The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1910-11-24


still some distance away. and saw
her talking to him excitedly. deter
mined to conceal myself behind rock
and observe what might take place.
The wife had not been with her hus-
band five minutes before | heard
shot. Not seeing any one hurt, con-
| cluded that it was a signal. Then
saw man moving down on the wood
| cutter. Taking a position above him.
he called on the woodman to stop. The
| latter halted his oxen and sat down on
bowlder beside the road. His wife
| walked nervously about. Within ten
minutes the other two men came
down. and all three moved on the
woodcutter.
had short rifle slung to my sad
| die and revolver at each hip. / re-
| solved to keep the men covered and
| il 1 saw any attempt to kill would be
| in position to render assistance. The
| woman kept looking up my way. as if
she wished would join them. l
| feared she would call their attention
to me. but fortunately she failed to do
so.
The men made a search of the load
on the cart. throwing off every stick
of wood and ripping up the floor. But
not a sack of dust was to be found.
| They withdrew for consultation. then
returned. and one Of the men put re-
! volver to the head of the woOdman.
and cohld. hear him threaten to shoot
| him If he didn't tell where the dust
| was. Suddenly the woman drew a
revolver and shot the robber dead.
Each Of the other two men drew their
weapons to finish the woodman and
| his wife.
l now thought it high time to in
| terfere. l fred at one of the men and
| dropped him. This startled his com
panion. who looked about wildly for
the unseen enemy. While he was do
ing so the woodcutter. whom the rob-
bers had not disarmed. put bullet in
| his brain.
The road agents now all being dis
posed of. l descended. The woman
| had tainted in her husbands arms
The wood was scattered ON the road
beside the cart The dumb brutes were
| standing patiently waiting for the
| crack of the whip to move on. Hear
| ing steps above him. the woodman
looked up and saw me descending. At
that moment his wife regained con
seriousness. and by the time joined
| them both had recovered something of
their equanimity.
Talk of gratitude. There was graft
tude enough in that young woman's
eyes to thank an army for the relief
of beleaguered city.
"I thought you had deserted u.s."
she said.
"If I had come on you would both
have been dead by this time and I
as well probably"
That's true said the man. Were
only here by miracle"
| AS soon as the pair had recovered
| from the shock the man began to re-
| place the wood on his cart. l turned
| in and helped him. As soon as we had
| finished the job and the couple were
ready. TO proceed on their journey he
said TO me:
Il don't think Wen have any more
1 trouble. but don't know"
IF you're not certain / shall go back
| with you. don't like leaving a man
and ! won't leave Il woman in dan
ger"
The wife gave me look that set
| tied me- | turned back with them.
| intending to take a fresh start the
| next day.
"Now. if you don't mind" l said 81
| would like an explanation as to why
the robbers suspected you Of carrying
| gold or Of knowing who was carrying
| it."
| 1T is better" said the man, "that
you shouldn't know till we're out of
danger. Not knowing. no one can
| force you to tell. Wait till we get to
Punkerville. then I'll tell you all about
| it,"
| 10 this asSented. and we continued
| our journey to within few miles OF
| the town. when. unable TO keep the
| ciNN paw VI INV OAChs 4 olbC"Oo SA9hc
IF Impotence.
IF you don't mind" said the wood
man. who since the fracas had dropped
his lingo, you might ride ahead and
| send out wagon"
] did so after having accepted an in
vitation from the man TO call that
| evening at his house.
When | stood before the door of his
| dwelling l looked upon the best house
| in the town | found the woodman
| dressed like gentleman and his wife
| dressed like a lady.
Permit me to Introduce myself" he
said. las the owner of newly dis
| covered mine up in the canyon. Last
| night l got wind of a proposed attack
by road agents to carry off our stock
| Of accumulated ore. We are, defense
| less up there. and determined to bring
| it down here, my wife. who was with
me. agreeing to act as vedette; Had
we not met you
Pardon me. | think l have curbed
my curiosity sufficiently as to where
| this gold dust was. Will you kindly
EssHE9