The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-07-20


embraced any opportunity, no raatssa
how hazardous. TO retrieve that reprl
tation for shrewdness and ss~gncifythaa
had won for him this position of trust
and responsibility, to which all thu
other young men in the settlement ha;
aspired- But the robbers were well
armed. and far too cautious to allow
their victims any visible chance to TURF
the tables upon them. When they had
secured as much plumber as theJ
thought safe to burden their horses
with and swung themselves into thei.
saddles, AIS wrath and despair knew
10 bounds. He stood before the tent.
covered wagon, with the lantern in hit
hand, watching the robbers as they
mounted. when the spy suddenly called
out to the leader:
.'Oh, say. cap. I almost forgot about
it. but they've got some good spirits in
that tent wagon, and we must have a
drop before we 60"
"Is that so, Bfl?" responded tho
leader.
Needn't take my word for It, cap,
replied the spy. "Here, young fel.
low," he ordered, turning to Al, 'go
and bring out that bottle of brandy.
I'll make it all right with uncle,
you know" And while Al went into
the tent with the lantern the man.
with great glee, told his mates how he
secured a ride with the boys by maxi
ing them believe the trader was his
uncle.
No sooner did the fellow mention il
than Al started for the brandy, his
first thought being that perhaps if he
could find enough liquor the robbers
would make themselves hopelessly
drunk as soon as they reached their
own camp; but while clambering into
the wagon o daring idea flashed into
his mind.
Reaching the box containing the
spirits, medicines, ETC., he searched
among the bottles, while the highway
men were laughing uproariously at the
narrative of the spy. Bottle after bot
tie he snatched up and held to the
light of the lantern.
'Come! Comet Don't be all night
in there!" shouted one of the robbers.
Just then Al found what he wanted
small vial labeled: "Laudanum."
"Wait till 1 find it. won't You?'
he shouted back, and, quickly empty
ing the contents of the vial into the
brandy bottle, he replaced the cork,
gave the bottle a good shake and came
out with it in his hand. "Here it is"
he said, in as quiet a manner as he
could command, as he banded it to the
spy.
The woods rang with laughter as the
bottle went from mouth to mouth, and
each robber drank to the health of
Bills unch- All were in too good
humor over the success of the expedi-
ton and Bills joke to notice the agi-
tation which Al found impossible to
conceal He trembled lest Bills pota-
tons during the afternoon had drained
the bottle so low that it would be emp
ty before it reached the leader, who
was the last to drink.
There was enough to go round, how
ever, and when the robber chief had
swallowed the last drop he dashed the
bottle against a tree.
Your uncle keeps pretty good
Bill" he laughed. ''only / don't
just like the favor. Say, young fellow.
bring is out a few bottles to take along
us, and wen be off,"
"All rightr' said Al, 10 anxious to
detain them. There's plenty of it,
and it viii be all the better for the In
dams if you drink it instead of them"
Going back into the tent he opened
q cas- of whisky, and, after poking
about as long as he deemed safe, with
the robbers shouting to him to hurry
up and not keep them waiting, he
emerged with half a dozen bottles in
his arms.
"Bully boy" shouted the chief, de-
at the prospect of plenty of
liquor for some time to come. "You
know how to treat gentlemen. after
Ill, If you were a little Grabbed at first.
And now" he went on, as he and his
men slowed the bottles away in their
bundles, ''since you're so clever I'll
give you a bit of advice. The next
time you come home from market with
! bag Of gold in your pocket, beware of
especially chaps like my
nan Bill, here, who want to ride out
the country to their uncles'."
At this they all roared with laugh
'er, and, putting spurs to their horses,
dashed out of sight in the darkness.
Al gave a shout of delight when once
he robbers were out of hearing. and
est he lose track of them in
he darkness and give them time to re-
over from the effects of the laudanum,
lie hastily explained to the other boys
What he had done, and mounting four
# the best horses, they rode swiftly in
he direction the robbers had taken.
a mile away. the PROSTATE
orm of one of the band was found
tretched across the road, and a little |
on their horses grazed in a
'roup by the wayside, while the high
vaymen, wrapped in deathlike sleep,
ay curled up under the trees The
bound the sleepers' hands and
eet then, returning to camp, they un-
oaded one of the wagons and, hitch
ng a team to it, came back along the
Dad and picked up the unconscious
obbers. 1t was hard work getting
ONE of the heavy fellows into the
vagon, but Al was afraid the lauda-