Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1907-07-06
eadllks eyes twinkled most unpleas-

Dedullke eyes IWlnkIeu u1OSt uMpleaS'
antly.
Taking the wallet from my pocket
1 held 1t out toward him Here 1t is,
l said, bitterly.
He stepped forward to take 1t when
with a quick. outward jerk of my hand,
flung the wallet far back among the
trees at the roadside.
you little scamp" said the robber,
the smile now gone from his face.
why did you do thatT
ri don't know" replied, astonished
at my own audacity, unless 1t was
because 1 wanted to-"
He led his horse to the edge OF the
wood, and tried to tie the bride round
one of the trees. But the girth Of the
tree was too great, as, indeed was that
of every tree in sight. He glanced
to which he might hitch his horse. But
although he was unsuccessful in this,
he had gained one point; he had placed
himself and his horse between me and
the thlcket In which l had flung the
wallet.
Bub, he said. suddenly turning,
his features again lighted by that
pleasantest of smiles, Lets be reason
able"
l made no reply, but waited to hear
what he had to say.
Now" he continued, II can't trust
you to go into the woods to look for
the purse, because If you found it you
wouldn't come back. And l can't go
myself, because there Is no place here
to tie my horse. But I'll tell you
what l will do. If you will hold the
horse for me, and not let 1t go, nor at
tempt to play any tricks on me, I'll go
and find the purse, and divide the
money with you. You know it will be
much better to go home with forty dol
lars than with nothing"
This seemed very reasonable, be-
cause for the moment saw before me
no choice except that between losing
all the money and losing only half.
l preferred losing only half. so l
stepped over to where the robber stood.
All right" l said, grasping the
bride. "1'll hold the horse"
The robber, with the parting intunc-
tion, Now remember what l said !"
plunged into the thicket.
Looking up the pike now, I saw at
glance the explanation of his hasty
terms; for there, not more than a quar-
ter Of mile distant, came a farm wag-
on drawn by two gray horses. Evil
IDENTITY having seen this only a moment
before, and believing that he had but
few brief minutes, In which to consum-
mate his robbery, he had resorted to
this daring scheme in sheer despera-
ton.
For a minute or two l could hear
the man thrashing around in the tan
gled brush; and then, apparently sur
missing that the wallet had fallen at
point some distance back, he pushed
farther into the forest and l could hear
him no longer.
The farm wagon was rumbling along
toward me at a snail's pace. / knew
that 1t would be useless for me to cry
for help while the farmer was at that
distance; for even If l could make my
voice heard, the robber In his wrath
might do me bodily injury-perhaps
kill me-and escape before the farmer
could possibly arrive. So l stood there.
my hands trembling, and prayed in an
incoherent way that the robber might
be delayed until the farmer was near
enough to render me some assistance.
Nearer and nearer the wagon came.
could almost distinguish the features
of the farmers face, and could hear
quite plainly his cries of ICED depm
and "G'lang."
For one brief moment I INDUCED in
the illusions of hope, and then my
heart sank within me deeper than ever
as l saw the team turn into a by-road
and disappear.
In a second I had determined upon
wild dash. With difficulty getting my
left foot into the stirrup, I swung my
self across the saddle. Hardly had l
seated myself when the horse started
off. And the next minutes we were gal
Looping madly up the pike.
Suddenly l heard far behind me a
loud cry and glancipg hastily over my
shoulder, l saw the robber come run
ming out Of the woods, wildly waving
his arms and shaking his fist at US.
l paid no attention to him; nor did
the horse heed his late masters voci-
ferrous "whoas."
On we galloped. I 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