The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-09-14

come from? demanded Jack, rudely
shaking the drowsy boy.
please sir, came from Cleveland,
and want job haying."
"Yern get somethin' as yer don't
want, We sneakin' kid" roared Bill
oval! pards," turning to his COM
panions; II suppose he hez heard our
hull scheme to do old Jaxon's place to-
night?"
please, SIR" ventured Bob, II don't
even know where old Jaxon's place is"
"None O. yer lynn to US, kid! Didn't
we see yer talkin' with him at the door,
while we were watchin' the house from
the woods, couple of hours ago? None
o. yer lynn to us, or we will choke yer
on the spot!''
Then it dawned upon the lad that
these men were going to rob the man
that SO cruelty repulsed him that after
noon.
After whispered consultation, one
of the tramps approached, and pulling
from his pocket a piece of Irvine, tied
the lads hands.
Now, you come with u.s." he COM
manded; ''and if yer squeal, down goes
your shanty! See?"
The sun, which was setting when
Bob crawled into the haystack, had
long since disappeared, and the stars
were twinkling above his head.
The tramp led tho way toward q
patch OF woods, and as they climbed
over the stony, rough ground a strange
feeling of satisfaction came into Bob's
heart, as he thought that now the man
who had refused him chance to earn
crust of bread when starving should
SO soon be punished. But as he gazed
at the stars, he thought of his mother,
toiling in that distant city, and over
his mind flashed the query: What would
she say?
He stopped. peering into the sky as
though he would read her answer there,
but a rough hand was laid on his ragged
jacket
Come on, ye brat! Don't think ez
ye kin give us the slip"
Obediently Bob trudged along, but
his mind was made up.
'Did yer fasten tho kid to ther sap
lin, Bill?"
"Yasy" !;
''Sure he can't get away?"
"Yas" !
"All right, let's 60 out apd take
look at the land
They had, indeed, fastened Bob Sc
curely. Both hands were tied, and
there was apparently no danger of
escape.
But escape he must, and he turned
over in his mind several plans for secur-
ing his freedom. one after another of
which he discarded as impracticable.
Finally, he found by dint of much
twisting and muscle straining he could
reach with his teeth the cord that bound
his hands.
Then began the process of gnawing
off the bonds 1t was slow, tedious
work, as the exertion gave him cramps
in the neck and arms, but at last he
succeeded in freeing his hands.
Dropping on his knees, he crawled
along the path, his heart jumping into
his throat every time q leaf stirred.
Hank! What was that? !,
''Got the matches, Bill?'
"Yasl"
"And the oiled waste%'
''Yasl''
oval, you make hustle toward the
barn and we will watch the doors"
The footsteps died away and Bob
knew immediate action was necessary.
At last he reached the open field and
by wide detour entered old Jaxon's
yard.
How should he alarm the inmates?
At one door stood the tramp, Jack, and
beneath the climbing vines which
Swallowed the porch he could discern
the crouching figure of a companion.
Creeping along, Bob reached an open
window, and near it against a cherry
tree stood ladder. With considerable
effort and much caution he placed the
ladder against the sill and began to
mount, intent on saving Jaxon's prop
erty. There was a rustling within the