Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1902-11-13

hoboes Someway | was sure If II
was lost dad would have TO stand for
it, an the blame besides. Why! they
might even think he took it. II made
me sick all over. just shook. Twas
afraid to leave it for fear they'd get
it. / was afraid to carry it for fear
they'd get me. | worked myself up
in an awful way, even seem dad
taken to Jail, an Matt wavin' his
hand good-by at me. Matt says |
ought to have known him better, but
| was Young, an hadn't much gump-
ton.
well, made up my mind to
risk takin' the money, but hardly
knew how to carry it. / couldn't put
it all in the front of my dress, an |
didn't want to put any of II there, for
if they caught me-that's the place
wimen always hide things, even
squaws. Then l just remembered l
had on a new underskirt Ma made
il for me out of some old bed iichin'.
1t was double half way up long the
bottom. knew the strength oima 5
SEWN.
1t was gettin' late. If you've
ever seen night drop in the Rockies,
in the fall or winter, YOU know how
il puts out the daylight. all at once.
an before you know it you're in the
dark SO | had to hurry / didn't
want to have a light for fear Of some
one pcckin' in. | pinned up the
heavy paper used as a shade, an got
my work basket kept it there, as
l often had time TO sew on my tiXin's.
That's what dad called them.
Il Just trembled in shivers when
l took out the money. but I'd made
up my mind; l was goin' to take 1t
home an leave il with dad. l cut
little sHt in the top of the double
part Of my skirt an put the money
all in. Then | sewed up the hole an
divided the skirt so the money hung
even, not all in one place. Then |
put some big safety pins in at the top,
round my belt to hold the weight. an
felt so glad Id got it fixed. | locked
up the safe an the office, put on my
things, an was ready
Il was awful glad TO lock the sta
ton house door. As | looked down
the track ! thought saw the hoboes
Why, the track seemed alive with
them, an if l didn't just fly up our
trail until had to stop to rest. Then
l noticed it was pitch dark. I'd come
quite a long ways. an was so tired
stood leanin' up against big rock to
rest. | quoted down and thought
what a fool / was to be so 'fraid.
knew I'd worried too much about the
money. When Matt had his next lay
off, I'd tell him about it, Thinkin'
OF Matt comforted me.
Il was ready to start when heard
a faint, strange sound. | knew the
sounds in the woods. but that gave
me the feelin you have when you
SILVER, an they tell You, Some ones
walkin' on your grave. l kept still,
an my ears seemed big as jack rab-
bits. | flattened myself close to the
rock and listened. | heard a step
the trail was slippery. Some one
stumbled \ pine cone ratified past
me. Every dollar in my skirt seemed
alive an moyin' | dropped on my
knees an had the most Of them under
me. | was just clear Of the trail
some one passed so close his foot
touched my knee, then stopped and
called softly.
"He was answered from the top of
the rock, just above my head. Hello,
Did you see herr The question
sounded like a gun fired at my heart.
! know it stunned me into kecpin'
still.
"No, said a voice near me, Dan
will, for he's higher up the trail.
don't believe she's got the stuff, any
way; we'll find it in the Office safe.
Let's 90 back there an wait fur Dan,
then we'll be sure o it,
She must a-run pretty fast
said the man above me, "a he scram-
bled down.
Matt MacTrue', hoboes fright
ened her. laughed the other. L
heard him tell her to hurry home.
oh. | had seen a face in the pines.
a face | knew, an if I'd seen plain
I'd had no fear of, for | knew the
voices. The men 'bached it on a