The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1903-12-05
a COW or the bay,ny q, -,

cow OF 'he paying Of -aoe ;,
one of the neighboring farm,,ssS ~,
About midnight the form J.
might have been seen issuing :.
shade in the rear of the trus,.' uOs
and going in the direction oftS
which issued from a small cav
followed by the Keef dog, which =. "
ly enough, trotted familiarly' '
After a few minutes the man ''
and reentered the shadows Of IN
Probably an hour later two o,s'.
sons approached the house So.
perhaps the furious barklns
dog-caused them to make ava
were followed across the felds ., y
the road leading to the village :.
another person, who was eyider.,.Y
owing them.
keef slept until about two o'sl,.,
the morning, when he was awakss.,
his wife. who said she had hs,.s
report Of a gun in the direction J.
village. Only partially awake ~ !.
he grasped his pistol, rushed to the
and fired out into the night
81 'spect you hit the world so,,
Jake" grumbled his wife. VII
you do that for-disturbln' the ,as
bors hathaway"
Jest a bluff. guess" said tbe,.,
rather sheepishly. EFF there's a,r,'
bers around, it'll let 'em knowImt,..
The next thought was Of the v,a
Raising the pillow anxiously. bs
Mortified to find that It was-sor.r
1t can be surmised that the neIghs,,
hod was aroused long before dawn n
ing the search which followed y
veloped that Rufus Dent had h..
wounded that night, and that a hanAs
chief with his initials thereon had \.
found near Keef's house. The Won
man was too severely wounded IN ~
home that night, and so the trustee !,
Others confronted him with the m,,
cious handkerchief. He said that Il ",
his and that he had been near Keef,,a,
midnight,
From my window" he went a, ),
explain, 81 saw two men lurking near,
home. Being out so late looked mT
cious, and going downstairs got vb,
| could observe their movements viii
out being discovered. The men wan
those Mr.. Keef thought yesterday ",
too closely watching him. They Won
not acquainted in the vicinity, though
and were evidently hunting his nj.
dence. This was confirmed in ny
mind when they left and went tov,rI
his home. ! followed at a distance, M
them leave his premises when the a,
raised the alarm, and then shadow
them for something like a hall nib
when, discovering me, they fired III
ran. 1t was my intention to see ths-
safely out of the neighborhood beirt
returning to tell of the incident. NJ
Keef was already much worried az
| frightened, and. funmolested, therevl
no need to add TO his yexatiou durr
the night"
There was no plausibility in this sor
to Keef Anyone could shift his erin
on others with some countenance Il d
others were not present to explain, an
then there was the wound-in all pro,
ability his shot, fired at random, had
| the mark. It was easy to believe, tu
Their, that Dent had made his way
where found after being wounded.
A warrant was issued forthwith an
! Dent was arrested. He gave bond iorh
appearance at the next term Of cou
which would convene in March,
But II the public was surprised o7
the arrest OF the young lawyer II vi
genuinely astonished when the day
| trial come. The prosecutor, when
case was called, asked the Judges %
mission to make statement Said b
Il have done the defendant q gre
wrong; II there is any way to repair
/ am willin' to try to do 50. sometln
walk in my sleep--l believe the stat
attorney calls II somnambulIsm. Ia
night, while in this condition. my VI
| found me In our caye-sprlng. )
watched me in amusement I'LL ! reacn
under a crcvice an wIthdrawed-Sf
do you think, Judge? n wus this wal
o. goy'ment funds, an not red @
mlssIni Putin all things together
certain that In my worry that night
money wus missin', | had one o 10
spells an hid II myself II looks qua
but remcmberIn' his life now 81
/ have got over my scare, II o.
stranger than that | should d.
| thought Rufus Dent guilty"
John Strobel hcsltated to open 'hen
| letter he received from his ward !
haps he was expecting a HunI
breaking the seal he read'
March TO- 1901
Dear Guardian---Can you still
you are not surprised What 90
now think Of the Judgment OF a maj
business man when pitted against
'promptIngs Of sentiment" ! nave
far recovered that shall start DC
next week,
"YUur ward,
AZ A va