The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-06-09

wearing off, and got fair suspicion
that something unusual had hap
pened. But / was too powerless
to move a limb; the sensation was
like that when your foot goes to
sleep.
Can you speak ?" inquired Raj
eigh, bending over me; because if
you can it will save me some trouble.
| want to know just where you have
stored that money!
Now began to realize my situa-
ton. His face looked natural again,
and the load was off nay tongue. l
also felt that ] could move my fin
gers little.
George Raleigh are you going to
rob me?" | asked, finding my voice
at last.
swell, some folks might call it
robbing,' but we dress up the term
a little by calling it the only correct
financial way of equalizing the float
ing currency, SO that each one is pro-
vided for and no one left out"
''You shan't have the money.
will die firstl" Iyelled, rising little.
"Ah, | see-didnt take quite
enough" he coolly remarked. 'Well,
have provided for this"
He went to the buggy, procured
ropes and a gag, and kneeled down
beside me. | had but little strength
yet, and he conquered me in mo-
ment. Lying on my right side, look
ing toward the fence, he tied my
hands behind me, and then forced
the gag into my mouth.
There, nowl You are nicely fixed
up, and all because you acted like q
fool, instead of sensible young
lawyer, soon to be admitted to the
bar"
While he was speaking, indeed
while he was tying me, | had caught
sight of the white face of little girl
looking at us from between the rails
of the fence. I.could see her great
blue eyes, and knew that she was
frightened There were red stains
around her mouth and on the little
! hand resting ON the rail, and l knew
that she was some farmers child
searching for strawberries. l could
not warn her of her danger, and /
feared that she would be seen or
heard. While Raleigh was tying the
last knot, | winked at the little girl
as hard as / could, hoping that she
would move away. But she did not
90.
well, now for the money" said
Raleigh, and he began searching my
pockets. He went from one to the
other, removing all the articles felt
down my bootleg, and then finally
passed his hand over my bosom, and
found the money.
Hal here it isn he exclaimed,
drawing out the package | don't
hardly believe that old Grip will see
any of this to-day
He sat down near my head, undid
the package, and was cool enough TO
90 at it to count the money. AS he
commenced the little girl waved her
hand at me. Ny heartwent thump-
/ ing, for l expected that she would
utter word or shout; but she sank
down from sight, and | caught sight
of her frock as she passed through
the grass.
you see, my young friend" re-
marked Raleigh, as he drew off one
of his boots and deposited some of
the bills in it, there's nothing like
transacting business as it should be
transacted. Some men would have
shot or stabbed you, but it's only the
apprentices who do such work.
All the real gentlemen of our calling
do business as gentlemen should"
He drew off the other boot and
placed some ''fifties" and 'twentiesn
in it, and then continued:
Il have it all planned out how to
deal with you as soon as get this
Imoney disposed of around my per-
son. | shall lay you ON your back
and pour the balance of the wine
down your throat. There's enough
of it to make you sleep until to-mor-
row night, and by that time l shall
be hundreds of miles away. As soon
as / see the drug take effect, l shall
unite your hands and remove the
gag. When you come out of your
sleep-if you ever do-you had bet
ter crawl out to the road, where you
win most likely meet some traveller
soon. want to use the horse and
buggy, otherwise | would leave them
! for YOU"
How coolly he talked. He treated
the matter as if it were regular
transaction in which / fully acqui-
esced. He had me fast prisoner,
and felt that he could do just as he
pleased. While | was thinking, |
saw the little white face appear be
tween the rails again, but in q mo-
I.ment it faded away and its place
was taken by the sun-burned phiz of
a farmer. He looked from me to
Raleigh and back again, and | wink
ed at him in away that he readily
understood. His face disappeared,
and / felt that / should be saved.
"No, old Grip won't get his tin to-
day. unused Raleigh, storing away
the bills in his pockets. "You will
90 back to Law & Law feeling put
out and cut up, but they couldn't
blame you +; it is not your fault tall.
True, had you minded your business
on the car and not been so free with
stranger, this would not have hap
pened. l was ON my way to Mil
waukee, and had no thought of such
rich pickings here"
/ saw nothing of the farmer, Ral-
eigh finished his counting. and l
made up my mind that the farmer
was afraid to interfere, and had run
away. My heart went down IS Raj
eigh got up, for l saw that he. was
about to carry out his plan Of fur
ther drugging me. He turned me
on my back, sat down astride of me,
and then pulled out the flask.
"Now, in just about minute wei
be through with the business" he
remarked, trying 10 put the mouth oi
the flask between my jaws.