The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-07-31

fronted the astonished gentlemen with
the inquiry:
Where was the robbery? Was it at
Tommy Graves'?" Tommy Graves
was the largest store in the village.)
TIE gentleman was naturally of an
obiiging disposition, and, observing the
great interest taken in the case. he re-
piled:
"Yes, at Tommy Graves. One hun
dred thousand dollars worth of goods,
and his beautiful grand daughter, Miss
Grace, in the bargain"
The youth trembled in his excite
ment But remembering that the
Roaring Ranger did not tremble, even
when covered by the weapons of his
enemies, he made "A desperate effort to
control his nerves.
The two gentlemen passed on their
way talking and chuckling in know
ing manner.
The youth cleared the fence with a
bound which would have astonished
even the Roaring Ranger" and which
certainly would have struck terror to
the heart of his deadly enemy, "Bleary-
Eyed Bill" the fiend who abducted the
beautiful Esmeralda. Crouching like
tiger, he cautiously wendell his way
nomeward, for he well knew that the
redoubtable Maria Jane was ironing
clothes by the kitchen window. with a
freshly cut "gad' lying conveniently
by, and her eyes roaming over the out
lying premises for glimpse of his de-
voted head.
He crept-almost crawled-around
the house to the apple tree which
grew under his bedroom window,
climbed the apple tree, and crept in
Mt the window.
Safely inside, he made straight for
the rag-bag, which lay in a corner.
plunged into its capacious depths, and
succeeded after some difficulty, in
bringing forth a small wooden box
which contained n motley assortment
of goods. The first thing TO attract
attention was INSTRUMENTATION re-
volver. in very dilapidated condition,
minus both sides of the handle and the
cylinder pin, and having, in place of
the latter useful appendage, a large
and very stiff wire, which protruded
an inch or two beyond the muZZle of
the weapon, ending in ling.
Among other things the box also
contained bowie-knife, small mag
nifying glass, false mustache and
whiskers and several wigs.
For half an hour he busted himself
with the contents of this box and some
old clothing, secured by stealthy trip
TO the attic. Then. stealthily as be-
fore, he descended the tree, crept to
the barn, and assembled to the loft.
1t was grotesque figure that
slipped down from the loft at the hour
of nine, and, with cautious glance
around him, started up town. On his
head, covered by wig of gray hair,
was a slouch hat with several holes in
the crown. The coat was cutaway,
and rather large for the wearer, while
the trousers and shoes were the ones
worn through the day. On his face
was fierce, black mustache, and a
long, flowing gray beard and as the
wind blew the loose vest slightly out
of place, ii disclosed n very bright
piece of tin. the bottom of an oyster
can. on which had been laboriously
worked, in sprawling characters, the
| following:
"Old Thunderbolt, the Lightning
Detective"
AS he stepped into the street he did
net notice two dark forms in the door
way of his fathers abode, that started
slightly at first, and then slyly follow
ed him. Their actions. however, would
not be hard to explain.
A search had been instituted by his
parents, and, the father of the family
CHANGING to question the gentleman
with whom our hero had had the CON
versation in the cemetery, they had
started in on the trail of the detect
i've, and, having spotted him, they pro-
posed to shadow him and get on to his
! game.
Il must start in ON the trail at the
point where the robbery and abduction
were committed" muttered "Cld Thun-
derbolt," as we shall hereafter desig-
nate our hero. "Once started in on
the trail | will not eat or sleep until |
have tracked the villains to their lair I"
And as he spoke he had faint recol-
lection of "Old Electricity. or some
other detective, having once used the
same words.
| Gradually the store and residence of
Tommy Graves hove in sight, and, as
he came nearer his eagle eye scanned
/