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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (July 1, 1887)
HER FIRST CASE. 511 while she mechanically did up her work, and of coarse the dreamed of it that night No shots were heard, and the guards, coming in for breakfast, reported all quiet As they were preparing to go away, Clara said: " What if those men should come here? What should I do? I should dreadfully hate to let them go," " Send for somebody, and hold 'em up till somebody gets here," promptly re plied Mr. Grant " How do they look? Does anybody know?" asked Clara. " Yes, as near as I can make out, one is short, an' about middlo-agcd, an' rath er dark; an' the other is taller an' somo younger, an' light rather good lookin'," said Mr. Benton. " Both dressed in dark coats, overall pants and soft felt bats," added Mr. Grant Soon afterward, the men left, and Clara went about her work, while the men folks went to the fields. After din ner, Clara was again left alone, and when her dinner work was finished, she smoothed her hair, exchanged her ging ham apron for a dainty whito affair, all rufilcs and ribbon bows, and sat down on the piazza with her mending basket As was natural, her thoughts were busy with the horrible death of young Fred Farnswortb, whom she had often iwvn. She wondered if his family were all east, and imagined the terrible news brought to loving mother and Bisters. She held a sock over her mending ball and gazed, with a far-away look in her big, brown eyes, acrons the- riicr. Suddenly her reverie was broken. She sat up, alert and watchful. What was that in the bushes acroea the river? Ah! It was as she thought There were two figures two men -she could seo them plainly now. Both wore dark coats and soft felt hats. One was short and dark; the other taller, younger, and fair. Tby crept cautiously, 'stealthily along, under the low, bending willows. They stopped and conferred together, and seemed to decide upon somo mode of action, for they then stood erect, walked briskly, and started acrooa the bridge. "Ah!" thought Clara, "they have satisfied themselves there is no man at the house, and they aro coming over. How I wish I could get them. Ah!" A daring plan darted into Clara's dev. cr little head, and she clapjod her hands softly, as she sat quietly and saw tho meu approach. Some girls would have been nervous and frightened at tho idea of meeting desperate characters. Not so with our heroine. She argued that they were deap ratoly hungry, and had ventured out to got food, and would not daro to do anything out of tho way, for fear of being tracked canier. Tho men camo steadily on, and swn reached tho little gate opening into tho houo yard. Clara lifted her eyes from her work, as if she had just oWrved thorn, and consid ered them in an ordinary light Tim older man carried a curiouly.hajed tin box and a sort of small garden trow, e), and the other had a sack slung care, lessly over his shoulder, and carried a stout walking stick. They pauiwd at tho steps, and both rv moved their hats o litely, as Clara roso, Tho act seemed, somehow, incongruous with tho rough characters Clara bad naturally aieriUd to tho murderer and his accomplice, and sho wondered which man really did tho deed, as sho glanced from one face, to tho other. M Good afternoon, Miss,H said tho oldr man. " Wo aro a little 1st, but would it 1)0 ijoiblo fur us to get dinner hero? Wo havo tramjxil a g'l dutancw siuc we ate." M Very likely," said Clara to hernlf ; but aloud sho said: " I think so. Wo aro not accustomed to end4Vplnway hungry. Co!nosujafidjsit on tho pta.