The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-07-19

neighbor to whom he owed Tho
money to come for it the neYt dov
~ was Just at dusk that Huldah IN tbs
kitcnen, caught the echo of tbo
cneery Get 70 there!" of her father
IN 'front.' OF the house. She fastened
1ne preparations for the evening meal
lhen she failed to hear her father as
usual busting about the stable
mat is strange!" she murmured
as sne did not see any lantern light
at the rear of the house. Then She
went out to the front. The horse and
wagon were standing near the hitch.
ing post. Just then Seth came in from
the fields.
Why, | wonder what can have he.
come OF father!" spoke Huldah. "oh.
Seth! There he is lying in the road"
the old man had fallen, or had been
knocked from the wagon-the latter.
1t seemed, for there was mark near
the temple suggesting a blow from
some blunt instrument. His pockets
were turned inside out, his watch and
the old purse he always carried were
gone. They carried him into the
house.
1t became known all over the dis.
trict the next day that two thieves
had followed Mr.. Bingham from town.
in some way aware that he carried a
large amount Of money around with
him, and had robbed him OF the mort
gage money-$2, 900.
Jared was dazed when he came back
to consciousness. He recalled being
assaulted by two men just as he left
the wagon to secure the horse to the
hitching post
I had the money from the bank in
two one-thousand-dollar bills" he
said. I'D put them in an old snuff box
and kept that in my coat pocket,
where could constantly feel it, They
must have got it, yet-yet-" and he
tried to think hard-'it seems to me
that their coming at me warned me,
and l clutched the box, and-and-no;
it's no use, can't remember! It's
four years more hard work to make 1t
up, but I'm thankful they spared my
life"
They never discovered any trace
of the thieves. 1t broke up the old
man considerably to realize the ire
mendous loss with which he had met.
Il hope his mind is going to be all
right" spoke Huldah anxiously to her
husband one day
why should you think otherwise?"
asked Seth.
"Why, every once in a while father
stops work and goes out to the spot
where he was knocked from the wag-
on by those men. He will stand star
ing there for a full quarter OF an hour
at the hitching post, as If it were a
sort of an oracle he was consulting.
well, it was great shock, the
robbery" said Seth, "but it will wear
of with father after a time"
Seth had bought new horse, q
great powerful animal, and he hitched
him up one morning to go to town
| The rig was all ready in front Of the
| house while the family were eating
breakfast. Suddenly, glanctng out Of
| the side window, old Jared sprani
quickly to his feet and ran out OF the
house.
"That road roller is coming" hi
shouted, "and I'll bet 1t scared the new
horse. Too late! Too late! Slam
etty-bang! The animals gone, hitch
ing post and ALI"
The announcement was true. Tht
new horse had pulled the hollow pos
up and was speeding down the turn
pike with 1t swinging behind him
Seth started in pursuit. Father ant
daughter stood staring after. Sudden
| " Jared uttered strange cry. ~
stopped over and from the scattered
dirt where the post had been puliet
from place picked up-his old snui
box.
"why, l remember, clear as day
| now," he shouted "Huldah" an
| he opened the box and the two Sl,OV
bills were safe and sound.
It was true, and Just then the con
Meeting link in the mystery fiashe'
into the old mans mind. When tn
robbers had attacked him he ha'
slipped the box over the edge into tn
hollow tube, and time and circun
stances had proven 1t to be saf
| ktdfnU nIaca