Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-05-25

the paddock, hearing him chuckle *
himself as he kicked off his boots.
"Ill take the key, num-" said Sarah
Mamie took the key with her, anC
the two decended 70 shut up the house
After they had made everything secur,
they went back up stairs.
"YOu must sleep IN my room tc
night, Sarah" the mistress said. Saral
dragged in her beading and made ;
pallet on the floor, and then, after tn,
custom of women, they examined tn,
closets, looked under the bed, and pileC
the chairs against the locked door. The
rain was still falling heavily and The
night black rs ink. The mistress anc
maid went to bed, and, although wor
ried and anxious, finally went to sleep
After midnight Mamie found herself
awake and bright light shining il
the room. She started up and saw tha
it was moonlight. The storm hat
cleared away at last. She got up, un
able to compose herself Immediately
and went TO the window. AS she stood
looking at the peaceful scene before
her, she saw, way down the road, fol
it was as Iht as day, several horse
men. 1t was such an unusual sight al
this hour that she stood watching them
as they came nearer. To her surprise
they turned up the lane leading to
wards their house and on reaching the
gate came into the yard. Now, almos,
paralyzed with fear, she saw that they
were masked. The truth almost blind
ed her. They knew that she was alone
that she had this money and they had
come to get it. For q moment she
was paralyzed. She remembered
Harry's last words; "You must guard
it with your life if necessary"
She ran to the sleeping Sarah and
awakened her. She got down Harry's
rife, which he had loaded and taught
her to use. The sleeping girl was soon
thoroughly awake, and she explained
to her their condition.
"Its the tramp that's done it."
"The tramp. No. Sarah, the key,
the key of the attic"
She few up the stairs, unlocked the
paddock and opened the trap. The man
sprang up at the sound.
"COme, come with me-" His own
senses alert, and hearing the noise of
horses below and steps about the
house, he followed her without word.
At the foot OF the stairs she stopped.
81 have large sum of money in
the house and those men have come to
get 1t, thinking 1 am alone. If they
kill me the money must be guarded"
"What have you, pistols, shOt-guns ?"
he whispered, taking in the. whole
situation.
Here is my husbands rifle. 1t is
loaded"
"Hist. Where are they going to
break IMP" The steps came boldly on
the piazza to the front door.
"Get behind me. / will fire at the
first nam who enters. How many
barrels are there?"
'Six, all loaded"
Every well. Keep this cane in your
hand for me in case need it."
There is no stOrming of shutters
They heard the key applied to the door
softly. 1t opened, and a man followed
by two others, confidently entered.
The first figure walked directly to the
stairs He had taken but step when
three shots came in rapid succession
There was a heavy thud; this man
dropped, and the other two turned and
fled. Sarah ran to the window. and
two horses galloped down the lane.
"Don't faint, madam; there's work
yet to do" said the tramp.
Mamie caught hold of the rail for
support, and then went into the room.
"Get candle, Sarah"
They lighted candle and gave it to
the tramp, who went down stairs, the
two women followed with brandy and
ammonia. The man had fallen back
ward, and lay with his face up and
head toward the door.
"Raise the mask and give him air
first, madam"
Mamie raised the mask, and fell
back with a wild shrek.
"Do you want to know why her hair
is white?" he asked.
at was Harryp' 1 answered. cit
was that smiling, popular young
scamp"
ats no use to ask why he did it.
don't care. Motives don't matter much
in such case. But she, Mamie-Mrs,
Welts-she has her hair, but there is
no trace of that midnight tragedy in
her face"
81 believe she was i'll for long
time," continued my friend. "They
say smallpox cures one of the other
diseases. Well, some griefs are like
the smallpox; they cure you of lesser
weakness-tenderness of the heart fol-
example. This, think, was one OF
them"
"And the tramp
"He and Sarah were of course the
witnesses at the inquest. The next
day he was off on his journey, and
have never heard of him since"
Salt for Stock.