The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-03-24
By Charles B. Lewis.

within three minutes or take the con-
sciences. and them consekences won't
be very funny, can tell you."
! l was afraid of him. you may believe,
but yet not so badly as to think of Civ
ing up the money box at his simple de-
mand. He was regarding me with
crafty, cruel look. and l was about to
deny that there was any money in the
house, when the door softly opened and
a man sprang into the room and dealt
the stranger a blow on the head that
tumbled him off his chair like bag
of sand. Before could make out what
manner of man the new arrival was he
knelt upon the other and called to me:
Here, boy, find ME some stout lash
ings for this fellows ankles and wrists
and I'll soon make him harmless"
Under the idea that the new arrival
was an officer of the law, and was maxi
ing the other his prisoner. ran for the
clothesline hanging at the door, and in
two minutes he had his man securely
tied. Then he drew the still uncon-
scious form to one side ard straight
ened up to his full height. He was also
looking to be an officer of the law, as I
reasoned. He was not so tall as The 9TH
er, but much stouter. and his voice was
not at all pleasant as he said:
"Now, you cub, don't sit there like
fool, but stir around and put on supper
for me! Dye imagine l amt hungry
after an all-day's tramp through rain
and mud?"
There's only milk to be had," said, /,
from the far side of the table.
Il must have better than that"
he growled. You have meat and
'taters and flour in the house, and no
doubt you can cook. Away with ye and
git up good meal!"
Yes, we h,d meat and potatoes and
-four, and there was also coffee in the
canister. There was no fire in the
stove, but l kindled one and went to
cooking. l could have rushed across
the room and out of the door at any
moment, but strangely enough the idea
never came to me. 1t would have been
the plan of a bright boy to make a
bolt for it, get the money from under
the rose bush and skip to the village
for police assistance, but things had
come upon me ST. suddenly and so
queerly that l moved about as one in
u dream. The rutfian who had been
assaulted soon recovered consciousness,
and when he discovered what had hap
pened he was more than furious. While
the two had no acquaintance, they GER
tainly belonged to the same ilk. This
was made plain by the words of the
last arrival when he said:
Its no use kicking, old man. I've
been intending to visit this crib for
many months past, but ] never got
around to it till now. Now when
gifts here and finds bloke in posses
sion and about to lay hands on the
Doodle, why my plan is to prevent
him if l can, and think l have. When
l has the cash in my pocket and an
hours start the cub here can cast you
loose"
In the course of half an hour l had
supper on the table for the man, and
he sat down and ate with tremendous
appetite. AS he ate the other cursed
and threatened, but neither addressed
word to me. Not a scrap of food was
left on the table as the man showed
back, bit piece off a plug of tobacco,
and then turned to me to say:
boy, there's money in this crib,
and I'm here to git it. Bring it out at
once"
Uncle Tom took every shilling with
him." replied as 1 stood before him.
"Eh? Eth? So Uncle Tom left no
money behind? Maybe he didn't, but
Pm going to have a try for it. The
stove is good and hot, and after you
have taken seat on it two or three
times perhaps you'll remember that
Uncle Tom left snug bit of money
behind"
take off these cords and let's make
II fair divy of it," coaxingly suggested
the fellow on the floor II know how
to get at the boy and the money. He
was going to give it up when you
jumped in to play dirty trick on
square man.
"Will you hand me over the box!"
demanded Number Two, paying no at
tention to the others words.
There is no box in the house."
boy, I'll burn you alive!" he Kissed
| at me across the table. Don't lie to
me, cause 1 know yer lyin'. I'm here
| for the box, and I'd have it if 1 had to do
| for half dozen fools like you. Will
you bring it out?"
1 was about to offer to &C down cell
lar and unearth the dish l had planted
in place of the box when the kitchen
door opened for the third time. The
man at the table had his back to it,
while I saw first a hand grasping
short iron bar. Then came the arm
the body-the head and feet of man,
and the arm reached out and deliv-
cred blow which sickened me as it
fell upon the bare head of the man at
the table. Over he went with crash,
and saw before me man even more
rough in dress and tougher in general
looks than the two who had preceded
him.