The Glenwood post., 1924-07-31
Lin Lee,
Chinese
Tramp
By JOHN PALMER


%. 1854. Western Newspaper unio..)
IN hrst appeared at the SANFORD
homestead ragged and thin and
hungry and wild-looking. A Chinese
tramp. something unheard-of In the an
mails of the West. He came up to the
Kitchen door and stood with hands
crossed over his stomach. No one
could mistake the meaning Of that at
titude.
Give him a meal" commanded Mrs.
Sanford Of the Jap cook.
Lin stayed. The Jap cook was leav-
ing and Lin took his place. he cooked
t. perfection. The Sanfords found
Lin Indispensable.
Three months went by. Lin grew
ed him. The children loved him. Lin
was find. treasure.
Sanford kept the money to pay his
laborers In an iron safe in his study.
It vas good safe, and on Saturdays
1t held great quantity of money. Mrs.
Sanford had often been afraid. There
were bad men in the hills, rustlers who,
If they learned of 1t. would not hesi-
tate to try to get the contents. San
ford laughed at her. He had his shot
gun and he wasn't afraid Of had men.
He took Mrs. Sanford and the chill
dren out to see the new irrigation ditch
one Saturday morning. When they re-
turned the safe stood wide open, picked
BY an expert. The money-two thou
sand dollars and a little more-was
gone. So was Lin. So was Sanford's
favorite horse.
There was telephone on the ranch
Within an hour the sheriff and posse
had foregathered, ready to ride down
the thief. Predatory Cinnamon must
be made an example Of
But who would have thought 1t of
Lint Mrs. Sanford and the children
cried. They watched the posse, headed
BY Sanford, ride off.
Don't hurt him!" Mrs Sanford
begged her husband
Sanford's lips were set grimly. He
was man who was slow to give his
trust. He had given 1t to Lin and It
had been betrayed. He was not feeling
merciful.
Ihe trail led toward the hills, into a
barren district. Lin was a fool to have
taken that route, the sheriff agreed
with Sanford. They would trap him at
the waterhole If they rode fast. They
did not spare their horses.
The water-hole came into sight. San
ford uttered a shout. The horse that
Lin had stolen was browsing on the
scant herbage. And there, at the wa
ter-hole. apparently drinking. was Lin
Sanford deliberately aimed and fred.
1T was half A mile away, there was lit
tie chance of hitting Lin. They gal
loped furiously forward. Lin arose
at three hundred yards they could dis
tinguish him easily in the thin at
inosphere. Apparently Ae had been
hit; he came stumbling forward, his
palms Outstretched
\ Sanford, boiling with chagrin, was
about to fire again, but the sheriff
struck up his rifle. Wen aim to take
him alive" he said.
Lin collapsed upon the ground at
Sanford's feet. He was shot through
the body He was upon the point of
death. He turned his eyes appealing
iy upon his masters.
You yellow thief" shouted San
ford. trying to fight down the feeling
of pity that rose up in him.
mo thief" said Lin-and died.
They looked at one another, they
looked at the body. The sheriff ut
tered an exclamation. There's three
bullet holes in him!" ne said.
It was true-three bullets had
passed through the Chinamsn's body,
each one Of which would In itself
have proved mortal.
who the q" the sheriff began.
One of the posse, who had ridden
on ahead, came galloring back. "COme
hyar. Come hyar!" he shouted.
They spurred their horses. As they
neared the water-hole they saw an
other form crouched down. 1t was
that OF a Mexican. He was quite
dead. with the top of mis- head blown
off, There were signs of a desperate
struggle around the water-hole. The
bills that had been taken from San
ford's safe lay scattered everywhere
"He-follered him, reckon" said
the sheriff, swallowing hard.
Sanford made no reply. He was
thinking of the. day Lin had come up
to the ranch house door. and he had
taken him In.