Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-06-07
a cBauGE OF PURPOSE.
BY THOMAS p. MoSrFoRT.


heavily armed. rode swiftly along O
dim trail that threaded level stretch
of wild Western prairie. 1t was
night, but the moon shone round
and full from a clear sky, giving to
the plain, with it's tall, breeze-swept
grass. the appearance OF calm sum-
mer sea.
''Jim," spoke one of the men,
breaking long silence, ''are you
sure it's all right about that
money!"
"All right how?" the other ques.
toned.
"Are you sure the man has got
It'll"
"Sure as I am that we are here,
Joe. He sold his claim yesterday
an got the cash in hand for it.
There's no mistake this time,
sure"
"Well, that's all right, Jim. II
he's got three hundred dollars, that
means hundred and fifty for each
of us. Pretty good pay for one night s
work, provided there amt too much
risk"
Just about as much risk as there
would be in Robin prairie-lark' &
nest. Why. there's nobody but a
man and a child there, an the man
don't look like he had life enough to
kill q flea. Guess he's about dead
with consumption or something"
He won't be apt to give us much
trouble them" Joe replied. "An'
even il he shows fight we can soon
quiet him."
Eyes; but he won't show any fight
Joe. All we'll have to do will be to
ask for the money, an give the chap
to understand that we are in earnest,
an it'll be yurs. 1t is the softest
snap / ever struck, an it's almost
like pickin' that much money out of
the road"
There was short silence, broken
only by the gathering of the horses
feet on the hard, dry ground as the
horsemen galloped on.
Away across the prairie, at the
foot Of a lonely mound, dim speck
of light came into view.
That's the place." Jim announ-
ced. That's light in the cabin
where the settler lives, and he's still
there. / was little afraid he might
have gone away, though knew it
wasn't his intention to go before to-
morrow"
"An' tomorrow he won't have
much to go away WITH" Joe added.
mot much" Jim agreed.
They rode on in silence, and few
minutes later halted in front of a
little misunderstanding cabin. There
was saddled horse standing tied to
post near the door. They waited
a moment, listening breathlessly, but
no sound reached them from the
cabin.
II don't know what that horse
means here" Jim finally remarked
in low tone. "It's queer that any
body would be here at this time o.
night"
1T is" Joe assented; "more es-
pecially as it amt neighbor."
How do you know it amt Q
neighbour" Jim asked.
Know it by the horse. There
amt settler in this section that
owns horse like that
THAT'S fact" Jim agreed.
"That's a fine animal, an, whoever
he belongs to, ! guess it would be a
good idea for him to change owners.
Don't it strike you so, Joe?"
~ reckon" Joe replied. But
the first thing to be attended to is
that three hundred dollars"
Jim nodded his assent to this pro-
posal, and the two robbers stole eau
tiously forward to the one window Of
the cabin. There was pane broken
out, and they found that they ould
not only see all that was being done
within, but could hear all that was
being said.
In one corner Of the room, on a
small bed, lay a child with thin,
sharp features and great hollow eyes.
On chair near by sat great, rug
ged, burly man, with black hair and
beard, who had buckled about his
waist pair of huge, villainous-look-
ing pistols.
that money with himy" the man
was heard to say.
Eyes, sir" the child replied in q
weak, piping voice.
oval, it would "a been an accom-
mediation to me IL he'd left it here,
but since he didn't, it can't be
helped, / reckon. All can do is to
wait till he comes back"
There was q momentary pause,
after which the man went on:
"How long you reckon your pap
~ be goneH he asked.
mot long now, I guess, the child
replied. HE was just goin' to git
some medicine an come right back. :"
The man made no answer and n
long silence followed. After while
the child looked timidly up into the
rough, bearded face, and speaking in
eager though trembling tones, said:
please, mister, you won't take all
of pas money, will your
II reckon / WILL" the man an
swered, unfeelingly. That's jest
what come here for, an / calc'late
I'll not leave dollar that i can git
my fingers on. faint my way o.
dom business.
IF you take 1t all We can't go away
from here" the child said, sadly,
IAN the doctor says II we don't go
pa an me will both die, cause pa 8
- n.