Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1886-08-17

die. and wanted Uncle Joe and bis wife
to come at once. I, was beginning to
grow du,ky when they went. IL don't
know when we'll be back" said Uncle
Joe. "No, ,ill late. anyway. and prob.
ably no, tonight. Ba, you aren't afraid
to stay alone. | suppose ?"
"Ofooarse not" answered Willie. and
30 he va. lsf, to take care Of the hou'e.
while they wen, to help their neishbor In
his need. lie attended 10 the chores
abou, the house and barn. When this
was done /, was quite dark. Then he
ate hi, supper in tie kitchen. and after
,ha, he took down bis gun. which he had
been using ,hA, day. and cleaned II cate
fully. thu, using up an hour OF the rather
lonesome evening lie had just pa, The
gun away when he heard the 'onni OF
step. on the path leading from the road.
Uncle Joe mus, be coming back he
thought. hut he W. mis,sken here
The door opened. and a rather suspicious
looking stranger came In.
"Ho~ dye DO ," was hi' srua 'ala'..
iion. "Ksspin' house alone. amt ye
"Ys.. for a little while" answered
Willie.
II see the old mln snl woman when
they wen, away" said the visitor. $50
| ,ho't I'd call round an take look ia
90 ,hi. 'eie box" When be .aid this he
wen, to the shelf in the corner. took
down the box in which unele Joe had
pa, hi. fifty dollars. aud drew oai the
money and pa, !, into hi' pocket
"Pa, ,ha, back :" cried Willie In
alarm "l, doesn't belong to you. That's
What unele Joe |, going to flash paying
for hi. horse. With"
"D1 you ,'pose he will , said the
u.mT With a coarse laugh. I'll don't
"Ba, you don, mean ,o-'o take ~
Willie hardly d.rei to use the word that
va. the proper one, under the eiream'
stances.
III doa', mean no,hia' else" was the
reply. III see the money pa, ia'o the
boz. an I've been warehin' my chance
TO get /, ever since. Dye sPo'c Id ls,
such a chance Zip 10 make good haut
You mus, be green II you DO. Hut say.
hahn, YOU 70, no,hin' TO eat about the
ranch, lfyhAye, di'h up 'u,hin'' aud be
lively about IL"
"l'll sec VIA, can find" said Willie.
and ven, into the kitchen.
Yoa may be sure ,hs poor lad was Ia
srea, trouble. Mus, he allow this man to
take hi. uncle. hard earned monsy' ia,
how va. be 10 preven, ii' lie happened
10 look .,,he trap. which remained oa the
door where be bad lei, Il when the boy
came after hi. uncle and aunt. A PLAZA
flashed into hi. mind. II he could catch
the tramp in il, To think wn to act.
lie had closed the door after him when
be LEI, the froa, room. The man on the
other eide oil, could not see whst he
"a. doing. lie placed the lever over the
spring. a. III. uncle had done. pressed
down on /, with all hi. strength. and
succeeded in fastening the jaws open.
Then be placed the trap in from, OF the
door opening into the kitchen
The mex, ,hins he did was 10 take such
article, Of food a. he found in the cup.
board and put them on the table When
he had done this be placed the candle
where IL. ligh, would be thrown away
from the door and the trap in from, oft
A ha.,y inspection Of bis arrangement
convinced him ,h., the tramp IA coming
into the Kitchen would no, be able TO see
the trap ,ha, had been set for him. The
kitchen floor was some ineke. lover than
the threshold. aud the man would be
obliged to .,sp down therefore there Was
no danger Of hi, discovering the trap by
hitting hi. FOO, sgAins, IL |. be might
have done had !, been on a level With the
threshold.
"IfI fail TO catch him and be discovers
wha, have intended. there. no know
ins wha, he'll do" though, Willie. 81
mus, calculate for possible failure. III
get outside the kitchen door before call
him. II be doesn't &c, into the trap !
mus, run for IL. Ia the darkness | can
manage to keep oa, Of his way.
lie opened the kitchen door, took up
hi. position just outside IL. aud called
oa, 10 the man ,hA, bis supper was ready
for him.
The door between the two rooms open.
"a, the man saw the table with the food
upon il. and then be stepped into the
ki,ehen-and into the trap the jaws OF
which closed on his foo, with = vieiou.
snap, as II they were glad TO get hold OF
such game. The oa,hs aud curse, which
broke from the mans lips when he real
lied that he was caught were fearful to
hear. and yet they had pleasant sound
TO Willie. for they assured him that he
had been oa,wi,,ed. and ,ha, he knew he
could no, escape. Willies first &C, was
to run around to the from, door. through
which he entered the living room and Sc
cured bis gun. With this In bis possession
he felt himself master Of the 'itus,ion.
The tramp started for the door with the
trap fs., to his foot Bu, the weight OF It
wa, 80 great that be could no; make
much headwsy, aud the frish,fal grip OF
its jaws gave him 80 much pain that he
sank down on the threshold jus, a. Willie
came back with bis gun.
"Don', try to get away! cried the
brave lad. "You can't, II you Try ever 50
hard. I've go. gun, you see. and III use
/, IL you compel me to-" lie meant what
he said and the tramp knew IT,
"lfyou'll take this thing of III give
you back the money" he said.
"I am not quite green enough to DO
that" was the boys answer
Then the mOney'll never do you or
nobody else any good" cried the tramp.
and taking /, from his poke, be began
to drag himself toward the candle, with
the intention Of burning IL.
"Hold on there !" cried Willie. Don't
do that, Ifyou dO-"and be raised hi.
gun ihrea,eningly, while his eyes flashed
fre-"lf you do III shoot you"
The tramp changed his mind At once.