Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-12-29
CHAPTER XVII

nard did not apply for leave of absence
When once more fully able to move
about. Miss Maynard had gone at last,
peremptory summons from her father
being given as the cause, be needing her
services and receiving benefit from them
far more than did his son. Colonel and
Mrs. Atherton were home from Chicago
and regimental work went briskly on.
-Four troops had been warned for duty
IN the Big Horn country and We're pack
ing for the start Major and Mrs Stan
nard We're still the guests of the Ather-
tons; but, insurance matters being set
tied, Mrs. Stannard was soon to depart
Tor the east to replenish her wardrobe.
Everybody Il the til, from colonel
down to the children, was making very
much of Maynard or would have done
so but for the profound sadness and
melancholy that seemed to Cypress him
He was able to ride every day. He went
about his drills and duties, but he could
not be coaxed to the hops and dances
and concerts. His father was very i'll,
he said, and failing so fast that he,
Ronald, could take no part in garrison
gayeties. He went to Dana, whose
troop was to go to the field, and offered
to exchange with him, but Dana loved
field duty and would mono of it. The
Barrys, with Miss Baird, had journeyed
down the Mississippi and over to Ha-
vana, and We're now resting among the
pines of southern Alabama, and except
by Mrs. Gregg, the famous night of
burglaries was rarely mentioned in the
press OF other topics of more recent in
terest, when one evening new impetus
was given to the whole matter by the
tldlngs that famous thief catcher had
come out from the east armed with
acquisitions for the silent pair of profess
slonals in Jail, whom he recognized by
the descriptions sent to the police of the
big cities as prominent members of a
gang that despoiled great metropoli-
tan bank two years before. If discharg.
ed for lack Of evidence in Wyoming,
they would be instantly rearrested on
this other charge.
But Bridget, said the great man, was
not one Of the original gang. She was
western product, an exile from St.
Louis, whittier Dungan's trail had been
followed back and his police record
thoroughly examined. Mike and his
cousin, however, proved game too small
for hunter of the New York mans
caliber. They were merely the cats
paws. The case was to come up for trial
within the week, but with the morrow s
in the prairie city. With the ease of
long habit the experts had sawed their
selfish way out of Jail, leaving Mike and
Bridget to rage at their detection and
to bear alone the odium of their crime.
To the wrath Of the eastern official and
the stupefaction Of the sheriff, the birds
had flown and left no trace behind.
But now Bridget began to give
tongue, and a sharp one it proved to be.
Hitherto some fear or favor had made
her dumb as to the antecedents of the
pair and the circumstances that drew
them together. Now it seems that, hav-
ing considerable negotiable booty stored
away, the two had pledged their knight
ly word to Bridget that they would de-
fray all expenses of her defense and
Mikes if they would but stoutly deny
all previous knowledge of them, and
this they had done, claiming to know
them only as gentlemen who visited
Mikes saloon and were most liberal
with their money. Then it transpired
that one Of them had paid Miss o Meara
hattering attentions = attentions that
turned her head and brought her thrice
in one week in town, decked in finery
that had seen better days and wearers
in ST. Louis. To him, in answer to
questions, she told all she knew concern.
ing the valuables of the garrison. The
officers and men were all away. Why
should not the cracksmen turn an hon
est penny at their old craft instead of
rusting here while the big cities were
being searched for them?
Bridget made clean breast of it now
that she had found her own case hope
less while the prime movers, the Tempt
ers, the only ones who had profted a
penny's worth by the robberies, had got
off scot free. Twas them that per-
suaded her through false promises and
fiattery to dope both Mrs. Barry and
Mary, " to let them in at the kitchen
door and to profess utter ignorance of
the crime. They were then to share
alike after the sale of the booty, but all
she and Mike had got as their share was
the Jail, with the penitentiary ahead.
Again did Cook and the sheriff eager
~ ask the same question, But how
about Boston?' And this was some
thing she could not answer, nor could
Mike. All either could say was that,
after the row at the Empire, Boston
was brought in hack to Mikes place,
where he had been frequent visitor
for some little time previous, and Mike
hid him away in the back room of IA
wing of his house, and there, too, un-
der his roof, were temporarily secreted
these same fellows who later We're SO
silent about themselves but so danger
GUS meantime to Boston, to Mike and to
Bridget. twas Mike got Maloney to
go out to the fort for the young lady Of
whom Boston Dragged he could get
money-for somebody had to come in
and pay for Ills lodging and keep-and
the poor girl had indeed come and had
raised the money for him, and if Mike
hoInSt 70 lion cora of 60, po,@o,, ~ -