The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-05-17

thieves prowl about our camp. They've
been going it far some time, and we
can't catch them"
Mira. Wider was somewhat startled.
"Oh, 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 as
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 ~
"Oh, they'd be hung, of course We
folks hate stealing; and it's the only
thing any one has ever been hung ior
at Forest HILL"
"Would they come into our tentY'
asked Mrs. Wilder.
"Oh, mol They might reach in at
the door, or under the canvas, to see
what they could carry of, but they are
mighty sly
I" If they come here, mother" put in
the little boy, "Ill kill them with the
AK"
What could you do, George !?
They're big men, you know"
"Td 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 a 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.
"If | can do anything for you or the
children" said he at parting, Z" 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 mess Of us-six."
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
unusual 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.
quently from half-feverish dreams.
When | relate the singular circum-
stances that occurred before the morn
ing, do not claim that they were di-
rected by supernatural agencies nor
do avert that they were not. sim
ply tell the story.
1t was between and o'clock when
Mrs. Wilder seemed to fall intoa deeper
slumber 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.
ions wandered away back over years
Again she was on the Platte river
again she saw her husband-so dis
bodybuilding his ferry again she
bid him good by, and travelled on over
the prairies; again she saw the Rocky
mountains loom up in the distance.
But here the dream made a digres-
sion. Sears and Mallity did not come
now; but instead of them came Abram
Wilder. She flew to meet him, but
stopped, for her husband wore such
strange look on his face. He stood
still, waved her off, then pointed to the
grass at her feet. She looked down
ahd saw a grave open saw her husband
lying in it, with a CHASTITY wound on his
head saw two men hastily filing the
grave up. They were his hired men
Sears and Mallity.
With scream that must have wax
ened every sleeper at Forest Hill, Mrs.
Wilder started up from her rude couch,
now fully awoke, and in the dim light
she saw a shadowy figure standing a few
feet from her, with a hand still point
ing at the earth, for it was the same figure
she Ildu seen III ntI uItdlu. IL SlOOu
perfectly motionless for a couple of
seconds, then vanishe !.
Within the same two seconds several
shadows were described against one of
the slanting sides of the tent, on which
the moon was shining, and they, too,
disappeared simultaneously with the
sound of retreating footsteps without;
while something fell with clatter, in.
side the tent, as though it had actually
dropped through the canvas.
whats the matter, mother?" asked
George, springing up and selling his AK.
At the same time his little sister
cried out in her terror;
ooh, it's the robbers! They'll kill
US " and she added wall to the gen
eral confusion.
Hush, child" said Mrs. Wilder,
who trembled so that she could hardly
speak they've gone away"
ooh, they'll come back know they
will "
George had hurried on his clothes,
and he rushed boldly out of the tent
with his weapon, uttering loud shout.
Minarc hounde1 from thair tants and