Middletown transcript., 1897-01-09

overlooked. have no money, but Ikno'
where the $500 Is. The robbers out
side having heard the shriII, penetrat
Ing voice, glanced at each other. Tn
The leader called ont to his fello'
within the coach; all right Bill find ou
who're them twn hundred is and let thu
pore devil alone. We got tj be skip
ping out
1.-THE piping voice took courage.
'Gentltmen, if you win ask that old
lady to remove her left shoe you will
find the money!
"The men began TO mutter and scowI
The drummer even found courage
enough to say It was shame to rob q
poor old woman of her last dollar, and
no one but the most deprayed sort of a
road-agent would be guilty of such an
act. The leader walked up to the
dru INNER, slapped his faced and tickIed
the end of bis nose with the muzzie of
his six shooter. The drummer discreetly
held his tongue until the thieves were
gone.
"It was with sighs and sobs that the
old lady seated herself on the ground,
took the shoe from that fat foot. and
handed up her last dollar. In a twink
ling 1t was pocketed and the outlaws
jumped for their horses and were gone.
sWhat hubbub broke out when the
people found themselves alone once
morei With one accord they assaiIed
the man within the coach.
t Oh. you villain, you wretch, to
tell them of my money! cried the wo-
man as she shook him by the shoulders
The drummer entered at this moment.
He had been talking to the other men
of the party in low tones.
Just step out, madam, we want
to talk with him. he said. She obeyed
and several entered. 1t was noticed
that the driver had his reins in his
hands and one end Of them looked sus-
picionsly like u moose. @.s-a.5.
"sYou d--d rascal, said the driver,
sto have deliberately given this woman 8
money over to those outlaRs!We'll make
short shift of yon,' and he threw the
moose over the mans head. There was
a desperate struggle for moment, and
and then the moose fell down clean
cut through. 1t was seen that the lit
tie man had bowie in his hand. He
spoke in different voice this time.
"sFur GODS sake, don u bother me
here. You can hang me at Miles City
as well as here. It's only little way;
| shall not escape. When we get there
l will have something to tell you which
will explain my action. A man always
has right to have fair hearing be
fore he is hung, andI claim that pri-
vilege.'
'.sWell, g. we can hang him there as
we'll as here
s'Some one helped the driver with
the body of the messenger, and the
coach started for town. The drummer
the miner and several Others watched
the little man intently, but he made no
movement nor did he speak until the
coach numbered up in front of the
post -office and hotel then he said in q
quiet voice:
81 am Tom Zone sof the fam
Gus men of the Black Hills,) 'and I
have $4,000 in this grip. The only
way to save it was by telling the rob-
bers of the old woman's money. am
glad to return it to her and stake
extra for the worry caused her. AS for
the rest OF you. have nothing to do
with your losses. We all ran The same
risk. | wish you good evening, and
he stepped quickly from his seat to the |
door into the street, dropping a bundle
of biIlsiDto the lady's lap as he passed. =
And after lighting his pipe our story
teller passed out into the night and
wended his way to his humble cabin.