The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-28
Stories of an Inland State.

| her guests were outlaws and not deputy
| marshals, Mrs. Sweeney went peacefully t.
sleep, as outlaws were friends to a wo-
! man, and deputy marshals were not.
About o'clock in the morning the storm
atated. Misty Dawn alone was awake
| She had not taken her dress off and her
mind was SO fun of the wonders of the
| civilization where women felt safe in the
presence of outlaws and uneasy in the
presence of officers Of the law, that she
could not sleep.
Finally she saw the leader Of the out
laws stumble up and go to the little stove
and rake the embers. He twisted a piece
of paper and famed a flame. with which
he lighted the lamp. He then nudged the
ether men and they arose. Now one man
produced a gunny-sack. They formed a
circle and the contents of the gunny-sack
" ere dumped upon the floor.
Misty Dawn pulled herself up on the Pill
low, where she could see the following
transaction.
Mighty small haul" said the leader.
"Wel, l should say" growled another.
eff it hadn't been for the sleeper we would
have had nothing but coppers. Well. that's
our own fault. That dynamite wasn't as
good as a fire-cracker, and that express
messenger just ST on the inside Of his car
and chuckled."
Dick" said the leader. "you haven't got
your hand down In that bag?" This sus-
piciously.
You're lar If you say So" said Dick.
ferociously. Search me-
The leader looked at him angrily and sur
veyed the spoils of the train-robbery.
In the pile on the floor there were
watches, coin and rings.
Divide it square, now" growled Dick.
"Of course we WILL said the leader.
go ahead
"WeIl," said the leader, "we'N begin
with the watches and go from Dick around
the circle Now there's a beauty. That's
from that swell dude in the sleeper. That's
yours, Dick. Here's a gold one, too, for
you, Ned. A silver one for you. Jack, but
it's got beauty chain and charm; that's
a Knights of Pythias charm. Now, Hank,
there's a ticker for you, silver, but good
works. Look in the back. Now, there amt
any watch for me. There's got 10 be more
travel on them damned railroads or rob-
bers will go into the hands of receivers.
Now wen start the rings with me, as
got no ticker. Now, I'll appreciate that
big stone there. That was from the old
grayhaired gent. There's ruby ring for
you. Dick. Prefer the opal, Well, you can
prefer and be damned You can't have
your choice all the time. There's a dia-
mond for you, Ned. This here opal for
you, Jack, and a cluster for you. Hank,
as you got the worst of it on the tickers
Now here's an extra ring. What'n we do
with that?'
Put it by" said Dick. 'and let's go to
the COIN
The coins hav'-g face value, were easily
distributed. So were some fancy pocket
knives and two pocket-books. But the dia-
mond ring which was left over, still remain
ed without an owner.
Il ought to have that said Dick
Didn't hold down the fireman."
Rats said Hank, you're always brag-
ging Who led the engineer out of the
cab?"
well, you amt going to get that while
1 breathe" said Dick.
81 won't, Ell? Well, we'll see about
that
The leader saw a row coming and tried
to avert it.
"Who got the ring?" he asked.
81 did, said Ned.
Then, you take it,
NO" said Ned, 81 got my share"
where did you get it?'' asked the lea
der.
We'll you know we went through the
sleeper, Hank carrying the bag and you
holding the conductor down. 1 was in
front of Hank. shaking up the passengers.
I reached into a bed and shook up wo-
man. She was young thing and she
looked out and screamed and then bobbed
back again and drew the cover shut.
didn't want to make any nice girl blush"
The crowd laughed.
'.And so l said to her through her cur
tains: Poke out your paws. Well, she put
out her fingers and most of the rings here
I took from her long, pretty fingers. This
was among them. i took it off last and
she said, pleading-like: Don't, please.
take that. Please don't. It's an engage
ment ring. Please don't She was that
broke up that she cried. But 1 took the
ring.
What's an engagement ring?" asked
Dick, gruffly.
We'll" said Hank, ''up in the states
when a man promises to marry girl he
seals it by giving her a ring. And she
must never take It off after that"
Lets look at IT," said Dick
Instead of handing it over to Dick the
leader took it up and looked at it. Here's
lettering inside" he said: "Will W. to
Grace B." What'n we do with it?'
Give 1t to Mrs. Sweeney" said Hank.
NO" said the leader, well pay Mrs.
Sweeney in coin. Every man. She hasn't
any use for diamonds out here"
Dick had an idea and uttered it:
Give it to the young beauty" he cried.
Wed all be out of doors now but for
her. Give it TO her.
Every man with smile, agreed.
IN tell you what said Dick, pleased
over the popularity of his proposal, I'll
just slip it on her finger over there while
she's asleep. and never say a word about
il 10 her. That's sort of a fairy-tale way |
Of doing it,
Misty Dawn at these words closed her |
eyes and feigned sleep as an Indian only |
can feign il. She felt that these men had |
committed a great crime in robbing a |
Young woman of so sacred a thing. She |
would let them give It TO her and she would |
ind the young woman and return it to |
her.
Dick took the ring and tip-toed 10 her /
side. took up her small hand and slipped |
he ring on the third finger of the left |
hand. He stopped while and looked upon |
,ae sleeping beauty.
GOSH ne whispered to his companions. |
L oughtn't TO be making such a gift with |
'ut a return. I'm going to kiss her"
Dick whispered the leader. perempto-
lily, Come out OF that
Dick Strengthened and came away sui
emily.
Misty Dawn arose from the bed and
walked UP TO the men.
who is Grace 3. 80 she asked. at was
wrong for You to take this sacred ring from
Ter finger. Tell me what her full name
5 and I will return it,
Lord, How should We know" said the
urprised leader, Il don't know what B