River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-12-03

About midnight the form OF mSn
might have been seen issuing from the
shade in the rear of the trustees home,
and going in the direction of the spring
which issued from a small cave. 1t was
followed by the Keef dog, which, strange
ly enough, trotted Familiarity along.
After few minutes the man returned
and reentered the shadows of the house.
Probably an hour later two other per-
sons approached the house. Something
perhaps the furious barking OF the
dog-caused them to make away. They
were followed across the fields and into
the road leading to the village by yet
another person, who was evidently shad-
owing them.
Keef slept until about two o'clock in
the morning, when he was awakened by
his wife, who said she had heard the
report of gun in the direction OF the
village. Only partially awake at first,
he grasped his pistol, rushed to the door,
and fired out into the night.
81 'spect you hit the world som'ers.
jake" grumbled his wife. What did
you do that for-disturbfn' the neigh
| bors that-a-way.'
"Jest bluff, guess, said the trustee,
rather sheepishly. EFF there's any rob-
bers around, it'll let 'em know I'm fixed.
The next thought was of the wallet
! Raising the pillow anxiously, he was
Mortified to find that it was-gone.
= can be surmised that the neighbor-
hod was aroused long before dawn Dur
ing the search which followed, 1t de-
veloped that Rufus Dent had been
wounded that night, and that handker-
chief with his initials thereon had been
| found near Keef's house. The young
man was too severely wounded to walk
home that night, and so the trustee and
others confronted him with the suspl-
cious handkerchief He said that it was
! his and that he had been near Keefs after
midnight.
From my window he went on to
explain, 81 saw two men lurking near my
home. Being out so late looked suspi-
cious, and going downstairs | got where
I could observe their movements with
out being discovered. The men were
| those Mr.. Keef thought yesterday were
too closely watching him. They were
not acquainted in the vicinity, thought,
and were evidently hunting his resi-
dence. This was confirmed in my
mind when they left and went toward
his home. l followed at distance, saw
them leave his premises when the dog
raised the alarm, and then Swallowed
them for something like a half mile,
when. discovering me, they fired and
ran. 1t was my intention to see them
safely out of the neighborhood before
returning to tell of the incident. Mr.
Keef was already much worried and
frightened, and, if unmolested, there was
no need to add to his vexation during
| the night"
There was no p1ausibility in this story
to Keef. Anyone could shift his crime
| on others with some countenance II the
others were not present to explain; and
then there was the wound-in all prob
ability his shot, fired at random, had hit
the mark. 1t was easy to believe, fur
Their. that Dent had made his way to
where found after being wounded.
A warrant was issued forthwith and
Dent was arrested. He gave bond for his
appearance at the next term of court
which would convene in March.
But if the public was surprised over
the arrest of the young lawyer, it was
genuinely astonished when the day for
trial come. The prosecutor, when the
case was called, asked the judges per-
mission to make a statement. Said he:
ST have done the defendant a great
wrong: if there is any way to repair it,
l am willin' to try to do so. sometimes
walk in my sleep-I believe the state
attorney calls it somnambulism. Last
night, while in this condition, my wife
found me in our cave-Spring. She
watched me in amusement till reached
under a crevice an withdrawed-wha
do you think, judge? 1t wus this wallet
O. gov'ment funds, an not red cent
missin'! Putin all things together, I'm
certain that in my worry that night the
money wus missin', had one o. them
spells an hid it myself. 1t looks quare,
but rememberin' his life now since
have got over my scare, it amt
stranger than that I should have
thought Rufus Dent guilty."
John Strobel hesitated to open the next
letter he received from his ward. Per-
haps he was expecting a taunt. But
breaking the seal he read:
March 10, 1902
"Dear Guardian-Can you still say
you are not surprised? What do you
now think of the judgment of mature
business man when pitted against the
'promptings of sentiment?' | have so
far recovered that I shall start home
next week.
sYour ward,
JUDITH MAYS"