The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-12-28
THE BARK FORTUNA.

hardly lbs sors ~ $40, -, .o,,1 - IS
necteI I, ends ha,,in nj ~ u
sbantv hsn,, a. A,,n,a.,s piI.a 49, IT..
was nm an 3 ONO ;1nr,;s Il frarna's ,r5 ~
yjons bonea,v an5 70 nan,.n, ar 100
him whic, suitaa VOW oaa,,, Mn t,a x.nat
b.hits 80 800 u.i "in u tough
-: "os'oih speecu OF the
mining popaiahon IN whose mids he lived,
lndee tsfo say somuchis rather to underrare the
uuiquencss OF his position; for it might pr
hsps be truer IN sav thar con4 p;o,oo;r+ w,.
tha on,v m,n !, N. Htao, ~ m,,,, $50
l;evn1 ot au in y - - 'n' Do=
heseo AT ali IN any way. S
capt flerpotnt walked very straight aud
erect. rs becomes a man of Conspicuous up
rightness and Tiara WA n cor,,i, t,n,a ri
military bearinain hi. m,nnsr uLich aoomod
a, ers. sol, A.. 80. ' Ni
.;ra d. u:lo''r.y " Justly ms popular
we bu' hs himself made no false pretenses
upon that head; he freely acknowledged that
he ha acquired the position of captain. not in
Her Britannia M,i,st,.s Gn,rds , Tho o,os;n
NJ AvImor,s prn aommaa a 80 =,
''' IN so'he''ines asseF'ea' put III
."' o'ui'o VI MS cary professional engage
mehts as sklpper OF a Lake SupeIior grain
vessel. Tho one thing he really understood.
he would tell his mining friends. was tho grain
trade on the ,,nnar ,,kos. for 6naroo 10 ha1
hnt q s;ncl, aanr...an1s.: 80, 80. Nv n"t
=, VIZ .h"' Was 'hat
n.he people tfustcd him he could never do
oe'Ve them. Capt. Pierpoint hal not come to
Aylmer's Pike ut first with any settled idea
of making himself the fno,ciar of IN. rorcb
i'm, ,nnnnrn;,,. - -, y ~ io"sH
-. S''Nl' ~, ''u' !" u's y Il MS
~ a'9ouh'' aad tne role OF banker was
only Slowly thrust upon him by the unanimous
voico OF INC whole digglnSs. Gradually the
alsSers cot INTO the habit OF regarding this as
Capt ilerpnints natural function, and Capt.
1lerpolnt, being himself but sn indifferent
digger, acQuicSc"u so readily that at last. Weld
Ing 10 the pcrsuass on of his clients, he put up
= ~oodei counter, and painted over his rough
aoor me magnificent notice, "Ayiner'a Pike
BANK; Montague Pierpnint, Manager" He
got a large non safe from Carson City, and in
that safe, which stood by his own bedside, all
the silver and other securities of the whole
village were duly deposited. ANY of tho boys
couli easily shoot me aud open that sate any
night. Capt llerpoInt used to say pleasantly;
'but If he did. by George! he'd have to reckon
afterwards with every man on the Pike, and l
should be sorry 10 stand in his shoes-thas I
would, any time"
However, even at %Aylmer's Pike there were
degrees aud stages of comparative unscrupu-
lousness. Two men, newcomers to the pike, 10y
name Hiram Coffin and Pete Morris, at last wick
eddy and fsloniou-lv couspired together to rob
Captain Pierpoint- bank. Their plan WAS sin
plcity itself. They would go at midnight, very
quiet Y, 10 tho captain house, cut his throat as
he slept, rob the precious safe, and ride off
straight for the L 49,, tLus getting a clear nights
start of any poss'bl, pursuer. 1t was al casN
enough thing to do; and they were really sur
prissd in thor own minds that nobody else had
ever been cute enough 10 seize upon such an
obvious and excellent path TO wealth and &C.
curity,
The day before the nigh. tho TWO burglars
had txed upon for their enterprise, Capt. Pier
point himself appeared to ba III unusual spirits.
Pete Morris ca.!oh IN at tho bank during tho
course OF the morning to reconnoitre the
promises. under pfrt.ISa of m vino in a feyy
dollars worth OF saver, aud he tounl the Cap
tain very lively indeed. When Pete handed
him the SILVER across The counter the Captain
weighed II with \ smile, gave \ receipt foc the
amnuut-he always gave receipts a. a matter
of fofm-and actually invited Pete into the
little back room, which was at once kitchen,
bedroom and tar'or, to have a drink. Then.
before Pete. very eyes, he opened the safc,
bursting with papers, and PLACED the silver in
q bag on y shelf by itself. sticking the key into
his wais coat pocket ''Hs is delivering him
self up INTO our hands" thought Pete to him
self, as the Captain poured out two glasses of
old B9uronn. aud handed one to the miner
oppositn. "horcss success To- all our enter
prlses!' CRED me Captain galiy. Here sue
cess, ps!G! Io'o answered., WAN a SINISTER
look, which even the Captain could not hslp
noting III u sidsiohg fashion. is
ihat niShf, ABOUT = O'Clock. when all Arlm-
er,s Ilke was quietly dreaming its own sor-
ela, '.n'isn .a uieA' ma '"o SOBER men rose up
" -
WOODEN pahk n2use. w2 hofses were ready,
sadalea WIN .aaS'san 4aaaseoags.,a ana tied 70 a
Tree outside th' alSslls, and IN hasf an hour
fete anu tran Hapeu 20 ma themselves 10
iull posseas'pn ~ an oapt plerponVs securi,
Ues' and "ea % tncIf read toward the nearest
staton OF tIe racine railway. Ihoy CROPPED
siooS ~ tns noor"i Cae pank shanty ana began
III. VIVA n'on, ~ ~. a, u to.Sn
Z ~ " o..on vApioia'ton VI 'ne
~ y ~ ~, n,r ",un 49, ~ u. p'iss.
.n,a r" a. ~ ~ ,iin i"is ~ = LOW WnispeI:
le,e . sunni iauisr eA'faoroinaryi tnls ere
soGk : no. las.,.'eu' d,
my '9tnea vac hanuie gently ana round
VI" ~ - 'punsu ni'noa' au enorn Doth
hei i,",hea at On anotn9t Ia inc nm light ~
e!e"ta ~ ~ ac'ualy sep III !Ee pahk
SIZE vita -, ! out oonF uhtasteheu!
Iho tHo tooneEs passeq Hhrougn the outer
room ana nnso .ne ntle PACK bedroom-parlor,
10 lh'lr ih''uenso astohlshtnent they found 1t
empty;
,, nnG,' h nr1. ,mnnlss was 70 SUPPOSE thai the
captain hai somehow anticipated their coming
ana haa como OUT 70 rouse the BOYS. For u
moment uiev almost contemplated running
away "!'noht ehe money; But a good Glatce
reassureu mem; ME bed mad not been sleotin.
me caV'a'n Was u man OF very regular habits.
his aaid, toward the door Of the safe. Pete
looked cautiously Mt The lock, and began push
ms IL ABOUT "'to ny wire pick; he had hoped
TO ct tho Key sont 81 Capt PieGpont's pocket.
ou'u ~; sAss sCnetne was solfneNpectedi
spo'led, he trusted to his skill in picking to
force tie lock open. Once more a fresh sur
prise awaited him. The door opened almost of
lts " accord! Pete looked at Hiram. and
Hiram looked at Pets. There was no mistak-
ing the strange fact that met thor gaze-the
safe WAS empty.
What on airth do Won suppose is the mean
ing OF this, Petoy" Hiram whispered hoarsely.
But Pete did not whisper; the whole truth