Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-05-01
CHAPTER v.
For Life or Death.

A long hilly road winds from the
Gates cottage to the aqueduct.
Midway tiny dollhouse and high.
red-painted tollgate bar the road.
This gate, stretching the full width
of the highway, was nearly six feet in
height and was never closed except at
night.
The duties of tollgate keeper were
light, for there was little traffic along
that road.
Bill Loucks was tollman.
He was standing moodily in front of
his gate. Things had gone awry.
In the first place. Bob Blessing had
utterly cut him out with Ora. In the
second, she might at any moment tell
Bob of Bill's attempt to murder him.
In the third place, Loucks had been
bullied by Gladys Middleton into steal
ing Ora's album which held the letter
and photograph of Ora's father Bill
had met Gladys in the woods as she
had planned She had destroyed the
photograph and letter and refused to
pay him cent for his trouble, even
threatening him with arrest.
So he had returned moody and dis
appointed to his post at the tollgate.
He was in little humor for CONVEX
sation and scowled forbiddingly as
Ezra Cookus hove in sight.
What's the matter. Bill" inquired
Ezra. persuasively Look kinder sour
Got dime about ye?"
mo" growled Loucks. Them
dime-borrering days is past, The Mid
dleton girls got my secret. and she
says she is going to tell. SO what'd
be givin' you a dime for?"
"Oh, nothin Only | heard some
thin that maybe you'd like to know"
Bill hesitated. Then his curiosity
conquered. He held out dime. and
said:
well, what did you hear
We'll, / was-I happened jest by
chance. to be lookin through the fence
at Gates's this mornin, and"
The thought that Ezra had witnessed
the theft of the auburn flashed across
Dilrs mind. SEEKING Cookus by the
throat. he shouted,
You saw me, did ye? Well, you'll'
II didn't see yer at all, Was you
there?"
No" snarled Loucks, relieved.
Il know why you grabbed my throat
like that Just now went on Cookus,
Why"
Cause you don't like mel" whined
the aggrteved Ezra.
Never mind that What was it you
saw through the fence at Gatess?"
Il saw Blessin kissin' Dry An Il
saw him drop money belt and she
picked it up an he told her to take il
TO the foreman, Bard. an he said it
was the dagoes' wages. an he rode on
another way to draw off them two
Writ boys that was follerin' him. So
went and told the Writ boys what
ia heard and give 'em a tip to foller
her instead of him if they wanted to
swipe the money. Just then she rode
out OF the Gates barn on that old
horse of hers, and they started after
her. came over here by the short
cut to tell you about it, Why. what's
the mattere"
For Loucks had sprung to his feet in
wild excitement.
DO you know that there's 1000
in that money belt?" he screamed.
An she'll hey to pass along here with
t. It's ten thousand for each of us
if you've got the sand 10 nelp me
out"
why, hows that"
Wen shut the tollgate and catch
her horse and take the money before
the Writes catch up"
But that's highway robb'ry. amt
it,"
ITS $4,000 apiece. That's what
il Is An We'll make a rush to git out
of the county safe with II and then
change our names an live like lords.
Are We with me. Exras'
There she comes now" cried Ezra
by way Of reply pointing to cloud
of dust half mile up the road She's
comm along like hghtnin' on that old
boss OF hers. And there's the WirtI
boys after her. But she seems 10 be-
; gainip' ON EN- "