The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-04-24
Short Story
OF @e Day.
A Western Girls Story.
"A Western Girls Story. =.

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Chicago Times-Herald
Afraid" cried out with a laugh.
why on earth should 1 be afraid?"
And l suppose my face must have mir
rored forth the careless independence of
my spirit, for my brothers rugged coun-
tenance frightened up as I spoke.
we lived alone upon a solitary road
miles away from any human dwelling
place, In one Of those antique, gable-end-
ed Iarmhouses which look so picturesque
TO an artists eye in the summer time
and SO indescribably desolate when No
Vemper gales are bowling around the
chimney tops or winter SHOWS are bean
ing up their feathery pearl upon the
doorstone; we-that is, the old bedridden
aunty, my brother Robert and myself
AS for servant girl, dear me- when
become rheumatic or lose the use Of my
limbs might need one, not before.
We had just received $160 from the rail
road people for the years wood which
BOD had cut and hauled to the junction
-$lO0 in nice, Clean cracking tens-and
Bob and l and Aunt Jemima all agreed
for once entirely unanimous-that SO
much money ought not to remain over
night in the house.
SO Bob was taking the 800 to the OF
tarsnetd bank, twenty miles away, over
rough and uneven bride road. And I
and Aunt Jemima were left alone.
IN spite of my reinsurance Aunt Je-
NINA persisted In going TO sleep with a
nat1ron and two pokers under her pil-
low Pi
sat before the fire until past O'Clock.
nnlshing a pair Of gray mixed stockings
that was knitting for Bob. And then
rising with yawn, I looked out OF the
windows 1t was raining, and
Merclful heavens! 1 started back with
low cry, as l saw a white, wild face
pressed suddenly against the outer aide
OF the pane-a face made paler still by
the contrast Of heavy black mustache.
ana hair the most raven jet ever saw.
MY nrst impulse was to run and hide
my second to face the matter out.
what do you want?" 1 asked. opan-
ing the window little way who are
your"
Il am belated traveller. I need food
.rest-rags to bind up my hurt foot.
see! And then I saw that one Of nis
feet was bleeding.
1 hesitated an instant. He nercaiycd
my doubt
You are afraid to let the vagrant in"
he said, bitterly. ''Well, I don't wonder
much But there's no danger. Let me in.
as you have dear father or brother OF
your own Give me but crust Of bread.
d drink or milk. [ will go on my way
win the earliest dawn Of the morning.
RI
pale race, his blood-stained foot his pit
eous voice, so unlike the professional
WINNIE or the regular mendicant all an
pealed to my womanly pity. 1 reme1n-
bered my brothers caution, but I also
remembered that there was an unused
one-story wing, on the north end Of thu
house. fitted up in a rude sort Of wav fo,
the occasional sleeping place Of the addi-
tonal farm hands that we needed in tn.
helght of the season Of harvest.
Go around to the farther door" said I
l will let you in"
admitted him accordingly Gaunt.
pale and limping. he came In.
Ihere Is bed said I, "and here Is
1000. While you eat I will get saIye and
a pandage for your foot"
w men returned he was eating preeduy
as II he had not tasted food for q. week
ana drinking long draugflts of coffee
gu are hungry" said l, kneeling to
my task. ~
hope you never may be az near
starvation as I have been this day." ba
responded, in a low, thrilling voice
''Thank you. young woman-the foot feeis
easier now"
So I left him.
went to bed and fell fast asleen in
less than fifteen minutes
Inc sound of the old wooden clock
STRIKING S-or something else-roused me.
and opening my eyes, ! saw the shrouded
light of dark lantern in the room. and
by its glimmer three men were searchin0
the contents of the old hair trunk that
stood underneath the window.
L started up with a scream-probably :
the most imprudent thing 1 coud- have
done-Dut did not stop at that instant l
OF terror to measure the consequences.
Stop that girls squeaching pipe" NUT
tered low, threatening tone, and the
a fTnT1 hos
throat, my eyelids seemed starting from
their sockets and horrible death by suf-
location seemed closing around me
In the self-same second, however, I saw
the deadly white face Of the man I had
SO recently succored and fed, in the door
way. l heard the click of a pistol being
cooked. My first impression was that he
belonged to the gang-that he had made
an entrance into the house through my
weak pity and afterWard admitted his :
comrades, but ali! how unjustIy 1 judged
him.
Let go that girls throat, or I'll send
brace of bullets through your brainr'
he shouted, and instantaneously 1 was
free. Nov, then, get out of this! Drop
everything. Quick! Do you see this pls-
toll? 1t carries charges enough to send
every one of you to kingdom come quick
er than lightning
His eloquence was of g. most persuasive
nature One of the men dropped a red
leather pocketbook Of papers that / rec
ognzed as Bob's; another let fall calico
bag containing Aunt Terminals six silver
teaspoons, and all three tumbled out Of
the door in hot haste My unknown
friend calmly examined the fastenings.
The bolt has been pried back said he,
"but l can fix it in a minute. And even
If [ did not. l hardly think they will be
likely to come again after the lesson
have reed them
How can I ever thank your I cried.
almost Historically, In my mingled terror
and gratitude
II was thinking tonight as 1 watched
you bind up my foot that would like to
do something for you he said In low
tone, land have done 1t. Good night"
Early next morning I carried tray OF
breakfast in 10 him, but he was gone.
From that time to this I have never seen
or heard of him. except that once, in an
illustrated newspaper, 1 saw his portrait
as the detected murderer of half a dozen
travellers on the Omaha plains-an accom-
plished villain-a cold-blooded wretch,
who thought no more >of eXtinguishing
the sparks of a human life than others
do of killing a fly-so read his biograph-
and I shuddered to recollect how utterly
we poor women were at his mercy on
that December night, and of how he
spared and shielded US.
Bob never knew Of that nights adven.
ture. Aunt Jemima never knew. 1t Is o
secret that I keep to myself.