Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1912-03-07

steal. | shall have him within a cou.
pie OF hours, and after I've mopped
the earth with him for half an hour
| will land him in the police station"
I'm buy you two new spades out of
my own money IL you'u let the matter
drop
Never, woman never! / am not
the man 70 make stealing a safe busi-
ness. | have been robbed in broad
daylight. and Justice demands a vie
tim. | go to secure hint"
A Night For Crime.
AT 10 o'clock the moon went down.
the stars paled and the night wind
died away. 1t was an ideal night for
a man who wanted to steal a pickax-
also for an old sleuth. Looking from
q back window, Mrs. Bowser observed
Nemesis stepping softly over the grass
and crouching alongside the fence.
Seven thieves, each one intent on COB
bling a crowbar. might have been
watching and listening, and yet they
would neither have seen nor heard
When he had made the round of the
yard and found all safe he softly
opened the gate and passed out into
the alley.
Not a leaf stirred
Not a cat yeowled.
Not a thief sprang up and dashed
away,
Twice had Mr.. Bowser passed up
and down the alley the length of his
block, peering under wagons and be-
hind boxes. his nerves stretched &c
their fullest tension, when an event
suddenly evented. An old horse that
had been lying in the shadow of the
fence and seemed a part Of a pile of
ashes suddenly sighed and groaned
and rose up to look for oats. Mr..
Bowser was looking for danger, and
he was equal TO the emergency. In
two jumps and a spring he was inside
his own yard and had the gate shut
and was prepared to sell his life az
the highest cash price. For three min
utes there was dark, deep silence. with
regular seven cent calico reduced to
four for one day only. Then the dis
couraged old horse fell against the
fence with another groan n gave
away his identity.
The night grew deeper.
Enter the Villain.
Mr.. Bowser had gone out and kick
ed and thumped that old horse out of
the alley and made him wish he was
a toboggan and had returned to his
point of vantage when the sound Of a
football reached his ears. 1t came from
the north. 1t was not the bold and
honest tread of an elephant, but the
sly and fugitive football of q man, Of
a sneak. Pitpat, pitpat! 1t came near
er and nearer, and 1t grew softer and
softer. Mr.. Bowser stood at the open
alley gate and shut his teeth hard.
The moment for which he had longed
was at hand. Presently he could make
out a darker shadow among the shad
ows. At ten feet away that shadow
paused. 1t was wondering If It could
steal the back end of Mr.. Bowser's
house and sell the bricks for two beers
and a nights lodging. After a mo-
ment it advanced again. The thought
of two beers had forced it onward
Pitpat! Pitpat! PITT
william, ! have thee"
The Conflict.
He had walked straight into Mr..
BoWser's arms. He was clutched and
dragged into the yard and flung down
and rolled over.
"Ah, you spade thief, but l knew
you would return! After the crowbar,
are you? Won't the pickax do your
You old ass, what are you doing?"
shouted the unknown.
Don't call me anne or I'll crack
your skully'
LET go OF mel Let me upl Who do
you take me for?"
'IIl choke the life out of youl III
Five minutes later Mrs. Bowser, who
had kept vigil at the window, was out
In the yard. Mr.. Bowser lay on his
back on the grass and seemed to be
asleep, and a man stood near looking
down at him.
"It's me, Mrs. Bowser-Stevens, your
neighbor," said the man. II was COM
ing through the alley when some one
pitched into me. and l guess it's Bow
ser. ] had to put him to sleep to make
him let go. He's coming to. Shall !
help you?"
"No, thanks she replied. and then,
giving a hand to Mr.. Bowser as he
sat up, she added:
Come on, sleuth. The mystery of
the missing spade is solved at last!"
"W-what-h-howr' he asked.
"Why, you got 1t on the jawy'