one of
he slanting sides Of the tent, on which