St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-09-04

cleaned it carefully, thus using up a
hour of the rather lor>some evening
He had just put *1e gnn away when h
heard the sound of steps on the pat
leading from the road. Uncle 10
must be coming back" he thought
But he was mistaken here. The doc
opened, and rather suspicious lookin
stranger came in.
"How dye do?" was his gruff salu
tation. '.Keepin' house alone, ain
YEP"
"Yes. for little while," answere,
Willie.
Il see the old man an woman whe,
they went away" said the visitor. IS,
l tho't I'd call round an take lool
into this ere box" When he said thi
he went to the shelf in the corner
took down the box in which Uncle 10,
had put his fifty dollars. and drew ou
the money and put it into his pocket. >
'.Put that backr' cried Willie, il
alarm. 1T doesn't belong to you
That's what Uncle Joe is going te
finish paying for his horses with
'.Do you s'pose he will?" said the
tramp. with coarse laugh. Il don't. >
But you don't mean toto take it?''
Willie hardly dared to use the word
that was the proper one, under the
circumstances
Il don't mean nothin' else." was the
reply. 81 see the money put into the
box, an I've been a watchin' my chance
to get at it ever sence. Dyes pose I'd
let such a chance slip to make a good
haul? You must be green. if you do.
But say, hain't You got nothin' to eat
about the ranch? If y'have, dish up
suthin', an be lively about it"
iii see what can find," said Willie,
and went into the kitchen.
You may be sure the poor lad was in
great trouble. Must he allow this man
to take his uncle's hard-earned money ?
But how was he to prevent it? He
happened to look at the trap. which re-
manned on the floor where they had left
it when the boy came after his uncle
and aunt. A plan flashed into his mind.
If he could catch the tramp in it! To
think was to act. He had closed the
door after him when he left the front
it could not see what he was doing. He
placed the lever over the spring, as his
uncle had done, pressed down on it with
all his strength, and succeeded in fast
ening the jaws open. Then he placed
the trap in front of the door opening
INTO the kitchen.
The next thing he did was to take
such articles of food as he found in the
cupboard and put them on the table.
When he had done this he placed the
candle where its light would be thrown
away from the door and the trap in
front of it. A hasty inspection of his
arrangement convinced him that the
tramp, in coming into the kitchen.
would not be able to see the trap that
had been set for him. The kitchen floor
was some inches lower than the thresh-
old, and the man would be obliged to
step down; therefore there was no dam
ger of his discovering the trap by hit
ting his foot against it as he might have
done had it been on level with the
threshold.
IF l fail to catch him, ard he dis
covers what have intended, there's
no knowing what he'll do" thought
Willie. Il must calculate for possible
failure, I'll get outside the Kitchen
door before l call him. If he doesn't
get into the trap l must run for it. In
the darkness can manage to keep out
of his way"
He opened the kitchen-door, took up
his position just outside it. and called
out to the man that his supper was
ready for him.
The door between the two rooms
opened, the man saw the table with the
food upon it. and then he stepped into
the kitchen-and into the trap! the
Jaws of which closed on his foot with
vicious snap. as if they were glad to get
hold of such game. The oaths and
curses which broke from the man lips
when he realized that he was caught
was fearful to hear, and yet they had a
pleasant sound to Willie. for they as
,ured him that the thief felt that he had
been Outwitted, and that he knew
le could not escape. Willie's first act
vas to run around to the front door,
through which he entered the living
'oom and secured his gun. With this
n his possession he felt himself master |
If the situation. The tramp started for
he door with the trap fast to his foot.
But the weight of it was so great that |
he could not make much headway, and |
he frightful grip of its jaws gave him |
o much pain that he sank down on the |
hresholdjust as Willie came back with
lis gun.
Don't try to get away!' cried the
rave lad. "You can't, if you try ever
o hard. I've got gun. you see, and |
III use it if you compel me to-" He
neant what he said and the tramp
new it.
IF you'll take this thing off I'll give
ou back the money!" he said.
I'm not quite green enough to do
hat was the boys answer.
Then the money'll never do you or
obody else any good, cried the tramp,
nd taking it from his pocket he began
D drag himself toward the candle,
nth the intention of burning it.
Hold on. therer' cried Willie.
Don't do that! If you do" and
e raised his gun threateningly, while
is eyes flashed fire-'.if you do I'll
boot you"
The tramp changed his mind at once.
[e saw that the boy was in earnest.
nd he was too sensible to do any thing,
nder the circumstances. which would
lad him to put his threat into exc
ution.
Throw me the money ordered
Willie. The tramp hesitated. The
oy raised his gun.
"Take it, then" said the prisoner.
18th a great volley of oaths, and