Wichita eagle., 1889-08-27

"Oh, of coursei l don't think we'll have
, much difficulty in finding the money some
where about his clothes or the apartment, but
| without the chlproform he might wake up
and become troublesome, and then we might
have to silence him, and midnight m0rders
are not the most pleasant things to have to
| provide against"
well, the women"
They won't bother us, reckon. I don't
intend they shall know anything about it till
George Chalmers, after coming TO himself,
goes to look for his pile by which time well
besafe enough out Of the reach of all"
Without any blood ON our hands,"
That's the way want It
"But sooner than be taken or discovered,
SanP'
Why, you know, Ben, I'd cut every
throat and burn down tho house with the
bodies in 10. Taken or discoveries HeavensI
Death sooner than either!"
THAT'S So 1t would be bad thing for
US, and horrifying thing for our families
and friends. In any case we must wear our
masks. l suppose we're to enter the general
slttng'roorn frsuF"
''ThHt's the best His room adjoins it On
She south. When he fastens his door at ali
Il Is |ithfhe key, which he'll likely leave in
the lock IN turn that with my nippers il
he does. Eai use a skeleton key if he don't.
It's a good night for us-dark. windy and
rainy-so thata slight noise won't be heard .
The twoasVi3 .plottsFs got under a shed and
waited tilA tho slime fxedupon for their bur
gIarious work
There weresno shutters to the windows
only inside zy.stenings
IaI+ - ii
Pan@of oue, Of the two family room windows,
pass,an avn through, remove tho fastenings,
ana Graw through the lower hall.
Itey fsmt the pane with diamond near the
SASH bU t IL trying to get control Of it they
pus bed it inward, and It fell into the room
with 9. sharp crash and jingle.
The noise disturbed the sleepir host with
ort auily waking him, and he rnUmbled out,
" Whats tbatl" in 4 tone that showed he was
spund asleep again by the time the words
NJ re fairly uttered.
Then the two burglars, their faces conceal
ed by black masks, worked their way into the
room, each assisting the other, and flashed a
( Light al around them from the bulls eye of
the lantern they carried.
To their surprise they found The door of the
young mans sleeping room partly open in
stead Of being shut and locked, and they
were disposed to take alarm at it till they
heard his steady, heavy hrea4ting
Then both, after another sharp sweep of
the light al arouad them, noiselessly adj
vanced to the bed Of the sleeger--one pre-
pared with the chloroform to seal up his
senses, but both ready to murder him rather
than fail in their purpose
Just at that critical point OF time another
human figure, unseen by them, came silently
gliding through the darkness and stealing up
behind them.
It was the tramp.
In his hand be held rope with a moose at
one end not unlike a iassp
He stopped SO near the two midnight
providers that he could have touched them,
and poised the hand that held che rope, while
every nerve secretly qiMyered with intense
excitement.
1t was moment big with fate for all con-
cerned.
single mistake, the slightest error, might
cost his own and other human lives
The robbers, both intent up6n their evil
design, did not look behind them.
They stopped close to the bed of the sleep,
ing man, one hooking over the shoulder OF
the other
The forward one held a han6kerchiefki in
one hand saturated with chlorof6rin, and in
the other hand the lantafa, whose light he
streamed fau upon the face of the sleeper
just as he reached forward TO press the
handkerchief TO the hostrils Of their intended
victim the second roOber, armed with knife
and revolver, prepared for deadly assault.
brought his head close up to. his coupanfonS,
the better to note the slightest movement,
at that moment the tramp StlFllfully threw
ihis moose over the heads of both
Then, with vigorous backward spring. he
frightened tho moose around the n@cSs OF both
and jerked them down-stumbiiug founder
ing, crashing-surprised, terrified and almost
strangled
Surrender and throw down your weapons
or I'll beat out your brainsi'' cried the tramp,
as he jerked and pulled upon the rope, IN or
der to strangle the scoundrels into submis--
sion.
The answer was three pistol shots from the
man who held the revolver, neither of which
'hit the tramp, but one of which entered the.
brain of bis companion and ended his wicked
work for this world
The noise reused the sleeper, who started
np in alarm, with. loud cries OF murder and
Ior help.
This in turn set the women TO shrieking,
and the late silent and peaceful dwelling be-s
came for the time bedlam of horrors :
Keep quiet, Dir. Chalmers, you shall noti
be harnled,'' said the tsamp, as, still pnling
at the rope, he pounded the head Of the living
rob5er with the butt of his revolver, till he
sank under the blows 'Nowget a hight, = he.
continued, Tor turn the light of the villains
lantern upon their faces and see what your
tramp has done for YOU"
1t took some minutes more to make George
Chalmers, his mother and sister-understand.
the true state of the caSe-that the man to /
whom they had given shelter had savedSthem ]
from being robbed, if not murdered
But what was their further amazement
and horror TO discover that the dead burglar ,
and the living burglar were two of their Z
neighbors, with whom they had long been
and whose regulations stood high
as well-to-ao, upright, honorable men
When they came to pour ont their profuse
thanks 10 ths"tramp for his courageous and
timely interference in their behalf, be quietly
respOnceds
4ou have much to thank me for, it is
true because You would certainly have been
robSed, if not murdered. II had not been
lnder your roos: bat Jon have 70 thank me
Tor it ina different way than yon suppose,
I'm not here Sy accident, but design I'm no /
Tramp, but Gsssotive. I've had myeye on /
.hose villains for some time, but needed
proof befere eEPestlag them BY chance l /
overheard a pbnt 70 rob George Chalmers on |
he night he should set paid for bis cattle. |
Ind worked out the rest, as you see This |
1lliaan. Samuel Jennings, -nodhng 10 the /,
COW lightly beand living robber, must |
4ther so 70 the state prison. or the Sailows.n /