Mohave County miner., 1889-08-24
SAVED FROM A CRIME.

Mabel Blackmore was late In COM
ing home that windy March night
from the little red seh0Slhouse ON the
edge Of the woods. Not that she
minded much. Tie neighborhood WA
very quiet and she seldom met any
one upon the lonely road. .~
There had been Q board meeting ai
the school after the scholars were dis
missed. This accounted for the teach
or being late on her way home. Ii
accounted also for her having sir ten
dollar bills folded neatly away at the
bottom of her pockstc~ber quarter 3
salary. And the trustees had compii-
IDeated her on the success Of her
method OF teaching and had engaged
her for another year. n go
Sixty dollars! 1T was q great deal
OF money for her to have. More than
she ever possessed before at any one
time in her life. for her sehooi-teach-
ing career had jast begun. She was
wondering in a sort Of vague way how
she could possibly spend it. She might
have new silk ydress--Or she might
buy n parior organ on the installment
principle and make considerable
primary payment oa II. She had al
ways lnnged t.r a parlor organ.
Hushl As she passed along ths path,
thickly carpeted with. fallen leaves,
voices struck on her ear. She stopped.
Two men-half-growa youths. rather
were talking ia low, suppressed
voices. as they sat on a fallen log be-
side the little stream. Between her
self aud them ipterposed wall of
svergresns. and in the moment In
which she paused she heard the words.
..It's only borrowing. after all. Joe.
We can return it 10 him anonymously
when We have made ii up again
''BorrowiBgi Don't talk such non.
sense as that. Thad! It's stealing. It's
highway robbsry!'' another voice re-
torted. ......
He won't know who did Il. He's
half blind. anyway. and three-quar,ers
deaf We're safe enough"
II never thought % come to such
logic as that. Thad."
Nor / either. Jos: bat you know
as well as that it's got to be done"
''Oncs get me out Of this scrape.~ -
said Joe, in deep. voice, land if ever
/ do such n thing again"
But, Joe. reasoned the other, ave
expected the money To double itself.
1t was an Jim Lsrkins' confounded
lies-aBd COW he's off with our ;.iDuey
and the lottery scheme all gone 10
smash. and il the money Amt back 10
old Vwther's drawer before ha makes
up bis weekly caslt-aceolnt---why, you
and are booked Tor . t.srm 10 Pop
field Jail, that's ailt''
And s0, slowly altered the voice
Of Joe Haydea-Mabel knew. it we'll.
for was 1t not the tenor voice that
sung in the choir next 10 her every
Sunday morniug9"-'.to cover up one
crime we must commit anotherf Be-
cause we have stolen money from
LOwther's till we mnst commit high
way robbery on a: poor, disabled old
man. who has drawn his pitifui saw
ings out of the bank To-"
Don't put IL that way, Joe. We
have borrowed once. Now We must
borrow again. IL seems to me you are
trying to make the worst Of iIf'
ats all worst, Thad!" with a groan.
"If had . pistol here | should bs al
most tempted to put bullet through
my brains and end the whole matterr'
Well" recklessly uttered Thad.
deus Vail, take your choice. II you
prefer Jail, Jail be itl''
And my mother;'' 10 q voice Of In.
describable anguish.
Would IL be any better for her II
yOn shot YOURSELF Come, lad. brace
ap-it's nearly dark. Old Baruum
will be along pretty soon know his
hours-and the thing has got 10 be
done. It's only so. We can replace
it in time. All we want is time"
Once more Joe Hayden greaBed =
deep and bitter groan. more agoniziug 2
in its sound than many tears. Mabel
Blackmore knew these young men
we'll They were bright, spirited
young fellows. her companions at pic
ME, husking frolic, and apple-bee.
Their parents were honest, hard-work.
ing folks whom she met every Sunday
at church. She could hardly believe
that this was not q dream. Yet In .
minute she had considered all the
sxigencies Of the case and made NJ
her mind. She parted the heavy ever
green boughs with her hand and eB-
tered the little glade. Both young
men started as u they had seen .
g. ost.
''lt's only me, Thad Vail" said she.
"Don't be frightened. Joe Hayden.
heard it all. / couldn't help H. !
know what yOn are going 70 do, and
a.. t.fI L..
IL. Here is SO The trustees paid me
my salary this afternoon. I'll lend IL
20 you and no one shalt every know IL.
Pay me back when when you can. !
won't hurry you for the money. You
are all crooked now; get back into the
straight path rs soon as you can: and,
Oh. for heavens sake stay thereg'
Joe Hayden looked into her face
with puzzled eyes. ~ = ''...
do you really meaR IL, MsbeI?"
said he. Your quarters sarnings-
IL makes ps tsel Like . thief to taks
5sn
But IL need sot." Urged Mabel. ."I
offer it to you Of my Own fres will. II
-is will keep y"H from something
worse"
mabel, ynu are trumpr said Vail
5R q choksd voice. We'll accept
four offer, and God bless yoa for IL!
There's no knowing what IL may have
saved Us from. YVu're Tight-ws are
all crooked"
''I must be going," said Mabel. bur-
risdly. Your secret Is safe with me,
bows. Do not be afraidi and, any
70 q % .
aA.H& '...f'.f ~. +. :. ~ 80;
@'.s j.: . :. ..
.& - H.. =. i