Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-08-14
A DETECTIVES STORY,

lne ups ana downs of n miner = life
the topic being suggested 10y a land
scape dotted with coal-hreakers and
turrowed with coal roads.
The freedom and interest of their
conversation did not seem to be dam
pened by the fact that the younger
OF the two carried revolver, while
his companion wore pair of those
uncoveted articles of jewelry which
are known in criminal circles as
"bracelets.'
The few persons who had observed
them learned from the confidential
brakeman that they were anoted de-
tective and his prisoner on the way
to trial. AS far as ages went the
pair might have been taken for father
and son. the fine gray head of the
one contrasting strongly with the
crisp brown curls of his captor.
What crime had been committed
the brakeman did not know, but haz.
arded II conjecture that it must
have been a pretty hard one, or
George Munson wouldn't have took
the trouble to put them things on
his wrists
Presently the brakeman and the
conductor satisfied the Joint demands
OF etiquette and curiosity by stopping
to exchange a few words with the de-
tective; the former then pcrched him
self up the coal-box directly behind
the prisoner, and the latter dropped
magnifcently into the seat in front.
The train was sweeping around a
curve and past a ruined trestle on
the hillside at which both of the pas
sengers looked with some interest.
Il remember that place." said the
older man.
$50 do l." responded the Younger;
II was born there. Came near being
buried there, too," he resumed after
a moments pause.
How was that?'
It's pretty long story" said the
detective, but Iguess we'll have time
for it between this and the next sta
ton. Way up there on the slope is
the little settlement where 1made my
debut, SO to speak; from it to the
bottom of the hill there used to be a
gravity road-a long, winding track
reaching from the settlement down
to the top of a bank wall of earth
where a slide occurred the year / was
born. On both sides of the track
grew saplings that had sprung up
since the disaster what / am telling
you occurred five years later, and
they crowded the road and hung over
the old rusty rails ON which the coal
cars used to run. You must remem
Der that the houses were built neal
the mouth of the pit-that was one
of the first mines worked in this coun.
try, and one of the first to be
abandoned. Time l am telling about
some men were walking up the track,
and a lot of children playing near the
top, climbing in and out of an old cal
which had lain there since it made its
last trip with the brokenspraggs still
in it's wheels.
'The men were miners. all but on,
of them, who questioned his com
panions about their work and tn,
country they lived in. He was evi
IDENTIFY a stranger.
presently, as they talked, shou'
from the top of the slope attracted
their attention, and they looked III
just in time to see the car begin tt
, moye slowly down the grade.
! |'..There was an impatient exclama
a ton from the Oldest man in the party
Them brats is Away up to som'
mischief he said. They hav'
started that old thing off atlast; Nv
Nlheen expectin' to see it go at an.
time this five year. They'll be break
ipg their necks yet with their tom
: N0ling.' And another of the grou]
ladded: we must dust out of thi
lively, unless we want to get on
pecks broke; she'll either jump tn
syrAil or go to pieces at the bottom
lucky there amt no one aboard Q
"The stranger was looking nnx
81 iously up at the approaching runu
AWAY. His quick eye had caugh
sight of something round and goldel
rskabove the cur rim.
Nh ""There's child in that car h
! raid quietly.
"a at was a second or two before hi
companions realized the awful near
y ing Of that statement. A chic
Tha4nnsfRs if he said that in a te1
. islns164tk1cme one-perhaps one {
9 he1 pQuld be childiess.
tk ~ itnpulse they turned t
look 4e nkeN rails at the eds