Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-04-16
CHAPTER u-CoNr1SUEp.

How much longer the affair NIGH
have been discussed, and into what re
mote and executive corners of alright
ed virtue it might have been dragged
it would be difficult to say; but the
arising of a new topic put it all aside
And this new topic was one Of real ex
element. Not far away in the hills
lived a gang Of desperate men, the
ABE Peters boys. they were called. Il
was known, or at least it was strongly
suspected, that they had robbed railway
trains. Determined efforts on the
part of the law had failed to bring them
10 justice. 1t was believed that they
had formed an alliance with the Dial.
ton gang, but this their leader denied
and offered, on condition of pardon
for himself and friends, to help the Off
GERS bring the Daltons into court or to
kill them. This offer was accepted.
The Da1tons were killed or so badly
crippled that nothing further was to
be feared from them. Well, after this
the Peters gang fought off the tempta-
ton to rob trains, but could not forego
the pleasurable recreation of riding
into village now and then and shoot
sng out the lights. So, just about the
time the talk concerning Polly and the
three men was sinking to mere whis-
per of dying scandal, the Peters broth
CTS rode into Broomfeld, shot the town
cow, wounded the prowling hog and
shattered lamp in the meeting house
This was the greatest outrage that had
ever been put upon that part of the
country, and old man Aimes, with his
shirt unbuttoned. pulled up and down
the street and swore that if anyone
wonld go with him he would ride after
the scoundrels. But everybody was
busy. The sheriff was behind with his
tax list, the constable wasn't feeling
well; and while the citizens were dis
GUESSING their inability to avenge them
selves, Polly came up and said that she
would go with Mr.. Aines.
81 gad,'' said the old fellow, looking
upon her with admiration, you'll
Eriye me to the shop to get another
horseshoe nail, but think too much
Of you to see you put yourself in such
danger. Let's wait awhile"
In the next number of her paper
Polly scored the rascals, and this pro-
duced a scare. The people said that
the Peters brothers would surely come
back and riddle the town. And.within
week afterward they did come back,
shouting, galloping through the streets
In fright the people sought their
firoznes. The marauders dashed about,
firing. They galloped up to the
printing Office and fred at the win
dows. And then from the inside came
puff of smoke and one of the Peters
fell ont of his saddle. Then there
arose furious melee, firing right and
left, but the steady hand within the
Office fired again and out Of a saddle
dropped another man. Suddenly there
was a new excitement among the
tmarauders, and from behind a goods
! box came the double roar of o shotgun.
The Peters brothers, those not on the
ground. duclzed their heads and dashed
away, and when Polly stepped out,
Nell, with a gun in her hand, came
from behind the box. 81 was watch
ing" she said, land I thought you
needed me.''
CHAPTER Ill
Three men had been dangerously
wounded, and the law, now brave
enough, took charge of them. Polly and
Nell were hcroines. The president of
the mite society called a special meeting