Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1917-03-01
ANDY MILLER,
DESPERATE
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

walk Sne started. he was some dlS-
lance from her, and she had time to
pull herself together before they met
Can you tell me-" she asked chow
to get to Roslin?"
you're goin' the wrong way for
Roslin. It's a couple of miles back
of you"
oh" exclaimed the girl. i've been
walking away from it all che time
I'm goin' in that direction. I'll show
you the way
"Thank you.'
AS they walked along they chatted
upon ordinary topics. Presently the
man said:
"Ain't you afraid to be walkin' along
this road all alone by yourself?"
"Why should ! be afraid?"e
ooh. there's lots O. rough characters
In these parts. Some of 'em might
harm YOU
give heard that Andy Miller has
been seen about here lately"
"Who's Andy Miller 1
Hes the man that killed CYRUS
Borden
WHO'S Cyrus Borden!
why he was man that lived just
outside O. Roslin.
What did Miller kill him for?"
"Why, ] suppose it was to get his
money. But he didn't get it after all.
Mr.. Borden kept his money in the
chimney, and Miller didn't look for it
there
At this the man showed interest
How do you know all about this?"
I'm friend of Maggie Borden, Mr..
Borden's daughter. She told me all
about it
II suppose since the killing they've
put the money in the bank
No; Maggie says they keep it just
where it Was. Nobody would think of
looking there for it. It's behind
loose brick
The man smiled, bat took care that
the girl didn't see his smile. Surely
she was the quintessence OF innocence
They walked on together till they came
to q crossroad a short distance from
Roslin, when the man turned off, leav-
ing the girl TO pursue her way alone.
"Goodby,' she said Much obliged
to YOU FOR showing me the way"
The murder of Cyrus Borden was
one of the most cold blooded that had
ever been known in those parts He
had drawn $4,000 from the bank with
which to pay off a mortgage The
same night some one broke into his
house and demanded at the point of
pistol the money he had drawn from
the bank. Borden refused and at
tempted to defend himself He was
killed by the robber. who then made
search for the money. He failed to
find it and departed empty handed.
Mrs. Borden was away at the time
with her two Younger children, Mag
gle being at home with her father.
Maggie did not know anything about
what had occurred until she was awak-
ened by the robber searching for the
money Opening her door, she heard
him ransacking bureau drawer. She
could see the flashes of his dark Ian
tern, but not him. She turned on the
lights, and he fed
Maggie ran TO her fathers room and
found him lying dead on the floor.
Maggie's description of the murderer
tailed with that of notorious des-
perado. Andy Miller, who had terror
lied the country roundabout and had
been seen near Roslin. Justice at the
time was administered ia that region
by members of vigilance committee
They searched for Miller. but he was
too smart for them. He would appear
when they were not looking for him,
but would be conspicuously absent
when they hoped to find him.
The night after the meeting of the
man and the girl OH the road the man
about 10 o'clock walked past the house
where the murder had been commit
ted. Not light was to be seen in it.
Seeing something white on the front
door, he drew near it and saw that 1t
was a bit of paper on which was writ
ten:
Gone to Aunt Mary's Will return at IL
o'clock
What luck" said the man to him
self
Going around to the rear of the
house, he tried window sash and
found it unlocked He had only to
raise it to step into the window and
find himself i'll the kitchen. Flash
ing a light, he saw that the stovepipe
entered the chimney. Passing into the
living room, he found an open fire
place STOPPING and flashing his light
up the chimney, he began to feel for
loose brick.
Come out o. that
The man turned and saw the room
illuminated and half dozen men Gov
ering him with revoiyers. One of them
had already relieved him of his re-
volver when his back was turned to.
ward them.
Andy Miller, you're caught at last "
said the leader of the vigilance com
mittee
How did you get on to me?" asked
the man white as a sheet.