Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-14

The Daily Story
Red Apples

Red apples weighed down the branches
Of the old trees in the forsaken orchard,
Redeemed the earth below them and per-
fumed the air with their luscious fra
GRANGE It was professedly to gather them
that Hugh Ingram had taken an early
morning drive. And to add to the APP
parent casualness OF the trip as we'll as
for n personal reason, he had asked Mora
Everton to accompany him. Yet after
flling two sacks and throwing them care
lessly on the bottom Of the cart, he al
lowed the finest Of the fruit to hang
temptingly on the boughs ungathered.
Mora, pert, picturesque, pretty but by
no means approacha5le. sat on a fallen
post red apples in her lap, red apples
above her head, and one half eaten in
her hand.
"oh, but I'm hungry" she cried, "and
apples don't satisfy me one bit. Why
did we come away without breakfast?"
Miss Everton," said ingram, ignoring
her question, could you never care for
a country-bred man."
"Maybe-if he gave me enough to eat"
He made an impatient gesture
"You said last night you'd never marry
any one but University graduate"
when said that I had just eaten a
good dinner" she laughed. provokingly
Throw up your hands, commanded a
voice from behind the mine manager
He wheeled around and Mora looked up
to SEQ roughly dressed man climbing
into the cart and another covering In
gram with his rife. As the latter hesl-
tated about oheyinR the order, the des-
perado repeated angriy;
Throw up your hands, you fool, or I'll
shoot"
Resistance would be madness. lngram's
hands went up.
Neither of the outlaws thought the girl
worth their notice and she sat with
the half-eaten apple in her hand appar-
entity stupefed But her mind was busy.
She knew, though she had not been told,
that the gold from the weeks cleanup
of the Usage mine was in the cart
Usually it was sent to Roma for ship
ment to the San Francisco Mint on the
backs of mules but the stage from Roma
to Red Gulch had been held up few
days before. and though the sheriff and
his posse had been out daily hunting
them. the outlaws we're still at large
And, therefore. 1t had been deemed wise
to send the gold down in such careless
manner as to put the robbers Off the
scent
The whole situation mirrored itself in
the young womans brain. Mentally she
saw Ingram ruined, Inundated and dis
graced, and all through his love for her.
For weeks she had kept him In suspense
as to her feelings toward him, and now
by her coquetry she had so engaged his
attention as to throw him off his guard.
Softly she transferred the apple to her
left hand and her right hand went quietly
to the side OF her skirt. where an odd
pocket bulGed out. For six months the
city girl had been the guest of the en-
gneer's wife. and each day she had re-
ceived a lesson from Ingram in the art of
shooting. She would not fail her pre-
ceptor in his extremity she felt that she
must undo the harm she had done. The
open air life in the mountains had stead
led her nerves and she felt wonderfully
cool.
Quickly and deftly she drew the weapon
forth and sprang to her feet. The next
instant a report broke the stiffness, the
outlaws right arm dropped to his side
and his rife fell with n crash. With
couple OF bounds, Ingram was upon him,
had thrown him TO the ground and was
holding him there with his knees upon
his chest. Then he drew a stout cord
from his pocket and bound the mans .
arms tightly to his sides.
His confederate had carried some of the
gold into the chapparal. and was back
IN the cart getting the remainder when
he heard the report. He lifted his head
quickly. and a bullet from Morals pistol
grazed his hair Undeterred by the shot
he spranE from the cart to go to his
mates assistance but before he could
reach the gun he had put down while he
was collecting the gold, Ingram had
seized the wounded mans rife and COW
cred the desperate with II, Then he Or
dered the man to bring him a coil of
rope he would find in the cart. The
man sulenly obeyed, and as the mine
manager was binding his hands a shout
was heard,
Hello Ingram! What are you up to?"
Doing a little of your work. Sheriff
I'm glad you chanced along. I hardly
knew how to get these fellows into
Roma"
They're the very men we're after
Red Dick and Sandy Bill How did you
manage to catch them single-handed?
II was not single-handed, Miss Everton
did the most of the work"
mo, no. protested Mora, coming for
ward. MIR, Ingram taught me all / know
about the use OF this" holding up the
pistol. THE credit OF the capture is due
to him-my teacher and"-with a quick
look at Ingram, which rewarded him for
all she had made him suffer, my future
husband"
Lucky man." said the gray-haired
sheriff, ito secure in one morning a
brace of stage robbers, a charming wife,
and"
RED apples" said Mora, with re-
turn of her mischievous playfulness.
Wont you have one. Sheriff."
Copyright, 1870