Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08

his mother declared his readiness to
start. But before going he had pri-
;vate conversation with his wife and
I son in the little kitchen. His daughter,
Dottie had remained In the living
room--which answered as bedroom
and dining-room as well-chatting
with the stranger, who seemed q very
kindly man. He told her the best
kinds of flowers to plant in that windy
dry, climate, and also told her many
things about his own daughter, Just
Dotties age.
| While they were thus, chatting Mr..
Heally was saying in low tones to his
wife and son: Pm uncertain about
leaving. all the county's money here in
your charge. Suppose it should get
out that I'm away! Some thief might
try to rob YOU"
I'm pretty good at the gun" said
Tom Heally, 15-year old youth full
Of courage and Drawn. 'I'll sit up half
the night and mother and Dot can sit
UP the other half. Well not keep a
light so that no one on the road would
suspect us of not being in bed and
asleep"
"And we'll say not a word about
your being absent" said Mrs. Heally.
|"Of course, you're supposed to go to
your Office this afternoon, but Tom can
ride in and make some excuse-say
we have sickness in the family. They'll
naturally suppose we mean that you
are held here at home on account OF
it. Tom can attend to any work in
your office during your two or three
days absence"
eyes, I'm glad I've made Tom my
clerk, for he can manage the usual
business as we'll as can. But It's not
the office that Is bothering me-it's
all that money-(here Mr.. Heally drop
ped to whisper) that's in the house."
81 feel quite sure we'll be SAFE"
said Mrs. Heally, reassuringly "As
Tom suggested We'll take turns sitting
up nights keeping watch. And IN
order to be we'll prepered for DEFENSE
Tom shall load the shotgun; then, ne
with the revolver and myself with the
gun, we'll be two against any number
of robbers that may come to make US
trouble. Well be inside the house,
they'll be outside. So the safety will
be ours"
Feeling safer after having this as
surance from his wife and son, Mr.
Heally went away with the stranger,
who gave his name as Brooks.
The afternoon wore away and dark
ness was beginning to fall when Tom
returned, horseback, from town. Mrs.
Heally had been very busy in her gar
den, for the month was April and the
spring had advanced rapidly and
gard eninp was taking the attention of
the settlers wives, Dottie was buslly
engaged in the kitchen baking bread
and pies. But before going to her gar
den Mrs. Heally had taken her daugh-
ter into her confidence concerning
their fear OF possible robber or rob-
bers. And as Dottie, aged 10, worked.
singing merrily as she turned the pie
crust or nodded her loaves OF bread,
something came into her inventive
mind. She decided to say nothing OF
it to anyone till she should see what
the result might be. But she made
one yery large pie, and when 1t was
crusts being pulled apart
and the filing put inside after the
crusts were cold-it was placed beside
the other pies on a long shelf over the
kitchen table. The large pie, however,
was placed behind the other pies and
one smaller one was set atop OF It,
And after the bread had cooled and
ready for placing in the bread box one
OF the loaves was handled in very
different manner from the others and
placed in the very bottom of the box.
At the supper table that evening
Tom said: "Now, want you, mother,
and Dot, to sit up till u tonight Then
I'll get up and take the rest of the
night. You know robber usually
makes his raid between and day
break, as people sleep sounder then:
Well bury the cash box In the yard
as soon as it is dark"
Robbers always search the ground
for signs Of buried cash." said Mrs.
Heally. 81 think it would be far safer
to keep the money right here In the
house with us. Nobody will try to
force an entrance under the fire we'd
give with the revolver and the shot
gun. So think 1t best to let the box
remain right under your fathers pill
low"
Eyes, mother I think you are right,
said Dottie And Tom, agreed also.
Eyes, mother, you and can keep them
OH, even Though Ihoy WIZ
strong"
"But there'll be no trouble, l hope"
said Mrs. Heally.
That night Mrs. Heally and Dottie
sat. up until half-past IL, then they
called Tom to relieve them Of their
vigil.
Nothing had happened to cause any
fear The moon was shining brightly,
and from kitchen window Tom could
look miles across unbroken prairie:
and from front room window he could
look down the public road to town. a
mile and half distance. From side
window he could see across big corn
field in preparation for planting. The
fourth direction was not visible from
the house. but every few minutes Tom
would put his head out Of the front
window and peer around the corner Of
the house in that direction.
Guess everything will go off safely,
Tom observed mentally after the clock
had struck q But hardly had he said
it when a sound broke upon his ear. 1t
was a. cautious sound, as of some creep
inc about the kitchen. Could 1t be pos
sible that some one had entered the