Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1890-10-30

slight cracking of the dry brush, nor
did she see dark head that was thrust
a little way above the hedge, gazing
after her with sinister looks.
'I'll not stay long" she thought, as
she sped on, and no harm will come of
1t, I'm sure"
But once in the woods, and with such
lively companions, Lou forgot every
thing, and time flew by 50 rapidly that
the first thing she knew it was growing
late and the sun had sunk far down the
Western sky. With start she cried:
"Oh, my! how the day has, gone. I
must run home at once, or pa and ma
will get back and find me- away, and
then I'll get a licking. didn't mean
! to stay but minute when came"
! Lou was somewhat relieved when she
approached the house, to find shat her
parents had not yet returned, and after
all, she thong hit, <no harmswas done by
her day nsthe woods, sand 1t was much
more pleasant than staying at home,
even if she had disregarded her mothers
commands. ~
But when she entered the house her
spirits fell and she stood aghas 1.-THE
drawers were all taken from the bureau,
and the contents scattered about the
floor, and her first Thoughts was of the
noney-tYo hundred dollars, The pro-
ceeds of her fathers sale of fat hogs.
cts gone, it's .gone,nr. she cried, land
pa will lose his farm, and I'll get an
awful whipping. Oh, mel! I wish I'd
minded ma and stayed at home.":.
Lou sat down on the floor and cried
until she was tired, then getting up she
looked about the house andfinally went
out the back way in the vain hope OF
discovering some trace of the robber. !.
The backyard was quiet and no liv.
ing thing was to De seen there, save
Parker's goat, and he was calmly graz.
ing around an old. abandoned we'll that
had been covered with thin boards and
was overgrown with grass and weeds. !
Lou hallooed at. him land threw.lat
him, trying to drive him. away, but he
would not go. -. 1855. +: i. j;
well, you'd as we'll make tile most
Of this day. you: old .bruEe,'' she said,
for guess paHwill kill you tomorrow
i.if you come around here" :,,..
At that moment Louis attention
twas attracted by a noise from the old
we'll resembling groan and curse com.
bined. She started forward to see what
1t meant, but the goat drove nher back,
| and just then the old farm wagon
ratified up to the gate and Mr.. and Mrs.
Ramsey alighted. Lou had to- tell he1
parents all, including her going a nut.
ting, for, as she said, she felt like she
needed clicking" and she'd rather
take it and have it over than to PC
about for days with. a secret on he,
mind.
So she told the whole story and ended
by saying that there was some one in
the old well. Mr.. Ramsey looked sur.
prised as he cried:
"Some one in the old we'll! How did
any body manage to get in .there2'
Il don't know" said Lou, .'but some
ones in there ..s. =. +,
Perhaps it's the robberp'' Mrs. Ram.
sey suggested.
Well soon see who it isl Mr.. Ram.
sey replied as he started off. There's
| that miserable goat again"
A ladder was letdown into the well
and the man, who turned out to be Par.
ker's hired man. crawled out. Mr.. Ram
sey found his money in the mans peck
ct, so there was no doubt of him being
the thief, and after awhile he confessed
to the charge.
The fellow was naturally vindictive
and cruel, and two or three times dur
ing the summer he had cruelty beaten
the old goat, and the beast had formed
strong dislike for him.
He knew of the money being in Mr..
Ramsey's house, and knew also of Mr..
and Mrs. Ramsey going aWaY, SO he re-.
solved to attempt the robbery. and was
waiting behind the hedge for that pur.
pose wkeL Lou left the house.
Altar getting i've money 10 wcat out