The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-08-25

ry is my true name, but l don't See
why you should care to know it,
THAT is my business. shall lei
you carry that dust for time; the
gun is loaded enough for me. As
for your name, 1t matters little wheth
er you have told me the truth, as ]
am going to take you where you are
no doubt, we'll known, for now shall
march you strai ght to Nevada City y
"To Nevada Cityw cried the man
stopping short, and beginning to
quake from head to foot. "Why
amt you Big George, the stage rob
ber?"
Never heard of such a man IN all
my life" said l. II am Carl Wal
dow, of Fall Creek, and not ashamed
of my name. I'll take you to Nevada
or blow the top of your head Off Do
you understand that"
For the love of God, spare mew
cried the man, whom [ shall hereaf
ter call Reed, which is the name he
gave me, and which soon ascertain
ed to be his true name. "Spare me
this, and l will honestly tell you all"
Talk fast, then," said l.
Il have a young wife and child
little boy-and ranch that l am
about to lose. 1t is mortgaged and
will be taken from me IN five days if
| don't raise 50 1000. On account of
my wife and child l made this despe
ate attempt to save myself from rnin
I was in Washington last night,
where | tried in vain to raise money.
| slept In the next room to you, and
through the chinks IN the partition
saw your belt of gold. l heard you
say you were going to Nevada early
in the morning. It was also my road,
and the devil put it into my head to
get your gold without harming you.
AS God is my Judge, l would have
been killed before L would have shot
you, l had determined to do no
harm"
SIS that all7
That is all, and the whole truth,
so help me God. Now. for the love
of heaven, let me 60, and I'll never do
any wrong act to any human being"
March, commanded l.
God help mel" cried he, will you
ruin me and bring disgrace on my
family by taking me toNevada TO jail ?"
II did not tell you to march to Ne
vada; we march not to Nevada, but to
your ranch. if you have one.'
"Good God! You do not mean to
take me there and disgrace me in the
eyes of my wife. She is one of the
best women in the world and it would
kill her"
Il will know the truth of this whole
business" said [. Il am in no hurry
to go to Nevada City, l will take my
time and find out all And if you
have, as you say, a farm and a wife
and child, L shall do you no harm,
shall cause your wife no pain. Again
| say, march,
l made him shoulder my dust and
then walk some ten feet in advance.
At last, as we reached the summit
of ridge, he pointed to cottage in
a field about half a mile away, and
then he said:
There is my home"
"Now," said /, pay attention. l
am an old friand of yours, man you
knew many years ago-where did
you come from?"
Near Cold Water, Michigan"
Very well, | am from Cold Watcr
Michigan. You knew me there; i
have come home with you to see your
place and your boy. Now go on. /
am your old friend, Mr.. Waldow-re-
member the name aldow"
We went to the house Reeds wife
met us at the door; l was introduced
as MIR. Waldow, and at once began to
play the part of an old acquaintance.
Mrs. Reed was woman about
twenty eight years of age, and quite
handsome She spoke with a slight
accent that caused me to ask if she
were not of German parentage. She
was. She told me the name of her
father-Jacob Schroeder
Jacob Schroeder criedI. From
what place in Germany?"
From Dantzig." said she.
From Dantzi gw cried l. "Good.
| am also from Dantzig. 1t is my
native town and / knew your father
well" which 1 did, in truth. My
heart went out to her, and 1 said to
myself, as 1 looked at her honest
face: Daughter of Jacob Schroeder,
you are married to weak, bad man.
and robber, but | will do you all
the good l can"
AS for Reed, he said nothing, but
sat looking quite stupefed. l paid
no attention to Reeds distress, but
told his wife many things that l re-
membered about her father and
uncles, quite few of which she had
heard her parents speak, for her
mother was also Dantzig woman.
was soon on good terms with the
boy, sang little songs with him, and,
indeed. made myself SO much at home
and the friend of the family that
Reed stole glances of astonishment at
me.
As soon as l had found that Reed
had actually conducted me to his
home, and once L had seen his wife
and child, l had no fear. I knew l
was safe-that Reed would not muir
der there had he a score of guns and
pistols.
After l was shown to my room for
the night | took off my belt, and car
ried it to the room l bad just left, and
telling Mrs. Reed what it contained,
asked her if she had a safe place to
keep it till morning.
She begged me to keep it in my
own room, there was no knowing
what might happen, and she did not
want to take any responsibility.
Reed looked astounded. He also
begged me to take the gold to my