News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1899-10-04

sneak on his bible and cache 1t where
he can't find it," asked the Kid.
ooh, he would kill the man that
touched it, and get drunk just the
same" declared the cook.
"Well, I'd like to see it tried" per-
sisted the Kid.
"Why not do 1t YOURSELF" asked the
foreman. Nobody is holding you
"What, me?" said the Kid, in a snaKy
voice; "I'm only boy" and he went
away to bed.
AS the clock struck for midnight the
mess house door was flung open-as l
thought by a stronger gust of wind,
Turning to Look, l found myself look
ing into the nozzle of one of Laraway's
guns. He stood at the doorway, with
his eyes afire and gun in either hand.
(Which one of you dogs has got my
bible?" he cried. "Tt's not in the hole,
and I'll give you just ten seconds TO
produce it." tSsi
"Now, Laraway," said the foreman,
in a smooth tone, you got the drop
on us all right. I tell you it's Gods
truth that not man here knows any
thing about your bible. We thought
you had dug it up and was half way to
town by now"
1t Looked as though some one was
going to get hurt. Every man in the
room was looking square at Laraway.
And to every man 1t seemed that the
pistols were looking square at himself.
The Kid always was sandy-and
freckled. Half an hour before he had
SUNK off to bed. Now, just at the right
moment, he skunk up behind Laraway,
jumped on his back like cat, put both
his freckled hands to the mans throat
and brought him down. The guns
went off through the roof.
Mr.. Laraway was tied to the bed that
night and many nights after He had
a severe attack of brain fever, from
which he came out as weak as a baby.
During his convalescence he never
spoke of the bible, and he had an aver
sion to liquor. During those days
strong and quiet friendship grew up
between Laraway and the Kid.
The cold man" was visiting bis
ranches this season, and took a great
| interest in the sick man, told him to go
off somewhere and get we'll and hearty
! before trying to work again; said his
| pay would go on exactly as though he
were in the saddle.
But Laraway said: 1--WE no place TO
go that 1 like half so well as this Old
ranch, and no friends so good 9s
these" So he stayed around camp and
made hair brides and cincAes, and
read books, and helped the cook, and
did all those things which a cowboy
does only when he is invaded.
Among the visitors whom the cold
man. entertained at the ranch that
spring was Mitchell, the famous mind
reader. One Sunday afternoon ne vol
could do. We hid objects all over the
place and kept him chasing around for
an hour.
At last Mitchell said: "This is all
dead easy for me; it doesn't amuse ME.
You all know where these objects are
placed, and the trail is hot to them,
Now" he said to the Kid, who had
been one of the most interested par
Elephants, 'you fix your mind on some
thing whose whereabouts is known
only to yourself and which you don't
want me to find"
He took the Kids hands and began
to wander around the buildings. Twice
he circled the corals, then, getting his
bearings, made Decline for a small,
bowlder-strewn butte a quarter of a
mile away. By this tine he was fairly
dragging the reluctant Kid along.
The mind reader halted at the first
big bOwlder and the boys quickly
turned it over. The bed of the rock
was rounded hole some three feet
deep, and at the bottom lay a small
black book-Laraway's bible. At sight
of it he fell back step and stood
about the whole as solemnly as a grave.
The Kid was blubbering. 81 didn't
mean no HARM" said he.
Laraway had been in the second
rank of those who followed the mind
reader up the MIL, now ne cFoWueu
to the front and looked in.
"My bible, by God" he cried, and
jumped into the hole. AS he came out
with the book in his hand and strobe
down the hill without word to any
one, he tore out the fy-leaf, upon
which he had written his pledges.
picked it up and kept it as a record
of a noble endeavor.
We turned our backs on the Kids
cache, now despoiled, and walked slow.
ly down the hill. For some time there
was no comment on the foreman's con.
clusion. We heard a clatter of hoofs
, on the hard road as Laraway spurret
away toward town.
Then the Kid lifted his head Che wa!
ever a stubborn youngster). "Ill save