Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-06-16
A BRAVE WOMAN.

known as Cherry Creek, when Plke's
Peak was TO the adventurous soul what
Leadville AMI the camps of the Gun
n son are today, there lived on the
gold trail" running from the settle
ments to the foot of the mountains, a
RAJ cher by the name of Ralph Lathrop.
lie was young man who, with his
young wife, had come to this PARKWAY
Western country from Illinois. willing
to work and determined TO win home
among the blue peaks of Colorado He
had built small log cabin little off
from the main trail, and was engaged
in raising cattle and sheep for home
consumption at the time of which we
write. His family consisted Of him
self and wife and a single hired man.
Indians were neither plenty nor
dangerous, the wild beasts Of the coun-
try had retired to escape being shot,
and the travellers to and fro upon the
trail, though often rough, were seldom
ugly, so that when business demanded
Mr.. Lathrop did not hesitate to leave
his wife alone at the ranch for a day
and night at time.
One evening at supper, spring
night, with the odOr of the fresh
grasses and the budding leaves per-
tuning the air, the hired man, John
son, delivered a most startling piece of
news.
"Did we hear O the robbery at the
Peak ?-killin', too, understand. Jim
Bartlett, from the Creek, passed to-
day, an he was a-tellin' me. Seems
gang O these plain fellows, rough
riders, / reckon, dropped into camp
last night and took al the boys gold
and shot two o the miners. They We
made for the mountains, it's 'sposed,
but the hull Peak is after them. They'll
swing the crowd if they catch EN-.
who were the desperadoes" asked
Lathrop
There were only three O. 'em, an
Black Dan, him as was hung in New
Mexico, was one. | guess they don't
know the other" replied Johnson
"Blacl1 Ian p said the master. Il
thought he wa, on the Pacific coast.
He's one of the worst men ever in this
State. / hope they will catch the
party and serve them with border
Justice, quick and sure. l shall feel
better to know that that rascal is under
the sod"
"Why, Ralph said his wife
Nellie, "you are surely not afraid of
the man. Why should you wish him
evil?"
Hes a terror to any community
and a danger to any State" returned
her husband. "a murderer, and
worse; hung in New Mexico for
revolving crimes. but rescued by his
comrades a man whose heart is as
black as his flowing beard, and whose
hands are red with human blood. l
wish him no evil-only justice and a
short ropel And he'll get it if the
Peak boys catch him."
Quiet Mrs. Lathrop looked wonder
ingly at her husband. Surely this
noted desperate must be of the worst
that Ralph should speak so of him.
And the memoyy of her husbands
words cane to her afterwaTd
Night fell, the shadow Of depart
ing winter yet rendering chill all the
world behind him, and as the doors
were closed and barred for this ranch
was miles from the nearest neighbor-
fresh logs were thrown upon the fire,
while the little household still talked
OF the tragedy at the Peak and the
fleeing robbers pursued by the venge-
full miners.
"Wen," said johnson, at last, as he
rose to go to the loft and his bed, Il
only hope with you, Mr.. Lathrop. that
they may catch 'em. The country'n
be better without 'em."
An hour later sleep ruled, and not
until the early dawn, fresh and rosy.
crept over the eastern hilLtops did the
little household unbar its doors again.
With the return of day thoughts of the
evening before We're forgotten What
had they to do with wolves. They
must care for the sheep.
Breakfast was over and the hired
man had departed with the herd for
the hills distant some three miles, where
he would be absent until night, when
suddenly Mr.. Lathrop called to his
wife from the log barn. The young
woman ran TO the door.
Nellie. dear said her husband,
"Tve Just found, greatly to my sur
prise, that we're all out of salt. The
sheep need it. and | must nave bar
rel to-day. I've got to 60 to the Greek
for it, and will not be back before
night. Johnson will be up with the
sheep early. Goodbye :"
A wave of his hand, a rattle of the