The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1911-04-27
The Robber
By RUTH GRAHAM
Copyright BY American Press Asso-
citation. i9li.

David venables many years ago
when Missouri was a wilder countr,
than It Is now. riding on one Of th'
dirt roads and coming to a Bit OF high
er ground where the road turned. heard
In the bushes on the rise a voice which
seemed to be that Of a boy.
-Hait. tharr'
venables drew rein. He was armed
but. feeling sure that be was covered
by an rRseen enemy. thought Il dan,
gerous TO attempt TO draw a weapon.
"Well. what do you wantT' be asked
Put yer valybles In the road"
venables. though disliking 70 be
robbed By one whose voice Indicated
that he was little more than a child,
yet dreading bullet In his brain. com
Piled Taking bis watch from his fob
and some silver money from his pocket,
he tossed both TO the ground
rs that All 20 sOtf' asked the voice.
sYes."
''well. go on"
Venables rode on and when be
reached a tavern a few miles distant
reported that be had been robbed By q
boy who could not have been more
than fourteen years old. for bis voice
had not changed
Within a week Edward Ormsbee.
when riding on the same road on which
this robbery had been committed. saw
walking ahead OF him a youth who
might have been between sixteen and
nineteen years Of age. He was dressed
In the costume Of the country. buck
skin. and had a pistol At one hip and
knife at the other. Ormsbee. when be
reached him. called 10 him and asked
where he was going. Learning that
the traveller had some distance 10 go.
Ormsbee invited him to get up on his
horse behind him and be would give
him a lift on bis way. The youth &C
cepted. put his foot on Ormsbee's. gave
him bis hand and was pulled up on 10
the horses back
In a few minutes Ormsbee felt cold
iron against his head. and the boy be-
hind him told him that be was about
to 20 through his pockets and II he
moved be would be shot Ormsbee
was not only paraiyzed By surprise.
but unable to defend himself IN bis 20
sition He made no resistance. and the
boy took bis wallet from his pocket.
containing SO IN bills. the state bank
currency OF the period Then. they
being In a wood. the young robber
slid on the horses rump and disap-
peared among the trees.
The next robbery was committed
on a peddler. who said that the robber
was a bearded man with a squeaky
voice. Then followed another robbery
BY a man with a strip Of cloth over
bis face. with holes cut for bis eyes
and nose. All agreed that the voice Of
the person who had robbed them was
either not that Of a grown man o. else
Il was pitched In a very unusual key.
However. Il was decided that the
youngster had been permitted to com
nit bis depredatious long enough. and
a posse was organized 10 hunt him
down. so one morning three men
the number was considered quite suf-
icient-were armed and started out for
the purpose. Just outside the settle
ment they stopped at the house Of Old
Hedges and his wife. a couple whose
poverty had been notorious. but who
now seemed to be getting along very
well
Had a windfall. Mr. Hedges7" ask
ed one Of the party.
mo: our salIie's clerkin' for a man
over IN Hudson county. and she's keep
IN Us up"
When the party left II was arranged
that they should proceed separately,
but keep IN touch. They hunted an
the morning and part Of the afternoon.
when two Of them heard a couple Of
shots and hurried IN the direction Of
The sound. They found Jim Turner
in the hand. A masked man
had held him up; but. being ready for
The robber. Jim had 6red az him. The
robber had returned the shot and run.
All started In the direction the
masked man had taken. moving sew
sral hundred yards apart. II was not
ong before they heard some one break
Ing through the bushes. ascending a
hillside IN the bed OF dry creek. They
followed. but we're soon stopped By a
bullet singing over their heads. One Of
hem. Hank Burke. a young hunter
1sed to Indian fighting. crnwled for
ward and reported that there was
little fort made Of stones about four
'eet broad and as many high. with a
oophole. They couldn't iuke the posi-
ion without a likelihood Of some Of
hem being killed. II was decided that
Hank should 60 forward for a parley.
lie did 50. taking a position behind q
rec.
SAY, you. thar, there's three Of rs
iere. all armed. You'd better surren.
Ier."
Burke listened for a reply. but none
anne. Presently be heard a sob.
Leaving his tree. be went forward
ieither shot nor word greeted him.
When be reached the miniature fort
here behind II sat the robber. He was
ot masked. but bis hands covered bis 4
ace. Selling the wrists. Hank exposed