The Republican., 1894-05-24
A CHANGE OF PURPOSE.
What Saved Two Men from Com
mitting a Crime.


from clear sky, giving to the plain,
with its tall, breeze-swept grass, the ap-
pearance of calm summer sea.
Jim" spoke one of the men, break
ing 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?"
''Sure as | am that we are here, joe
He sold his claim yesterday an re-
ceived the cash in hand for it There s
no mistake this time, sure"
We'll. that's all right, Jim. If he's
got three hundred dollars, that means
a hundred an fifty for each of us.
Pretty good pay for one nights work,
provided there amt too much risk"
Just about as much risk as there
would be in robbin' prairie-lark's S
nest. Why, there's nobody but a man
an child there an the man don't
look like he had life enough to kill a
flea. Guess he's about dead with con-
sumption or something"
''He won't be apt to give us much
trouble, then" Joe replied. AN
ocOA
quiet him."
"Yes, 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 will be ours 1t is the softest
snap l ever struck, an it's almost like
piclxin' that much money up out of the
road"
There was a short silence, broken
only by the Gathering of the horses
feet on the hard, dry ground as the
horsemen galloped on. Directly Joe
spoke again:
"Jir.l," he said, that three hundred
dollars is all the money an property
that feller owns, amt it?"
Yes; about all. He's got an old
wagon, a couple of old plug horses, an
few old traps in his cabin"
"An you say he's most dead with
consumption or something's"
Yes"
"Then, don't it seem like it's kind OF
mean to rob him, JIM
Jim indulged in a long and boisterous
laugh.
Joe" he cried, whats comm over
you all at once? Who ever heard of a
highway robber talkiu' such stuff as
that? | hope you amt got no notion of
givin' up our business on the start an
turnin' parson."
mo, | amt got no such notion as
that, jim; but it does seem kind of
mean and unfeelin' to steal from a man
that's most dead. But then, we amt
responsible for his bad health, an in
this business everything goes. If the
feller is goin' to die oon he won't need
that money very long anyhow, an the
chances are that it will do us more good
than it would him.
That's the talk" agreed Jim. Il
pity the sick an distressed, but at the
same time if they happen to have any
loose cash about where it's handy to
get at feel that it's our duty to relieve
them of it.
AWAY across the prairie, at the foot
Of lonely mound, a dim specl6 of light
came into view.
That's the place" Jim announced
"That's light in the cabin where the
settler lives, an he's still there. | was
little afraid he might have gone
away, though l knew it wasn't his in
iention to go before tomorrow.
"An' tomorrow he won't have much
to go away with" Joe added.
Not much" Jim agreed.
They rode on in silence, and few
minutes later halted in front of little
lesolate-looking cabin. There was a
saddled horse standing tied to a post
aear the door, They waited a moment,
listening brea thlessly, but no sound
.eached them from the cabin.
81 don't know what that horse means
here jim finally remarked in low
tone. Its queer that anybody would
be here at this time O. night"
1T is Joe assented; more especial
" as it amt neighbor."
"How do you know it amt neigh
por?'' Jim asked.
''Know it by the horse. There amt
settler in this section that owns a
horse like that"
That's fact" Jim agreed. "Thats
fine animal, an whoever he belongs
to. guess it would be good idea for
him to change owners. Don't it strike
you so, Joe?"
Il reckon" Joe replied. But the
first thing to be attended to is thai
three hundred dollars.
''Yes, of course. But say, not know
in who that chap may be in there, il
might be just as we'll for us to use &
little caution. He mcy be feller that
knows how to handle pistol, an he
may show fight"
That's so: an such bein' the case,
move that we steal up to the window
an see if we can't get view of the lay
of the land. If the chap looks danger
Gus, we'll get the drop on him"
Jim nodded his assent to this pro
posal, and the two robbers stole eau
tiously forward to the one window O.
the cabin. There was a pane broker
out, and they found that they coulc
not only see all that was being don'
within. but could hear all that wa
being said.
In one corner of the room, on a sma'
bed, lay child with thin, sharp fed
lures and great hollow eyes. On chat
near by sat great, rugged, burl
man. with black hair and beard, wh'
L. ,eNn ..