The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1905-09-28

town. I'm travelin' from Illinoy to
Kansas. My wife an children are
down thar on the creek bank in a wag-
ON shakin' to death with the ageT.
This here's all a mistake, friend"
"Where is your wife an children att"
asked the auctioneer.
Down thar by the ford on the creek
down thar starvin' to death, man.
An their pappy locked up In this hole
for murderer! Great goodness!
don't keer for myself, but poor Lizy
an the babies'-
Don't worry about your folks" he
said. Don't you want drink Of wa
ter!'
Roberts handed tin cup through the
bars, and the prisoner drank as though
he were famished.
Whats your name?' the auctioneer
asked
"Jim Darrow."
you'll need a lawyer"
II amt done nothin'-thank you,"
said Darrow, handing back the cup.
AN, besides, 1 amt got cent in the
world except this IS, an the man that
bought my watch will want that"
Man to man, now," said Roberts
mo lying - did you kill Brumfeld's
boy?"
The prisoner drew himself up, looking
the auctioneer in the eyes, and replied:
"As God is my judge, no! never
heard Of Brumfield or his boy or any
thing about any Of this till ten min
utes ago"
II believe you, an I'll stand by you,"
said Roberts.
"An' my wife an babies
"Neyer mind, now" said Roberts.
"We will take care Of them. You keep
a stiff upper lip"
Roberts rode to the ford with a farm
er who went that way. Twilight had
settled down when he reached the place
where the movers family was camped.
Near the roadside the auctioneer saw a
Pickering light and heard the fretfu.
cries of an infant. Coming closer, he
saw an old wagon covered with a rag
ged piece of canvas. Nearby an AMI
NAL that might once have been a horse
was tethered to sapling. A woman
sat near the campfire holding the fret
ting baby in her arms. Lying on the
ground and on strips OF bedclothing
We're the three other children. The
woman was trying to quiet the infant,
and occasionally she glanced toward
the road
Good evenin'. num-" said Roberts.
"Are you Mrs. Darrowi"
eyes, SIR"
Your husband
"My gracious. what's happened to
| him!" cried the woman, now standing
erect and holding the child close to her
breast.
Roberts stammered at first and then
blurted out, Hes been arrested
"Arrested?" She repeated the word
in bewildered tome
"Yes; he's been accused Of stealin' q
watch"
Where is hep she exclaimed, put
ting the baby on the ground.
well, don't get. frightened now.
mum; don't get frightened" said Rob
erts. Hes locked up, but
Locked up" she gasped. Locked
up! Why, man. locked up. you say
Don't they know he's pretty nigh dead
with the ager?'
The woman caught up her apron ant
held tt to her eyes. The babies clune
to her torn skirts, whining piteously
Locked upr' she moaned over ani
over again. AN tomorrow's his chill
day.
Roberts put the woman and the chill
dren into the wagon. hitched up thI
bony horse and started for the village
On the way he tried hard to urge tn,
miserable horse out Of snail-like gait
The mother continued to sob ani
moan. and the children all cried a
once, while the horse crept along al
though every step would be Its last.
Roberts saw men hurrying along
and once party Of horsemen, utterin,
loud curses, passed him at gallop
Finally when the outlandish rig hat
turned corner into the main thor
oughfare of the village Roberts saw
the glare of fire on the public squar
and heard volleys of cheers and yells.
As the vehicle passed group Of mel
Roberts heard one say. I'VE can't d
anything till after midnight; the shel
iff's on the lookout"
To this another replied, We'll ge
him as soon as the crowd gets wofke'
up right
Roberts pounded the old horse an
drove into the throng of men that hal
gathered near the auction stand. tn
county attorney and the mayor wer
on the box side by side. The mayo
was haranguing the crowd and bea
ging the people to go to their home
and let the law take its course. Som
Of the listeners cheered for the mayor
others jeered at him. Roberts drov
the staggering horse close to the speal
er's stand, and. leaping from the sea
. he tore of the tattered wagon cove
that hid the woman and her childre
from view. Mrs. Darrow's face va
as pale as corpse; her little one
were huddled close about her, and th
baby was still crying.
The auctioneer mounted his 6tani
The red light Of the bonfire lit up b
familiar face.
"Hooray for Mart Robertsr' ysile
half Of the crowd.
Gentlemen" exclaimed the auctinl