The wageworker., 1910-05-20

combining my operations to stage
coaches. army paymasters and the
like, but man is always going either
uphill or downhill. and as l was
necessarily going down wasn't above
taking anything could get my hands
on, even from a woman.
"a woman came to the door. She
was young and fairly good looking. To
my request for some supper she gave
smiling assent. asking me to come
in and make myself comfortable. She
went into the kitchen, and l looked
about me. There was chimney in
the room where was with no fire. I
knew chimney was favorite place
to hide money. and. going to the fire
place, stopped and looked up. On
projecting brick ! saw small box,
which l appropriated and. lifting the
cover. saw a lot of bills and loose
change. slipped it all in my pocket
and put the box back in the chimney.
"By and by the young woman came
in and set good supper on the table.
l ate my fill and when l had finished
took out one of the coins had taken
from the box and handed n to her.
"'No.' she said. there's nothing to
pay. You're quite welcome to your
supper hope it has done you good.
You looked tired and hungry when you
came in. and felt sorry for you. So
l have given you the best in the
house,
'"That was the first lesson in kindli-
ness ever received. At any rate. it
was the first that ever took hold of
me. When l thought Of the contents
of the box in my pocket and my Offer
ing one Of her own coins in payment
for her kindness. not the least part Of
which was the way she offered it. my
despicable meanness seemed to shrivel
me all up couldn't look her in the
face.
"'You don't need to go on she said.
we have spare bed upstairs
81 was thinking how would get the
money back in the box in the Chin
ney, and it occurred to me that ii l
stayed there all night l could slip
down in the night and do the job. So
said: Thank you, miss. II you
don't mind reckon l will. It'll be
great accommodation to me-
".No more than to me. My brother
and his wife have gone away for a
few days and left me alone with the
children. They say that Murphy's
gang is operating in the neighbor-
hood, aud I wouldn't mind having a
man in the house.
"Tn that case.' said. I think I'll
sleep on that lounge. and I'll guaran-
tee that no man gets upstairs unless
he goes over my dead body
II knew two Of my men would be
along there that night. and reckoned
they'd take in anything by the way.
The first thing did before turning
in was to put the msoe1 hack in the
box. When I'd done that felt the
| first Of kind of comfort I'd never
| experienced before. didn't go to
sleep. wanting to be awake If any one
called. In the middle Of the night my
two men. Pete Barnickel and Colora-
do Bill, did call. ! showered bullets
everywhere about them except just
where they were, and they concluded
there must be whole vigilance COM
mittee inside. When they had gone I
heard a soft voice eaX down the
stairs:
""Thank you.'
":Just you go to sleep. I'm in COM
! mand here
"And I've been in command here
ever since. married the girl. l
didn't confess till shortly before the
wedding and have been living here
ever since. My wife owned the prop
,erty. and after came in her brothers
family went of to ranch they
bought farther west"