The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-11-24

turn, and luck al last led the penniless ones to a remunerative placer or pocket. Gradually the diggers got into the habit of regarding this Captain Pierpoint's natural function, and Captain Rerpoint, being himself but an indifferent digger, acquiesced so readily that at last, yield ing to the persuasion ot his clients, he put up a wooden counter, and painted over his rough door the magnificent notice, "Aylmers Pike Bank: Montague Pier point, Manager" He got a large iron safe from Carson City, and in that safe, silver and other securities of the whole village were duly deposited. Any one of the boys could easily shoot me and open that safe any night" Captain Pier point used to say pleasantly but if he did, by George! he'd have to reckon afterward with every man on the Pike {; and l should be sorry to stand in his shoes-that l would, any time" Indeed, the entire Pike looked upon Captain lierpoin,'s safe as @Our Bank :" and, united in a single front by that simple social contract, they agreed to respect the safe as sacred object, protected by the collective guarantee of three hun dred mutually suspicious revolver-bear- ing outcasts.
 However, even at Aylmers Pike there were degrees and stages of comparative unscrupulousness. Two men, new-com- CTS to the Pike, by name Hiram Coffin and Pete Morris, at last wiekedly and feloniously conspired together to rob Captain pierpoint's bank. The plan was simplicity itself. They would go at mid night, very quietly, to the captains house, cut his throat as he slept, rob the precious safe, and ride of straight for the east, thus getting a clear nights start of any possible pursuer. It was an easy enough thing 10 do: and they were really surprised in their own minds that nobody else had ever been cute enough to seize upon such an obvious and exeellen: path to wealth and security.
 The day before the night the two bur glars had fixed for their enterprise Cap tain Perpoint himself app cared to be in unusual spirits. Pete Morris called in at the bank during the course of the morn- ing to reconnoitre the premises, under pretence of paying in few dollars worth of silver. and he found the captain very lively indeed. When Pete handed him the silver across the counter the captain weighed it with smile, gave receipt for the asnount-he always gave receipts as matter of form-and actually invited Pete into the little back-room, which was at once kitchen, bedroom and parlor. to have a drink. Then, before Iete's very eyes, he opened the safe, bursting with papers, and placed the silver in a bag on a shelf by itself, sticking the key into his waisteoat pocket. He IS deliv- ering himself up into our hands" thought Pete to himself, as the captain poured out two glasses of old Bourbon and handed one to the miner opposite Heres success to all our enterprises '" cried the captain gaily. Here's suc- cess. pard :" Pete answered, with sim lster look, that even the captain could not help noting in sidelong fashion. 1 That night about two O clock. when all Aylmer's Pike was quietly dreaming its own sordid, drunken dreams, t~o sober men rose up from their cabin and stole out softly to the wooden bank house Two horses were ready saddled with Mexican saddle-b bags, and tied to tree outside the digging, and ia half an hour Pete and Hiram hoped to find themselves in full possession of all Captain Perpoint's se- curities. and we'll on their road towards the nearest station of the Pacific railway. 1 They groped along to the door of the bank shaniy, and began fumbling with their wire picks at the rough lock. After a moments exploration of the wards, Pete
 Morris drew back in surprise.
 Pard," he murmured in low whis- per, here's suthin' rather extraordinary: this ere locks not fastened"
 They turned the handle gently and found that the door opened without an effort Both men looked at one another sn the dim light lnoredulously. Was there ever such simple, trus,ful fool as that fellow Pierpoint. He actually slept in the bank shan,y with his outer door un- fastened
 The two robbers passed through the outer room and into the little back bed room-parlor. Hiram held the dark lan- tern and turned il full on the bed. To their immense astonlshment they found
 II empty.
 i Their tirst impulse was 10 suppose that
 the captain had somehow anticipated their coming, and had gone to rouse the
 boys. Tor moment they almost con
 tempiated running away. withou, the
 money. But second glance treasured
 them the bed had not been slept in. The captain was a man of very regular
 habits. He made his bed in civilized fashion every morning after breakfast. and he retired every evening little alter eleven. Where he could be stopping so ! late they couldn't imagine. But they hadn't come there to make study of the captains personal habits, and. as he was away, the best thing they could do was
 10 open the safe immediately. before he came back. They weren't particular , about murder. Pete and Hiram; still il you could do your robbery without blood shed, |, was certainly all the better to do It so.
 Hiram held the lantern, c.reiuiiy , shaded by his hand, toward the door oi the safe. Pete looked cautiously at the ! lock, and began pushing i, about with his -f. l l |