Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-05-16

my position while AZ work gave me frequent
glimpses of Blanche Us she fitted in her neat
morning dress between her own house and
Pratts She was a rare spectacle to the
miners whuse claims commanded view Of
the situation | saw them at times peeping
at her from sundry vantage points as she
tripped about, displaying at times slippered
foot and neat ankle, which caused many a
heavy sigh
Why not write herr | did write heritage
on page, telling the whole story, detailing all
the misery of my situation upbraiding her
for her INJUSTICE and cruelty, and beSeeching
her for a personal interview But there was
no local pOStoffice delivery on Bull Bar
Rankin was the only one TO whom l could
intrust these lettors That would reveal me
to him too much the suppliant So would
keep the letters re-read them. | found
then, one too harsh threw it in the fire
The next was too humble, too Supplicatins
| threw that in the fire Within twenty four
hours after writing, ami the mood | COM
posed in had cooled Off, could not find one
Of the right tone and temper. There seem d
~ hitting the golden mean" So they ali
vent in the fire On the whole | am disposed
10 think that as good a destination aS any for
sbIflt'lN anu tNulR' l'Nt ilhN'
mine. before delivery If you don't think ~
read Your own. say tire years old, and innk
the self that wrote them at that time straight
in the face and tell me your deliberate
opinion of him.
From Rankin | ascertaine that Pratt lay
most of the time in a condition bordering On
Inconsistencies. He had, he said, lit up a
little on Banche's arrival She he added,
was bully nuT>e.'
What does the doctor say of himF
asked
''Oh, something scientific" he answered.
Something he's learned out of his books that
nobody can make head nor tail Of Looks
profound to match, especially when he takes
his whisky Its bz-biz. you know.
1t was CLEAN Of sunshine that Rankin
had resumed this vein of talk with me-"
One morning found pinned to my door
note without signature, hearing these words;
Better leave Bull Bar Trouble brewing
for you"
l felt that this was friendly warning
from Rankin. l felt, also, it portended some
secret ''vigilante" business regarding my
self
What to do | knew not This was a newer
blaCkness 10 the cloud | was greatly dis
L was. L ONL VI
trouble hanging over me. | realized fully
the temper of the time | knew how men
were dragged from their beds and either
hung outright or hung up until they con
feSsed. So had they done to 10 Hatch the
year before, because Jo, a poor, whisky
soaked wretch, was suspected of the robbery
of store safe in which sundry miners kept
their dust by favor Of the storekeeper. 10
would not confess despite this horrible tor
ture and a few months afterward the real
plunderers were revealed.
| could not get away. My obligations TO
Bruener forbade it. There was in The house
at least twenty thousand dollars worth of
quartz Not knowing what might happen l
buried this under the floor Next day it
occurred To me that under the floor" had
become too common a burying spot for
treasure, and was, of all places, the first to
he sought for by any so disposed. | knew not
what might happen, or how long Broener
might l.e absent So dug it up and buried
it at night in nook without the cabin.
Then | left note for BrOener, intimating
that in case of my absence | would account
to him personally for whatever he might find
missing. What did not choose to say. for
did not trust the sacredneSs of a sealed note
to all in Bull Bar