The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-08-26

way and probably not tonight. But
you aren't afraid to stay alone. I sup
posep"
''Of course not" answered Willie,
and so he was left to take care of the
house, while they went to help their
neighbor in his need. He attended to
the chores about the house and barn.
When this was done it was quite dark.
Then he ate his supper in the kitchen,
and after that he took down his gun,
which he had been using that day, and
cleaned it carefully, thus using up an
hour of the rather lonesome evening.
He had just put the gan away when he
heard the sound of steps on the path
leading from the road. "Uncle Joe
must be coming back he thought.
But he was mistaken here. The door
opened, and arather suspicious looking
stranger came in.
"How dye do?'' was his gruff salu-
tation. 'Keepin' house alone, amt
YEP"
"Yes, for little while" answered
Willie.
II see the old man an woman when
they went away" said the visitor. $50
l tho't I'd call round an take look
into this ERE box" When he said this
he went to the shelf in the corner,
took down the box in which Uncle Joe
had put his fifty dollars, and drew out
the money and put it into his pocket"
s.Put that backr' cried Willie, in
alarm. at doesn't belong to you.
That's what Uncle Joe is going 10
finish paying for his horses with.
'.Do you s'pose he will?" said the
tramp, with a coarse laugh. 81 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. D'yes'pose I'd
let such a chance slip to make 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,
.Tll see whatI can find, said Willie.
and went into the kitchen. h
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
l., L. .1~Ek =
room. The man on the other side of
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 dan
ger of his discovering the trap by hit
ting his foot against it as he might have
done had it been on a level with the
threshold. N s. sges
.sIf / fail to catch him, ard he dis
covers what I 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 | call him. If he doesn't
get into the trap must run for it. In
the darkness can manage to keep out
of his way" IA
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 inte
the kitchen--and into the trap! the
| Jaws of which closed on his foot with a
vicious snap, as if they were glad to gel
hold of such game. The oaths and
curses which broke from the mans lips
when he realized that he was caught
was fearful to hear, and yet they had a
pleasant sound to Willie. for they as
sured him that the thief felt that he had
been outwitted, and that he knew
he could not escape. Willie's first act
| was to run around to the front door,
through which he entered the living
room and secured his gun. With this
in his possession he felt himself master
of the situation. The tramp started for
the door with the trap fast to his foot.
But the weight of it was SO great tina.
he could not make much headway, and
the frightful gripof its jaws gave him
so much pain that he sank down on the
threshold Just as Willie came back with
| HIS gun. 81 sfsraS 8IaEtfgsE
"Don't trysto get awayr' cried the
brave lad. "You. can't, if you try ever
SO hard. I've got gun, you see, and
| IN use it if you compel me to-" He
meant what he said and the tramp
knew it, go
sIf you n take this thing off Til give
you back the money he said.
I'm not quite green enough TO de
that, Twas Tie boys answer.