he shotgun and leaving it behind her
leaning against the arm of a chair.

Almost simultaneously the two tramps saw the real cause of her
perturbation. The large book had fallen upon its back, open; and as
several of the leaves turned over before coming to rest their eyes went
wide at what was revealed between.

United States currency in denominations of five, ten, and twenty-dollar
bills lay snugly inserted between the leaves of the Bible. The tramp who
lay on the floor, as yet too surprised to attempt to rise, rolled over
and seized the book as a football player seizes the pigskin after a
fumble, covering it with his body, his arms, and sticking out his elbows
as a further protection to the invaluable thing.

At the first cry of the woman the dog rose, growling, and bounded into
the room. The tramp leaning against the wall saw the brute coming--a
mongrel hound-dog, bristling and savage.

The shotgun stood almost within the man's reach--a step and it was in
his hands. As though sensing the fellow's intentions the dog wheeled
from the tramp upon the floor, toward whom he had leaped, and sprang for
the other ragged scoundrel.

The muzzle of the gun met him halfway. There was a deafening roar. The
dog collapsed to the floor, his chest torn out. Now the woman began to
scream for help; but in an instant both the tramps were upon her choking
her to silence.

One of them ran to the summer kitchen, returning a moment later with
a piece of clothesline, while the other sat astride the victim, his
fingers closed about her throat. Once he released his hold and she
screamed again. Presently she was secured and gagged. Then the two
commenced to rifle the Bible.

Eleven hundred dollars in bills were hidden there, because the woman
and her husband didn't believe in banks--the savings of a lifetime. In
agony, as she regained consciousness, she saw the last of their little
hoard transferred to the pockets of the tramps, and when they had
finished they demanded to know where she kept the rest, loosening her
gag that she might reply.

She told them that that was all the money she had in the world, and
begged them not to take it.

"Youse've got more coin dan dis," growled one of the men, "an' youse had
better pass it over, or we'll find a way to make youse."

But still she insisted that that was all. The tramp stepped into the
kitchen. A wood fire was burning in the stove. A pair of pliers lay upon
the window sill. With these h