The Penn's Grove record., 1884-02-09

Twenty years ago, and while the
present populous city of Denver was
known as Cherry Creek, when Pixies
Peak was to the adventurous soul
what Leadville and the camps of the
Gunnison are to-day, there lived on the
''gold TRAIL" running from the settle
ments to the foot of the mountains, a
rancher by the name of Ralph Lathrop.
He was a young man who, with his
young wife, had come to this far away
western country from Illinois, willing
to work and determined to win a home
among the blue peaks of dorado. He
had built a small log cabin a 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 himself
and wife and a single hired man.
Indians were neither plenty or dan
gerous, the wild beasts of the country
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 MIR.
Lathrop did not hesitate to leave his
wife alone at the ranch for a day and
a night at a time.
One evening at supper, a spring
night, with the odor of the fresh gras-
ses and the budding leaves pertaining
the air, the hired man, johnson, deliy-
cred a most startling piece of news.
"Did We hear o. the robbery at the
Peak?-killin' too, l understand. Jim
Bartlett, from the Creek, passed to-
day. and he was a-tellin' me. Seems a
gang o. these plain fellows, rough ri
ders, 1 reckon, dropped into a camp
last night and took all the boys gold
and shot two o. the miners. They've
made for the mountains, it's 'sposed,
but the hull peak is after them. They'll
swing the crowd if they catch 'em."
"Who were the d~esperadoes?" asked
Lathrop.
"There were only three % 'em, and
Black Dan, him as was hung in New
Mexico, was one. 1 guess they don't
know the other" replied Johnson.
"Black Danl" said the master, 81
thought he was on the Pacific coast.
He's one Of the worst men everin this
| State. l hope they will catch the par
ty and serve them with border justice,
quick and sure. l shall feel better to
know that the rascal is under the
sod.n
"Why, Ralphp' said his wife Nellie,
"you are surely not afraid of the man.
Why should you wish him eyil?"
Hes a terror to any community
and a danger to any State" returned
her husband. "a murderer, and
worse; hung in New Mexico for revolt
ing 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
eviI-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 memory of her husbands
words came to her afterward.
Night fell, the shadow of a 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 yenge-
full miners.
"Wel, said Johnson, at last, as he
rose to go to the loft and his bed, II
only hope with you, Mr.. Lathrop,
that they may catch 'em. The coun-
try'H be better without 'em."
An hour later sleep ruled, and not
until the early dawn, fresh and rosy,
crept oven the eastern hill tops did the
little household unbar its doors again.
With the return of day thoughts of the
evening before were forgotten. What
had they to do with wolyes2 They
must care for the sheep.
Breakfast was over and the hired
man had departed with the herd fol
the hills, distant some three miles,
where he would be absent until night,
when suddenly Mr.. IGthrop called to
his wife from the log barn. The
young woman ran to the door.
"Nellie, DEAR" said her husband.
1--WE just found, greatly to my sur
prise that we're out of salt. The sheep
need it, and l must have a barrel to-
day. I've got to go to the Creek for
it, and will not be back before night.
Johnson VIII be up with the sheep
early. Goodbye"
a wave of his hand, a rattle of the
heavy wagon, the quick beat of the
horses hO0fs, and Frank Lathrop was
gone, leaving his young wife alone in
the roadside ranch. But the frontier
woman turned back into her cabin after
she had watched her husband out of
sight, with not a thought Of danger
and hardly n of loneliness amid all
the work which her busy hands could
find to do.
IL was hiph noon For a Gttla tba