Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-07-19

the horse heed his late masters yocl-
ferrous ''whoas."
On we galloped. did not sing now.
| have a faint recollection of passing
several men and boys during that ride,
one or two of whom, believe, called
after me. But who they were or what
they said to me, | do not know.
On and on we gallopsed. We passed
the old blasted oak at the corner of
Watson's corn-6eld, and ascended the
slight rise in the pike known as Ben
der's Knoll. And then my heart gave
a great bound as | saw, through q gap
In the hills before me, the end of our
big red barn, and little farther off,
the brown, unpalnted roof of the farm
house.
A few moments later I rode in
through the barn-yard gate; and, after
tying the horse to the fence, l hasten
ed over into the fields to convey to ia
ther and Joel my momentous news.
Again and again l asked myself
What will father say?"
Once or twice | was on the point Of
rushing back to the house to tell my
story to mother; for l knew that she
would comfort me, and II necessary, in
tercede on my behalf. But 1 was near
to the place where father and Joel were
working; and voice within me SEEM
ed to whisper, Don't be a coward,
Tom Norcross !" So 1 hurried on.
We'll, Tom," said father, as | came
up, did you bring the money with
you?"
II started home with it, pa" said,
"but, pa, I-I-I-was-I was
robbed !"
"What?" said father, Strengthening
himself with jerk.
Sol" said Joel, incredulously. Il
want to know!'
Tom, do you mean to say that you
were robbed on your way up from
Clayvllle" said father.
For reply told my story from be-
ginning to end. Now, pa, it wasn't
my fault, was lt?" l asked.
mo, Tom," said father. ''T don't
think it was your fault; bullets go
and take look at that horse"
| ran ahead of father and Joel, and
by the time they reached the barn
yard gate had led the horse down to
meet them.
Father carefully looked the horse
over, searched in vain for SPAWN or
ringbone, and forced its mouth open
to examine its teeth.
Here, JOEL" he said, lead him up
and down once or twice."
Joel led the horse up and down the
yard several times, while father,
standing at little distance, eyed 1t
critically.
Finally father turned to me.
"Tom," said he, this horse Is worth
a great deal more than eighty dollars.
1t is very doubtful If the scamp who
robbed you actually owns the animal.
If he does, he will never come to claim
it. But it Is probable that it belongs
to some one else, and If that Is so we
must seek the owner.'
We sought the owner In vain. We
advertised the horse five successive
weeks in the Exeter County Sentinel
and tackled up notice in the Clayville
postoffice. But we received no reply.
The robber himself was never again
seen in this part of the country.
One day several weeks later, while
passing the scene of the robbery, I was
impelled by curiosity to explore the
ground among the trees at the road
side. l did so; and to my astonish-
ment found, lodged In the uncovered
roots Of large oak, fathers wallet
The robber had not found 1t!
There certainly was robbery on the
Valley Pike; but who was robbed, and
by whom was the robbery committed?
Many years have passed since then,
and l am no longer boy Of 10. But
to this day my conscience Is decidedly
uneasy ON the subject Of the robbery
on the Valley Pike.-Youth's Com