The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-06-18

| within two miles of where the horse
was stolen, and he wasn't in hiding,
either. Does that look as If he were
horse theft"
"Well, what is 1t to us2" asked the
father.
1T is this much" replied the girl,
with flashing eyes. Constable Clark
has sent men to Jail who were innO-
cent of crime, but he isn't going to
send this one, If can help It,"
ooh, he isn't, eh2 What are you
going to do about it?"
you are going with me to learn all
about the case and help me to show
that he didn't steal q horse, or any
thing else"
May had her way, and ten minutes
later they drove over to Farmer John
sons first to hear his story. 1t wasn't
long story.
Last evening, just as it was getting
dark, l caught sight Eof the fellow
sneaking into my barn. AS he was
not smoking l did not hunt him out
My barn is used as a lodging house
by scores Of tramps. and they seldom
commit any damage. l know for
surety that this was the only tramp
that slept there last night This morn
ing when went out to feed the horse
the tramp was gone. SO was the horse.
Don't that show that some time In the
night the tramp took the horse, and
rode away on his back2'
II should hardly say it did" replied
Mr.. Barry. "He would have only
stolen the horse to sell to someone.
He would have taken the horse miles
away before he tried to sell him. Did
he do so7 The fact that he did not,
is shown that the tramp was only
three miles away. and on foot when
arrested.
"Mebbe have been a little too fast"
said the farmer, as he lifted his hat to
scratch the back of his head "The
constable said had good case, but it
don't look like 1t SO much as 1t did.
Hello, there's the telephone ringing.
Let's see what it's about?"
And a minute later he turned from
the instrument and said to his callers:
"By George! But they have found
my horse two miles up the road wan
dering about. He must have slipped
his halter In the barn and either / or
the tramp left the stable door open
behind US. Whewl I guess 1 have
come near making a fool Of myself"
Mr.. Barry and his daughter drove on
to the village and saw and told the
constable what they had heard.
There was a smile on the tramp's
face as the trio invaded his quarters
and he laughed heartily as May cried
out:
'You never stole the horse. He has
been found and you are to be set at
liberty. l am so gladi"
Mr.. Barry was disposed to like the
young man on first sight, and went so
far as to offer him supper, lodgings
and breakfast at his own house, and
when the supper was kindly refused,
would have pressed a sum of money
upon the wayfarer, who also declined
It, saying that all he needed was his
liberty. He even forgave the farmer
and the constable and passed out into
the night after three hearty hand
shakes.
For weeks and weeks later there
was talk around the house Of MAYS
Tramp" and at least one person won
dered If she would ever see him again.
She had decided that she would not,
when a well-dressed, good-looking
young man rang the bell one day and
asked Mrs. Berry, who answered 1t, If
he could speak tC her daughter for
moment. May was called, and as the
girl stood before him looking at him
In a puzzled way, he smiled and
said:
81 have not come back for another
sandwich nor to cut any more fire
wood, but l have come to render nv
thanks for the services you rendered
the tramp a month ago. I have kept
out of jail ever sincei"
Who did he turn out to be? Wbv
James Condor, an enterprising news.
paper reporter, Of Chicago daily, who
was writing a series Of tramp sketches
from actual experience.
It is now the duty of the reader TO
b about the happy match that will
emu this story to the satisfaction OF
everybody.