The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-21
REPUTATION FOR SAND.
MIR. Fielding Acquires One and
Then Is Obliged to
Use 1t.
Thrilling Experience as Watch
Dog in the House of a
Friend.
In Search of a Burglar That Didn't Be
long to Him-Fircd in Self
Defense.
Written for THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENTLY

Written for The SUNDAY INDEpENDENr.1
We strolled out to the gypsies' camp on
the borders of the town. 1t was evening
n the moons pale rays struggled through
the clouds Of mosquitoes. Other clouds
were rising dark in the west, but they were
of a comparatively harmless nature, being
loaded only with chain lightning.
We passed along the main road which en-
ters Buggsboro, N. j., at one end and es-
capes at the other-in a somewhat battered
and rocky condition, it is true. but still not
so bad as one might expect who knew the
place. Some of the Rypsies were at homo
when we arrived and others had come out
to sec what they could steal. This particu-
lar tribe, we were told, had been wandering
around the state of New Jersey for twenty
years; and, though they are not an imita-
tive people. nevertheless they had gradu-
ally acquired habits of crime and an ap-
pearance of uncleanliness which rendered
them interesting to q believer in the broth
erhood of man.
Some of our party thought them very ro-
mantle, but my pretty cousin Lou (who was
under my especial charge that EVENING" re-
garded them with horror, and contidod to
me that she should be very much afraid if
there were not SO many of us to protect her.
This implication that ! alone would not be
sufficient, nettled my vanity. and l straight
way told her some wild, adventurous stories
wherein l figured as the hero. Some of
these tales were founded upon facts, and
Others were not, but they all tended to show
in an indirect and modest way, that there
was at least one man in the world who
could be depended upon in all situations of
difficulty and danger. / had told some of
these lies go often, and had been so merci.
fully spared amy ordeal of the nerves, that
l had come to believe in my own physical
courage. Such a delusion is a good and
comfortable thing, and l wish l hadn't
lost il.
After inspecting the camp, we returned
along the main street. ] was still talking
about myself, and the subject was 80 inter
esting that ] did not notice how far behind
them the others were leaving Lou and me.
(My wife says this is too thin: she insists
that was flirting with my pretty cousin
we were approaching a summer residence
belonging to our friend. Judge Allerton,
This eminent gentleman has a keen, Judi
cial mind which lenda him to avoid Buggs-
boro' as q place of even temporary resi-
dence. but he sends Mrs. Allerton down
there for II couple of months every year,
and persundes her to invite people whom he
has a grudge against, to visit her. His son
Charley runs out to Buggsboro' once in a
while when the races have been going the
wrong way, because il is II cheap place to
live in, and his relatives whom he meets
there do not. rs n rule, play poker with
metropolitan dcxterity. At the time of
which | write, tho house was u%ntenanted,
for it was early in June.
was just telling Lou how Detective Bro
gan and / investigated tho celebrated Spag-
hetti tragedy in Mulberry Bend. The temp
tntion to harrow up pretty girls feelings
IN this way is something which few young