The Press., 1888-09-20
HOW THE ROBBERS WERE BOILED.

eruale college educated, handsomely at- tired, smooth of tongue, and courteous of manner. And there was Harry Lane, on the other hand, 8 stalwart young farmer of 20, who owned a well.conducted farm, was as honest and true a man as the wide world could produce, and fully his own master. And both were courting pretty Nettie Wilder.
 And poor little Nettie was growing grave and womanly, thinking of the choice she must make. For, if Harry had been her boy lover all her life, Frank possessed the charm of novelty, and he would take her from the drudgery of farm life. | Yet there was something about Frank Mitchell that Nettie distrusted. She could not define it, and none of the whispers that "Mitchells son was little wild" had ever reached her yet she was conscious of a certain shrinking from his most tender speeches.
 She was pondering over all this one pleasant October afternoon and, as @ shadow crossed the window, she looked up to see Harry Lane carrying large GOV cred basket.
 i've are gathering the pipins," he said, coming to the window sill, "and brought over basket for your mother"
 Mrs. Wilder, from the inner part of the room, advanced to speak some words of thanks, adding:
 "Don't you want to take some to your grandfather, Nettie Harry can go to the crossroads with you"
 Half reluctantly Nettie put on her hat and sacqae, and selected some of the finest pipins for smaller basket
 With a nod and smile Nettie left Harry at the crossroads (where he promised to meet her at o'clock), to cross the lot, that saved nearly half mile of the dis tance to her grandfather's. On entering the kitchen she frightened Katie, the old servant, by the ashy pallor of her face and the strange. tremor of her voice, as she said sharply
 "Where is grandfather
 "He's not come in from town yet" was the reply. "Whatever's come to you, Miss Nettie Are you going to faint ?"
 "No. I am tired. I must watch for grandfather, or he may drive past"
 Then she run across the garden to the gate, for there was a sound of wheels on the road. Her grandfather checked his horse as she opened the gate to say to her
 "Jump in, I'm going over to Mltchell's. ''
 "You must come in frst," she said, "I must speak to you, grandfather. It is i'm portant"
 Her pale, agitated face and her earnest. ness half frightened the old man, and lie tied the horse and followed her into the house.
 "What is it, dear ?" he asked, ''Be as quick as you Can, for I want to get home before dark, and it's. good stretch tc Mitchell's."
 Grandfather, have you money for him
 "Yes. All the quarterly rents. Folks all paid up today"
 "You must not take it over, grandfather There are three men over in Higgins old barn waiting to rob you."
 "Nonsense !'
 "lt is not nonsense, grandfather, l came across lots with Harry, but when passed Higgins place saw some of those great yellow pears hanging over the barn, and went to get them. When I was in the tree saw and heard the men. They are iu the barn and they know you have been collecting the rents. They mean to stoI you and take the money. And, oh, grand father if you don't go on they wi come over here and rob you. So you must lei me do what have planned. Let me take the money on, and you stay here. If they stop me, will tell them that you have sent the money to MT. Mitchell"
 "You can say I met Mitchell's man, Will son, in town, if you choose. often send it out by him, but met him today before it was paid. But, Nettie, I can't let you run into danger"
 'There will be no danger to me. They will never think have the money"
 "But they may look to see.
 For answer Nettie took down coil ol superb brown hair, that had been neatly ) twisted up under her hat. Shaking it out she said
 "Give me the notes, grandfather.
 He took large roll from his wallet, and looked on in mute admiration while Nettie twisted it into her hair, pinning and pat ting the enlarged coil until it was in order and finally perching the dainty hat over all.
 "Don't worry about me, she said, kiss ing the old man tenderly. Then, after 6 moments hesitation, she said, very, very gravely: "Grandfather, you will keep a secret, il tell you one"
 "Yes, dear"
 "Then, while you are grateful that you are not exposed to robbery, and perhaps murder, thank heaven, too, for my escape One of these men is Frank Mitchell"
 She kissed nim, and was gone before ht had sufficiently recovered from his amaze ment to answer her.
 She drove rapidly, hoping to pass Hig gins barn too quickly to be stopped, ai dusk was gathering. But three men stood across the road, aud the horse stopped The men were all masked, but Nettie knev we'll that it was her lover who grasped tn, horse by the bridle and ordered her grand father to alight.
 It was hard task to laugh, but Netti, was brave in the face of the actual peril With light laugh she said
 'I am not MT. Snow. Don't you knov a girl from an old man?"
 I'This is Mir. Shows buggy" growlec one of the men,"
 ''Well, hasn't he right to lend it to hi grand-daughter to go home in P retorte, Nettie.
 ''Ain't he going over to Mitchell's? {? asked the growing voice.
 ''No. Oh I" as if the idea had suddenl, occurred to her-"Oh, you wicked men You thought grandfather was taking mon ey to MT. Mitchelps. Oh, I'm so glad He met Mir. Wilson in town, and he Ina sent MT. Mitchell the rents."
 The ferceness of the oaths that met thi statement made Nettie's heart sink. Blu she sat erect and watched the hand tha held her horse. In the first surprise tn man turned to his companions, and Nettie gathering the reins firmly in her left hauG suddenly brought the whiplash with a the. force of her young arm across tn hand she was watching. Involuntarily lloosened it's grasp, while the horse, startle