The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-11-23

them gave a stihed scream and drew
hastily back.
"Why. what is the matter, Anna?'
, asked her companion.
''It's a man-see!" She pointed ex
citedly and sure enough, in a hollow a
their feet. half screened by the forest o
tall fern that grew around, lay tn
sleeping figure of a man.
Well" said her companion, cody
she's only man after all, and a sleep,
one at that. l vas afraid it was
snake or a fieid-mouse or something"
The tramp's shoulders shook, though
he laid perfectly still. The two girl:
were walking away. but their voice:
were still distinctly audible.
at wasn't that" said the one called
anna "but for an instant ne reminds
me SO forcibly of the father of my dear
friend, Clara Jessop, where visited
last summer"
1.-The deucew said the tramp, sitting
up.
81 don't think Judge Jessop would be
complimented to hear that he looked
like common tramp" said her com
panion.
"N-o. l suppose not" said Anna,
doubtfully; and then their voices were
lost in the distance.
81 think I'll light out. as the vcrna-
cular has it," remarked the tramp,
scrambling to his feet. Suppose
Alsace had come out of that house this
morning! / thought my own mother
wouldn't know me by this time"
He set off AZ Il good pace, intending
to leave the village many miles behind
him by noon. ..Whew-it's warm!" he
said, tanning himself with his battered
hat The air was so still he could hear
the farmer calling his cattle to salt
fields away. A daisy was nesting in
the grass at his feet; he picked it and
put it in his coat.
Marguerite" he said. gently, "with
the pure face and the golden heart"
Suddenly he burst into a roar of
laughter. He flung himself on the
grass and laughed till the little crickets
stopped their piping and skurried away
in disgust. Finally he sat up and
wiped his eyes, the laugh dying away in
little internal gurgles and shakings.
How that young rascal did maui me
last night" he exclaimed. Unjust tell
Saunders"
At this moment noise on the road
attracted his attention. As it came
nearer he could hear the hoof-falls of
many horses. He rose and slouchei
carelessly along. In a moment they
were all around him. thick as bees at
an intruder and as angry.
Here he is!" cried one. grabbing
him by the collar. Don't make no
words" cried another, as he attempted
to speak. Then man. evidently an
official, singled himself out from the
crowd and approached the captive.
Now don't try to get away. nur to
say nothin'," he said. "You know
what yer nabbed for, an you KIN ex-
plain how you did it to Judge Alsace."
Judge Alsace. The man groaned.
81 assure you | am innocent" he
said. though l don't know what the
trouble is"
Don't you, indeed" said the sheriff,
with CHASTITY popularity. Didn't break
into the judges house last night an run
off with the spoons, suppose"
'Indeed didn't" replied the tramp.
with evident relief. you've made a
mistake in the man."
A derisive shout from the crowd
warned him that this would not Ego
down"
"Do you mean to tell me that you
didn't stand ioollin' at that very house
this morning, till you saw some one
coming?" demanded the sheriff. angrily.
why. as soon as l heard of the rob
berry spotted my man. No sir. burglars
an tramps an ali other attempts at
breakin' the peace dom get by mel"
He glanced triumphantly over the
crowd and thought of the approaching
election. The crowd seemed duly i'm
pressed. just then a newcomer greeted
the crowd.
Its all right, boss" he said. i've
tracked this ere 'oss 'mazin' ways
Fust e give is name as Hendricks, then
e shipped as an Irishman, an down
here at Jim Anderson's e got into n
row with one of the men about some
gal, an got that black eye an left
'thout is pay. Now C comes a-stealin'
spoons al lowin' we've got the wrong
man"
The prisoner looked this way and
that, evidently desperate and contem-
plating the chances OF fight.
''YOu can't do it, sonny" said the |
sheriff, interpreting his glance. jest |
make up your mind to tell the ledge all |
about it"
The tolls were closing; the las. |
chance was going. Boys" he said.
drawing himself up, do look like
guilty man? tell you know nothing
about this robbery. Why, I'm j."
There was an interrupting shout and a !
party OF men rode up with closely |
guarded prisoner il their midst.
We've got hila!" they shouteo. |
''Why, what is this!" exclaimed the !
leader, his eye on the suddenly re-
leased man, who had seemingly COL /
lapsed.
His head hung Gown, his hat was
pulled over one eye. his hands swayed |
backward and forward uselessIy