Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1904-01-29


the road, he broke through this
leafy wall.
A branch used as a broom sui
feed to obliterate the tracks that
showed ride had ended there
and behind his screen of mesquit
brush he lay down to sleep, his sad
die for a pillow, the soft earth for
a bed, He needed no covers, for on
that high mesa of the ella there is
no dew.
A city boy might wonder thathe
took pains to hide himself FROM
the road and to disguise the
traces of his camp, but to Joe ii
was as natural as it is 10 the town
bred lad TO lock his bedroom door
at a strange hotel.
Joe said his little prayer, taught
him by the mother whose death
had left him to make his way
alone two years before, and closed
his eyes. A boy is not likely to
forget his prayers when the only
roof above him is the sky, and
every star seems like bright eye
seeing clear through him. Joe did
not have to wait for sleep; he was
off as soon as his eyes were shut.
Suddenly he was broad awake
again. The moon was gone and
the stars were still shining. and
by them he knew day was yet far
distant. a moment to collect has
wits, and Joe was conscious that
somebody was talking on the 9th
er side of the bushes. The first
words made him all attention.
Gonzalez outfit" he heard the
voice say. will come as soon as it
is light. and we had better meet
him right here. To strike him to.
night might make the buTI-driver
suspicious; and besides. that boy
Joe knows Pm not with the com
pany any more. | want TO get the
money without having to hurt amy
body"
But say, LampsOn, Joe heard
another voice. won't that boy be.
there just the same in the morn
ing?'
Not Il bit of it, said Lampson.
Hell just give Gonzales his mes
sage and start back. He doesn't
know why he is sent. Nobody burt
the LOrdsburg agent and the sui
pcrintendcnt is supposed to know
that there is SD 900 in bills rolled
up in Il bale of blankets. That
much comes every month TO paN
off the men ut the mines on the
first. The company is afraid ho,
send il by the stage. for ( hr stage
is held up by the rustIrrS too.
often. Nobody would ever think @d
hunting through the freight Cor
the money. The frcightcr himself
hasn't any idea Of what ne is ear
rying. They have been doing this
for Il long time and have ncvel
had any trouble, but the boss can~e
help feeling Il little anxious, SOB be
always chascs the boy oil down Il r
road to make sure where t@"
money train is
Hoes first impulse had been to
shout Il greeting, but as the words
reached him he realized in n dash
what they meant. The myStcrr"i
his monthly mission tS;at had So
puzzled him was Il mystery No
longer.
II don't see why We should harc
a bit of trouble" said I.nmpSon.
I'll Just tell Gon2alcz that the
company is in Il hurry for he blan
kets for some prospecting PARTIES.
and has sent me with the buck
board to fetch them on ahead OF
him. He knows me from seeing
me in the Office and will probably
not ask a question
But" asked one of the Others,
suppose the boy has told hiHl
YOU were thrown out?"
IF can't convince him the boy
lied, we will have 10 make II gun.
play Now quit talking. We'd
better all get some sleep"
Soon there was silence, broken
only by the regular breathing OF
the three men.
So cautiously that not even a
rustling leaf betrayed him, Joe
raised his head and peered