Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1904-09-08

ARK HOU ROBBER OR ONLY COMMON
MANI INQUIRED THE GIRL.
10 his regular stock, but forty more
shakes discouraged him into passing
on.
Twenty minutes later she heard the
latch OF the gate suddenly click, and
she dumped herself out Of the ham
mock to find first class specimen Of
the Weary Willie advancing up the
path. She motioned rs Aunt Deborah
had told her to. She motioned with
no attention. He was within five feet
Of her when she cried out:
''Stop where you are!"
That's better" he said as he came
TO a halt. Il took 1t from your flinging
your arms about that you had st. Vitus
dance. Any cold wittles which want
satin' upP
Sir" commanded Sadie as she drew
herself up. Il want you to understand
that have gun"
"Just SO. little one"
And it's loaded"
"A SNiA A0 uo AiuA hiANoo uo
q rag doll when 1t isn't loaded. I'd
like to change places with the gun for
an hour or two"
IF you do not at once go away" con-
tinued Sadie in trembling tones. Il
shall be under the painful necessity Of
shooting you"
by ginger, but what a heroine"
laughed the tramp.
He understood the situation He
hnew that she was alone and ready to
be scared into fit, but was making
a brave bluff against her womanly
weakness. There was q strain Of chiv-
airy In his composition. Stepping back
and lifting his greasy old cap off his
tousled hair he bowed and said:
Fair miss. please observe that |
gracefully retire and give you the vic
tory"
When he had disappeared down the
road Miss Sadie congratulated herself
on her nerve and sat down on the
steps Of the veranda TO look for n mad
dog. Aunt Deborah had said mad
dog would come next There was Il
slip somewhere, however, for IL was n
robber that showed up about forty min
utes after the tramp's broad back had
become only dot against the sky line
The robber came from the west, walk
ing in the middle OF the highway. As
he reached the BAN, few rods below
the house. ne turned in and was quick
ly lost 10 sight. Sadie waited with
bea ting heart for ten minutes to see II
he intended 10 advance upon the houBe
from the barn and take her by sur
prise but as dine went on she made NJ
her mind that he had come to steal hay
or straw instead Of household effects.
He must be driven away just the same.
and she was the only one 10 drive him.
Aunt Deborah depended upon her.
IL was another ten minutes before
the girl could work up courage enough
TO GO In after the old shotgun and drag
II forth by its muzZlc. But once armed
she felt braver and made her way
along the puth To the barn. whose
doors stood wide open to the summer
wind and sunshine She approached
them cautiously, fearing that the
stranger was In ambush and ready to
spring forth. But as she finally stood
and looked into the barn she was con
siderably relieved to find the man ly-
ing at full length on n scant bed Of
hay. Robbers do not generally take a
daylight nap before robbing, and,
though the man looked wayworn and
somewhat disreputablc, his face as far
ns she could see it was not evil look
ing. Perhaps he was not a robber.
Are you you n robhcr or only n
common man. Inquired the girl at
last as she hugGcd the shotgun.
The man sat up and smiled in n sick
ly way and looked around with be
wiidered air, and it was minute be
fore he vaguely replied: