Dodge City times., 1891-04-17

old friend, if tramp who has called at
ones door can be called such.
"Ah,- exclaimed that gentleman; $50
you're the other gent"
Mart said he was.
Then Mr.. Pickle introduced the boys
to a companion near the door. a bushy.
bearded, slouch-hatted man, who might
have been Mr.. P's brother, only differ
ing from him in that his hair was fire
red.
Mr.. Pickle called him Gully. Lou no
ticed, and he asked whether Gully was
Q scout.
"Betyerv' returned the individual.
''Skalped towns o redskins, haz. Got
ther rumatiz walxin' in their blood, Z" he
added; 80 guess I'll shut out the
evenin' zephyrs."
He closed the old mill door at that
and at first 1t was hard to discern the
objects in the big room.
''Cully's a lala!" averred Mr.. Pickle,
or something like that, and he patted
his friend on the back.
''Pick's one, too-' said that worthy;
then he asked: Got ther skids, pards?"
Lou had had his hand on the little
hoard in his pocket all the time, and,
unsuspectingly, he produced it. Mr..
Pickle received it, and his ally took
Mart's, then the boys had a surprise.
A piece of cloth was thrust into the
mouth of each, and they were packed
up against two beams ON the opposite
side of the mills interior. The gagging
was then made perfect with their hand
kerchiefs, and they were bound tightly
to the beams with bits of rope Mr..
Pickle produced, much to that worthy's
satisfaction.
After they were forced to listen to
some very uncomplimentary remarks
from Mr.. Pickles friend, they were
finally left helpless in the old ruin, he
and Mr.. P. disappearing through the
door, Louis five dollars and Mart's short
seven in their pockets.
The spirits of the chums were damp
sned. They saw how they had been
misled; and, Is if the punishment were
not already great enough, night in
the old mill stared them in the face.
They even feared they might have to
stay there longer-Lou thought die
there. The old ruin was seldom visited.
1t grew later and more lonely. Weird
noises sounded now and then, while
the strengthening wind began to moan
dismally about the caves. A storm
arose. The old mill rocked and swayed,
its beams groaning and boarding rat
Ting. Drenching streams of water fell
upon the chums through the leaky roof,
and they were chilled to the marrow by
the cold gusts entering the door, every.
where.
Lurid lightning flashed and thunder
pealed.
A loose board or shingle was torn
from the old shell by an unusually
strong puff.
Fortunately, for them, a grizzly-faced
wanderer was driven there for shelter
The mill was doomed.
Some time in the night, after he had
released them, the old ruin toppled into
the river and was washed down to the
Monongahela.
That nights adventure-theirt terri
bly, narrow escape = made dreams of
running away less frequent and fascin-
ating with the boys than before. Nor
was NAT the Trapper" quite so much
pored over in secret
Then. soon, business called Louis
father west, and he took Lou with him,
so my young friend saw that great
country as it really is, not as it ie
painted. Lou visited Butler City,
stopped at some of the camps in the
heart of the Rockies; and when he
came home it was with the determine
tion to never attempt running away
from home again Mart, too, was
cured of his desire for miners life by
what Lou told him, and they now are,
thanks to the failure of the plans laid in
Mart,s fathers barn, successful citizens
of . thriving Pennsylvania city, and
the etperience relate is . vivid mem-
ory they laugh over heartily each time
they meet-Clarence G. Converss. in
Yankee Blade.