The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-04-04
TIIVE hilarious horsemen tame
II charging through the darkness
until within a few feet of an
on-going buggy. Then the

q DbHEys 'NN
foremost shouted:
!, Halt, or we shoot"
The buggy halted with a jerk, and
its two occupants nerved themselves
for what they knew was coming. Al
most instantly lanterns were flashing
I'm their faces, other faces peering al
them. The road was such that the
horsemen could not surround the bug
gy, and several, half drunk, and hold
ing pistols, had dismounted TO make
inspection of the buggy's occupants.
"What nameT" asked the leader his
tone itself showing surprised dlsap-
pointment
Horace Tilly and mother" the man
answered. whats the trouble?"
Trouble be hanged! We are after
Ed Tompkins, the murderer. blast
hlmr' swore the fellow, satisfied that
neither of the parties before him could
be that much hunted person. With less
OF whisky in him he might have been
harder to satisfy. Lowering his
vehicle, calling out, mo go, boys!
Let's pass 'em"
Yelling and cursing the men managed
20 remount their horses, and the small
man in the buggy trembled more vio-
iently than his mother did when shouts,
of, pass 'em! Jump the buggy" split
the air.
The two parties were on most dan
gerous piece of road, one side skirting
an abrupt hill, the other side but foot
or two from n poorly guarded cliff
edge, rocks and river far below.
"They are just drunk enough to
try to jump u.s." quavered the small
man, peering back of the buggy.
His companion quietly took the reins
I'm her large hands, and turning the
horse as close TO the hill as possible,
held him there. With yells that seemed
10 some from demons rather than men,
the horsemen made a mad rush On
the backward track to gain space, the
leader whrling about first, and making
n rush directly at the buggy. In n
moment there was fine tanning of air
about that vehicle, and then a noble
horse scrambled wildly, close to the
right forwheel OF the buggy, balanced
himself. and dashed on. Another
splendid animal Immediately followed
suit, and a third, their riders cursing
and cheering by turns, the lady in the
buggy holding her astonished steed
as best she could, her son fairly COVER
ing from fright.
The two remaining horscmen de-
clined TO make the leap.
"Drive on there. you road blockers,
and he quick about IT," they shouted.
And the road blockors drove on. their
horse not refusing TO he quick, the
lines managed by the woman, while
her son, no doubt, thanked God for the
shielding darkness.
Some two hours later Mr.. Horace
Tilly purchased n railroad ticket for
his mother at 4 country station. saw
her comfortably seated in n coach.
kissed her with n really manly effort
TO conceal his tears, and again sought
his buggy. The same terrible piece of
road was to be re-traveled this time
alone, and fear almost beyond con
troll set his body TO trembling. But
the entire drive was accomplished in
safety, and at about three o'clock in
the morning the horse was laboriously
embarrassed and put in n stall. Then,
mud spattered. tear spattered, and ut
terly weary, the alleged Horace Tilly
climbed none other than the back steps
OF Mr.. Ed Tompkins' home, let him
self in with latch Key, and in five
minutes became Miss Tompkins,
maiden lady, and , ow the only occu-
pant of the house.
Where her brother had hidden the three
days and nights since the murder, not
even Miss Tompkins knew. He had
stealthily let himself in the very night
that the officers grew careless in watch
ing his house. and had made good his
escape as described. Had the buggy
and horse belonged 10 him he would
doubtless have been captured. They
belonged. however. to an old farmer
who had f.. years been allowed TO
put them in the Tompkins' barn when
lie stayed overnight in town.
That Miss Tompkins would or could
sustain her part of the escape would
have been almost impossible of be-
lief 10 the townspeoplc. to all of whom
she was well known. She was a teach
er and had taught the alphabet TO the
parents of many of her present pupils.
Possibly there was not a man, woman
or child in the place who did not sin
cerely admire the timid, exceedingly
dressy, faithful little woman who at
fifty was as patient rs she had been
at twenty. Some people said that her
heart had been broken and thrown
away in her youth. IL SO. she had re.
covered the largest fragment aud IL had
never failed her. IL came nearest 20
doing so when she sat I'm the quiet
house and realized that her brother
had taken with him every cent OF the
money which she had laid away year
after year. The old age which she
knew was upon her made her very
shy of the lonely future-no brother,
no money. So she began TO borrow
n daily paper from a neighbor. and
watch the want column. thinking to
see something by which she could add
10 her earnings. one day she gazed
in great excitement at the following
advertisement:
ANY person wishing to sell the use
OF bis brains at the rate Of seven
fhoucand dollora NOR onpup, ,.-u,