The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-03-09

as they ate. but did not
address either of us until they showed
back their chairs and each lighted
cigar. Then the leader said to Aunt
Kate:
There is no occasion for you TO be
alarmed, as we are not robbers.
II thought you We're" gasped
Aunt Kate, looking greatly relieved at
the Information.
1t is very easy to misjudge people y
remarked the man as be blew cloud
of smoke toward the ceiling. You
have four or five good horses, l be
lieve?''
But | don't wish to sell any of
them," she quickly replied.
No? Sorry for that, as we must
bave at least three. If we can't pre-
vail on you to sell at fair price I'm
afraid we shall have to borrow the
animals
so You are horse thieves?' exclaim
ed Aunt Ka.e as she sprang to her
feet, and the color came back to her
face
Il don't like the term calmly re
piled the man as he compared the time
between his watch and the clock.
1t sounds rough. There's degrade
tion in it. 1t Is just as easy to say
horse remover and give man a
show to be a gentleman. Our errand
here is to remove two or three of your
horses. The boy will get a lantern
and accompany US to the barn, and If
you don't want to be used roughly
you will remain right here. Should
you attempt to leave the house or raise
an alarm we will give you cause to re-
gret it all the rest Of your life"
The man spokequietly and in an even
voice, but there was a menace n his
tenes that made me shiyer, while Aunt
Kate turned white again, The Ian
tern stood on shelf behind the pantry
door, and without further words got
it down and made ready to accompany
the men. As we went out the leader
made salaam to Aunt Kate, and thank
ed her for the cold lunch, and added
that one of his companions would be
stationed outside the door for the next
half hour. That was a bluff to keep
her quiet. as the three followed re to
the stable Aunt Kate had only three
horses besides Mad Dick, and the hired
man was away with one. The other
two were fine horses, and | unlocked
the door and led the men to them. l
was more surprised than frightened,
but yet | was that scared that l had
no idea of playing ANY tricks.
When the men found only two hor
ses they began to growl. and | ex-
planned that the third was away. Just
then they heard Mad Dick lie his cell,
and charged me with lying to them.
l started to explain, but one of the trio
cuffed my ears and ordered me to show
them the door to the paddock. led
the way out of the barn and around to
the rear. There was gate to the pad
dock And the key was at the house,
they broke the lock with stone. l
started again to tell them abont the
horse, but was ordered to Shut up. As
we opened the gate Mad Dick left the
static and galloped to the further end
of tie enclosure. One CT the men
took the lantern from me, and the
three started for the horse. They did
not order me to follow, and they hadn t
advanced twenty feet before l got out
of the gate, and softly closed and Sc
cured II, and then climbed up on a
post overlooking tie paddock.
The bOldness of the men and the
light they carried puzzled the horse a
bit. and he lodged them and returned
20 his stall. They moved down on him
and were abort to close the door and
enter when he dashed out with q
scream and seized the man with the
lantern by the arm. 1t was pretty
dark. as | have mentioned, but could
make out that Mad Dick shook the man
as dog shakes rat. and he also drag
ged him about and paved and stracB
him. The victim yelled out once OF
twice. and his companions rushed al
the horse and strnck hlm with hal
ter, but it wasn't over minute before
[ heard the stable door shut and real
ized that they had rushed IN there tC
save themselves. The sight in that
paddock would have been terrible by
daylight. The horse kept screaming
out ike wild beast. and | am sure
he was down and rolling over the deao
body Of the horse thief when l ran tC
the house.
Aunt Kate was at the door to In
quire what was going on, and as sooI
as | told her she clapped on her bon
net and shawl, and we started for my
fathers house on the run. " hen hall
way there we met whole wagon loaC
of men who bad been down to Concord
to political meeting. and all eagerly
volunteered to go back with us. BY
the time we got lights and reached the
barn Mad Dick had cooled down some
what, but stood before the stable dool
like a Watchdog and reared up anC
struck it every time the men wltblI
made a movement. They could no
get out on the main door, and dareC
not open the door an inch in the facs
Of the horse. and were thus neatly trap
ped
When the crowd went in on the barr
floor the fellows fired several shot:
from their pistols aud drove US out
They probably hoped to pry off the
planks anc make there way ou:but they
found nothing to work with and were
in midnight darkness besides. A mes
senger was sent after the sheriff, sever
al rifles were obtained from the nearest
farmhouses, and before daylight there
were forty meu about the barn. JUS
as day was breaking climbed the posi-
TO ge5 look at the horse. He haC
backed off abodt thirty feet, but was
still watching the door The men il
the stable decided to make dash fol
it, and of a sudden the door vas flune
open and one rushed to the right ant
the other to tee left. With a scream
of fury the horse dashed at the on,
trying to dodge him on the left, and
plainly saw all that happened. II
caught the man as dog picks up