Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-01-15

''Stop that" said David, who stood
near him with his iron club uplifted.
"f you do that again I'll let you feel
this"
The man looked at him with q hery
fash In his eyes, and then he looked at
me, as / stood holding the muzzle of my
pistol within two feet of his face. The
black and red faded out of his counte-
nance. He became pale. He glanced
at his companions bound and senseless.
His expression now changed entirely.
The fury of the wild beast was succeed
ed by look of frightened subsection.
Gazing very anxiously at my pistol, he
said in voice, though agitAted, was
low and respectful:
"What does this mean, what are you
going to do? viii you please turn away
the muzzle Of that pistol?"
took no notice of this indication Of
my steadiness of hand, and answered:
81 am going to b,ing these other
scoundrels to their senses, and early in
the morning the three of you will be on
your way to Jail, where hope you may
remain for the rest of your lives"
''If you don't get killed on your way
there" said David, in whose nervous
hand the heavy biscuit-beater was ale
most as dangerous as my pistol.
The stout man who sat in the middle
of the bench was twice as long in re-
viving as had been his companion, who
watched the operation with intense in
terest. When the burly scoundrel final
ly became conscious he sat for a few
minutes gazing at the floor with a silly
grin, then he raised his head and looked
first at one of his companions
and then at the other; gazed for
an instant at me and David, tried to
move his feet, gave pull at one arm
and then at the other, and when he
found he was bound hard and fast his
face turned as red as fire and he opened
his mouth, whether to swear or yell /
know not. had already closed the
door and before the man had uttered
more than premonitory sound David
had clapped the. end of his bludgeon
against his mouth.
'Taste that" he said, ''and you know
what you will get if you disturb this
family with any of your vile cursin' and
swearin'."
''Look here" said the tall man, sud-
denly turning to the other with an air
of authority, ''keep your mouth shut,
and don't speak till you're spoken to-;
mind that, now, or these gentlemen will
make it the worse for you"
David grinned as he took away his
club.
"I'd gentlemen you," he said, 'If 1
could get half chance to do it."
The face of the heavy burglar main
tanned its redness, but he kept his mouth
shut.
When the younger man was restored to
his senses his full consciousness and
power of perception seemed to come to
him in an instant. His eyes flashed
from right to left, he turned deadly
white, and then merely moving his arms
and legs enough to make himself
aware that he was bound, he sat per-
fectly still and said not q word.
now felt must go and acquaint my
wife with what had happened, or other
wise she would be coming downstairs
to see what was keeping me so long.
David declared that he was perfectly
able to keep guard over them and I ran
upstairs. David afterwards told me
that as soon as left the room the tall
burglar endeavored to bribe him to cut
their ropes, and told him if he was
afraid to stay behind after doing this
he would get him much better stu
alton than this could possibly be. But
as David threatened personal injury to
| the speaker if he uttered another word
| of the kind the tall man said no more.
but the stout man became very violent
and angry, threatening all sorts of
vengeance on my unfortunate man
David said he was beginning to get
| angry when the tall man, who seemed
to have much influence over the other
fellow, ordered him to keep quiet, as
the gentleman with the iron club
no doubt thought he was doing right.
The young fellow never said a word.
| When told my wife that 1 had caught
three burglars, and they were fast
bound in the library, she nearly tainted,
and when 1 had revived her she begged
/ me to promise that / would not go down
stairs again until the police had carried
away the horrible wretchcs. But / as
| sured her that it was absolutely neces-
sary for me to return to the. library.
! She then declared that she would go
with me, and if any thing happened she
would share my fate. Besides" she
said, ''if they are tied fast SO they can't
| move, should like to see what they
look like. l never saw burglar"
did not wish my wife to go down
stairs, but as knew there would be no
use in objecting, 1 consented. She
hastily dressed herself, making me wait
! for her, and when she left the room she
; locked the door on the sleeping George
| William, in order that no one should
get at him during her absence. As we
passed the head of the stairs the door
/ of my Aunt Martha's room opened, and
there she stood completely dressed with
her bonnet on and a little leather bag
! in her hand.
81 heard so much talking and SO much
going up and downstairs that thought
l had better be ready to do whatever
had to be done. Is it fire?"
''No," said my wife; Its three burglars
tied in bunch in the library. am go
ing down to see them"
My Aunt Martha gasped and looked as
If she were going to sit down on the
floor.
s'Goodness graciousr' she said, .sif
you're going III go too. can't let you
go alone, and l never did see burglar .
hurried down and left the two ladies
on the stairs until was sure every thing
was still safe, and when / saw that there
had been no change in the state of af-
fairs told them to come down.
When my wife and Aunt Martha
timidly looked in at the library door the
effect upon them and the burglars was
equally interesting. The ladies each
gave start and little: scream and
hnadled themselves close to me, and the
three burglars gazed At them NTH facs.a
that expressed more esteaisA1ept tkan