The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-11-15

Overt exclaimed the woman. Just |
you fall in with river pirates and you'll
find out whether they are over or not"
Nobody didna tell me onything |
about river pirates,' said the Scotch
man anxiously.
II thought" said the Englishman,
that the law was well enforced in |
these parts
$50 it is in the towns. You kin git |
a lot Of 1t in Cincinnati, but who is
goin' to take keer O. the law on the
river? Do you expect to find court
houses on the bars? Hello, cap'n! You
gOin' to wreck us on that snag?"
The boat was guided safely around
the trunk of a dead tree the roots of
which were partly submerged in. shall
low water, the branches standing out
in position to receive anything the cur
rent might bear to them. And the
woman proceeded:
81 got pistol and a bowie knife
with me, but | don't reckon I'll try to
use 'em If we're attacked. l don't
keer to give up my lif, tryin' to save
the few dollars l got with me. Be-
sides, the pirates amt mean enough to
sarch woman, and l got my valybles
under my frock.'
"Mon Dieu!" exclaimed the French
man. Il have wiz me all re rargent
for to open a store in Louisville. If re
riviere pirates take it away, what will
do?"
1--WE bought thousand acres" said
| the land Spectator, ION Green river
and have $1,000 to pay for it in my
money belt. To lose the money would
knock me cold"
Och, murtherr said the Irishman.
Il don't believe in river pirates, at all,
at ALL I've lived in Cincinnati for two
years, and | niver heard anything of
EN-"
"You didn't, chr protested the wo-
man scornfully. "A boatload of EN-
pulled up to my cabin Yesterday and
made me cook dinner for 'em. They
purity nigh skcered me to death, how
somever"
did they rob your" asked the Eng
lishman earnestly.
me. they didn't rob me, and they
paid me for the dinner. They said
they wasn't sich low down varmints
us to injure a woman"
And she pulled from pocket In her
dress handful of Mexican silver
coins which We're the principal small
currency In common use in the west
at that time.
IN, hD
river, and several miles below row.
. boat was seen in the middle of the
stream, her crew resting on its oars.
AS soon as the hatboat had rounded
: the lend the oars began to dip and
!, rise, the boat moving slowly toward
, the current.
"Fo, landsake," exclaimed the wo
man, "ef thar amt the boat that
! stopped at my cabin Yesterday"
n How do you know it's the same?'
cried several men at once, paling.
!. IL amt Shore but I kin tell purt.
o soon"
# "Say," cried the land Spectator
,. would you mind hangin' my none.
belt beside your purse"
4 "Reckon WILL" was the complacen
# reply.
% "And my pocketbook? said the Eng
9 lishman.
"And my portemonnaie? added tn
"a Frenchman.
, The woman put the purse and tn
a money belt under her tape waistban'
y and stuffed the pocketbook under II
=, Within a few minutes enough watche
- were dangling from her waist, sand
:, wiched between the purses and pocket
books. to do credit to pawnshop wiz
!, dow
te Meanwhile the flatboat was nearin
the boat which now was seen t
- contain only three men. Those O
: the fatboat numbered a half dozer
:, though there were few arms anon
. them They consulted as to whethe
: they would put up fight or no
Some were In favor Of doing so, bu
:. the majority were against it, arguin
:" that the pirates would respect tn
woman and their valuables were SAT
y without risking their lives.
u 81 amt quite Shore" said the won
an as the IluIDOdL uTeW near Tic Olue
: IF they're the men that came to m
We cabin yesterday or not
"WelI, hold. on to the plumber Il
ne we're shure." said the freshman.
II IIello, Sal!' cried one of the me
rs from ttte boat
= "Lordy, Ben, is that your"
Reckon Whar 20 goin?'
ri ITO Loueyyille. Jim went over tha
en- a week ago to find somepin to do. II
N, sent for me to take the first chance
H. foller him"
st BY this time the rowboat had pulle
OF up beside the other. and a man in
o. held it to the larger with his ham
ne The woman walked the deck towar
d. her friends. those on the 6atboat r
IN manning where they were.
1T, Suddenly they saw her jump dow
er. into the rowboat. 1t was pushed OF
rd and a few quick strokes sent it out {
ed range of the hatboat.
up "These gents" called the woman
ne have invited me to go to Loueyvil