The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-28
TIE FoUR oUARDIixs OF LAGRANGE


TINT so eravcly Interested the four most expo
rlenced and elf-containcd citizens Of Lagrange.
For nearly half IN hour they had bccn sitting
in the private room Of Rikcrs grocery without
exchanging word Even the silent com
rnunion Of lIbatlon WIS wantIng thrir liquor
stood untastcd before them-a fact that aroused
tho serious concern Of the bnrkccper and the
free comment of the outside bur. "Mcbbcc ts
some new skin game imported from Frisco.
and they want to keep their heads level was
suggested by cautious Eossipcr.
The barkeepnr shook his head Nary deck
o keerds thnr-oness thrv plays 'cm under tho
table. and thct amt their style"
"Ye didn't notss no Jumps o. sugar. sorter
lyin round. kerrlrss like. before cnch man" in
einuated another. AMI them chaps lvin' low
and quiet. wntin' for some ID fly to light, md
rake down tho pile. I've hccrd." the speaker
continued. cautiously that heaps o. good
money hca been lost in tibet oh hristian like
way"
Yes" intcrpolntcd n third. and trained
flies. ez knew jest when to light. hez been rung
in on greenhorns. Thar was n man down ut
French Camp ~ they say. picked up about
81 900 outer thct camp with a innocent lookin'
hoes NY. and 1t wuzent ontil ono o the boys nc
cidently sot his glass down on tibet harmless in
seek thet the boys smclt nice"
Taint no game | toll yc." reiterated tho
OaTktPlPT SlOhilI. liltI Snluln more II HlfS
and sugar on their minds. My belief ia thry'rc
reck'nin' to revive the old vigllnntes Of 81
Thar's Il lot O. dead brnts in this yer camp" he
continued darks. with mn aggressive recollec-
tion ofcertain unse,tlcd scores. ez mobbce will
find out soon enough wot's up
Unfortunately none Of thrs~ surmiscs. how
ever ingenious or reasonable. were correct,
The simple fact was that lately deceased miner
had on his dcaihhcd called to his side the
above mentioned four citizens OF Lagrange. and
solemny coniilcd to them tho care Of his only
child In the States" with the little property he
possessed in trust for her maintenance. This
trust was further burdencd with the fact that
the dying man had withheld from the child tho
news OF the death of her mother. n year pre-
vious. and Il now deyolved upon the guardians
to inform the orphan OF her double bercnve-
ment. This was the first meeting Of tho guard
ians since they hal last looked upon the face ~
their dead comradc. Hence their grave silence
and perploxity.
At last tho spoil was broken. Ono Of tho pnrty.
atall. thin. rlckcty man. who had becn softly
pacing the room with n certain dcprecatory
manner and n smile Of imbrcllc araucscencc in
everything and anything that shono out at the
slightest expression. even of vcxaton or Rnx-
iety on the part Of his companions. gradually
neared tho door. and laid q large. bony. good
humored hand on the lock- The act was in
stantly detected by one NJ tho party who cooly
locked The door and put tho key on the table
"Ye can't slip outer this. Rats" he said we
must sit down hero with the rest OF us. and see
what's to bc done"
Capt Rats weakly succumhcd. and began
10 apologize, " warn't soin' back on ye. Hor-
ton. no hogan. Il only rcckoned o. w all
seemed to be Citing along famous a-thinkng.
ia los, slim o,,, and tn,d 10 so,ur busi,css and
allow vc IN mako nm ver mind without me-
oountin' mo ont and vour.,lves ma my nroxies
Fer wits orrrnoblo 70 Won is agreeable 70 mo
I'm no shnrn nj This pome"
you're guardian. " rcsnonded Horton. deci
siyely.
I'm course Thnts 50 But allow II mini
M valid onnintmen, Tho very fac, tibet tho
nj, man nnnin,od n IA fool ike mo shows
he warn't in his right mind"
"Th,,.s 40 hog . ainculo,od m, e,dos, y, tina
four. with n sudden CLEAN of honctulness
"The old man yns sortnr nichtv inst ot,rn he
went or. and VIZ can slim our heads outer this
lasso he nun. oyer us by alloyin' insanity. Won
know"
We can't slouch ont Of nj, kind OF trust
though Colonel" soid Joe Fleet the youncpat
of tho marty. vet with n lenders peremptori-
ness. IT Amt white to do ~"
Tho CLEAN fnied from tho Colnnels face.
"Thet's 40. II wnuldntb h, tho souar thing" no
said deiectndly, kick mo bovs
Couldn't W, sorter cluh toge,her and annlnt
n Kind of suh.ynnrIion tn t,to cara n, tho
whole thiny an n bi,h saiarv TN coma down
beavv " sn',r.st,I Horton
"Tf 70 coul1 gc, n ,h,n ~ 40 ro,,r fooli,, Tor
van n. tho eomn n,.nr,I Ion, ,o,v Inn, I, n,ich,
.uit " said Fieor with dn,ilcd s,r,asm "As
formAIs ain, rich nnoucb T., Inv nm INV chars
conscience" x
"Yo nnv ne ,voll ami. this foolin ~brolo in tho
Colonel with a 1rnan. "rba rnmo's mad.
and we'rc coin' to wade in Ink, ron. Mohbnc.
sutbin' mag turr u, Afr, l.,n, so,,,, ,,,.,,e
us nnv c,i shot or hur,ed in a tunnel and So
get eycnsol ON the scuar. But inst now WE
must wade in"
"Oh yes wade i'm" snil Horton ,lorlsivelv
do Won know tho first thing we've got 10 do
Why. write 10 TINT cal and toll hnr thet hor
father was a Id old liar. and tbct her moth
er's been dcnd n yenr nnl thet now hos ,lcnd
too. and tibet tho ID Old FOOLS propcrtv won't
bring $500. md that we'rc roin' To riyo her
ss mn -. ,i.,.i,,. go, 4 -. -. - ~ .ta,.