Year: 1868

Never fear," says I. I amt afraid
of it. I've just dropped down to see if I
couldn't help him."


But she declared that I mustn't come
in. She said it would be the death of
me. He didn't want any help. How
ever, l insisted, and she finally gave
way; but she warned me against going
near the bed. went in, and there, in
one corner, on low bed I saw SUIT
MaDgle. His face was as speckled as an
adder, and he seemed to be in much
pain.


"How are you ?" I asked.


"Awful," said he.


Giant l do something for ye 2" says I.


"Take care" be cried. Don't come
no higher! Yell ketch yer death p


''It struck me that the man could talk
good deal better than I could when I
had the smallpox, and thought his
eyes looked rather bright and clear. And
then his face wasn't swollen bit.


Take care!' says he as I went to
him.


"Never fear" says I. "Pve had it :"
and as spoke sat down on the side of
the bed. He trembled so that [ could
feel the bed shake under me. and turned
quickly over so as to hide his face; and
as he did this I saw two things that
rather startled me. In the first place. l
saw that be had his clothes on and in
the second place, saw that the spots on
his face aoeren't anything but spots
They weren't pustules at all, but only
daubs of some kind of red and purple
paint, or berry Juice.


'It didn't take more'n q minute for me
to see quite an animal. I'd seen twenty
men sick with the small-pox at the same
time. and I knew that this chap wasn't
sick any more than I was. I'd come
there to help him if 1 could but the
thought struck me that might help him
in little different way from what I was
expected. -. ....<..-,


- " ell, :" says +, as honest as I could,
''if I can't help ye, I'll be moving-but
look out ye don't catch cold"


'He said he would, and I left him
When l joined Smith, I told him who I
had found. told him that SUIT Mangle
hadn't got the small-pox-that he'd pre-
tended to have it to keep people away
from him, in which be had succeeded
pretty we'll. ...... ........
Says I, ''be planned to rob the pedlar
when he first pretended to be taken sick
at the tavern. 1t was shrewd thing,
but if you'll go back with me we'll show
him that he has succeeded"


Smith was all afre now, and as anx-
ious to examine in the matter as I was.
Of course I wasn't morally sure that SUIT
was the murderer ;; but I soas sure that
he had no sickness; and that was ground
enough to work upon. We got couple
of good clubs, and went back to the cot
crawling along under the bushes-and
when we got to the open yard we rushed
in. SUIT was just getting out of bed
and when he saw US he caught pistol
from under the pillow; but before he
could cock it Smith gave him a rap on
the head with his club which settled him
back. The woman turned to flee, but 1
attended to her case, though I had to
knock her down before I could secure
her.


AS soon as SUIT was bound I took
wet rag and gave his face a washing that
cured all the smallpox in very few
moments. He came out as fresh as a
rose-bush after shower. The very first
place we examined was under the bed,
where we found two bundles done up in
old quilts. We pulled 'em out and ex-
amined them, and found the pedlar's
whole stock


SUIT Mangle had supposed that case
of smallpox would be a sufficient safe
guard against any outsiders poking in
under that bed and if it hadn't happen
ed that I'd had the critter, and so wasn't
afraid of it, the valuables might have laid
there in safety till he got chance to
move 'em, which he probably meant to
do as soon as it was proper for him to get
we'll.


I remained in the cot to keep guard
while Smith went after help. SUIT swore
and begged, and offered me all he had if
I'd let him go, but made no words with
him. waited until Smith returned,
which he did with a score of VILLAGERS,
and then we carried the prisoners and
their plunder up to the tavern.
! Of course there was no lack of evi-