Butte record., 1854-12-30


WAS there only one -
"Only one."
''Then the accomplices are near.
What's to be done Shall we rouse
farmer Ma ins, and get his men to help'"
"Not for the world" l said. Il
would rather face a dozen shots than
have my care 'lessness known at the bank.
It would ru n me for life Let us count
the money in this bag, quietly deliver it
if it be correct, and then follow the rob
er's courscn
1t was only hundred guinea bag,
hat one, but the counting was nervous
work. We found three guineas wanting.
We were luckily able to supply them
from our own pockets having just re-
ceived our quarters salaries, and I left
Tom there, delivered the bag at its des-
tination very near at hand, with out a
word of the robbery, and went back to
him
''Now, which way did he go - said
Tom. resuming little of his former air,
clutching his pistol like the chief of a
chorus of banditta in a melodrama.
I told him that had been so confused
that had not observed which way he
had retreated Tom was an old hand at
poachlng, though he was a clcrgyman's
son, and ought to have set better ex-
ample.
II have heard hare stir at hundred
yards he said, and laid his ear close to
the frosty ground eff he is within "a
quarter of a mile, | shall hear him move. F."
l also lay down on the ground There
WAS silence for long time. We heard
nothing but our breathing and the
breathing of our horse.
"Hush !" said Tom at last. 'sHe has
come out of his ding. l hear a man 5
step far away to the left bring your pis-
tol and let US follow" | took the pistol
and found the flint down in the pan.
The man had fred at me with my own
weapon, and no wonder he had fired so
suddenly, for Tom now acknowle dyed to
bis belief that he had forgotten to un-
cock it.
"Never mind said Tom, "I'll blow
his brains out with mine, and you can
split his skull with the butt end of yours.
Tell ye what It's of no use to spare
these malefactors. I'll fire the moment
| see him."
''Not till you know whether it is the
robber or not''
:. Should you know him, do you
think -
in the fash of the powder, 1 saw a
pair of Aaggard and amazed eyes which
l.shall never forget"
"On then," said Tom "we'll have a
three hundred pound reward, and see the
rascal hanged besides.'
We set off slowly and noiselessly, in
the direction Tom had pointed out.
Occasionally he applied his ear to the
ground, and always mpttering. "We
have him ! We have him - We then
proceeded in the same careful manner as
before. Suddenly Tom said, hes dou-
bling He has been leading US on the
wrong scent all this time he has turned
towards the village.'
'rThen our PLAN" said, "should be
to get there before him. If we inter-
cept him in that way he can't escape
and feel sure 1 could identify him if /
saw him by candlelight.''
"Tell We what, that's the plan, replied
my companion. We'll watch at the
entrance of the village and arrest him
the moment he comes in"
We crept through an opening in the
hedge, and got once more in the straight
lane that led to the village. 1t was now
very late, and the cold was so intense
that it kept every person within doors
for we heard no sound in the whole
hamlet, except high up IN the air, the
ticking of the church clock and the loud
jangles of the quarters that seemed ike
peels of artillery in the excited state Of
minds and sens s. Close to the Church
which appeared to guard the entrance OF
the village, with its low buttrassed walls
and its watchtower of a steeple. There
was wretched. ruined looking cottage,
which projected so far into the lane that
the space between it and the Church
was not more than eight Or nine feet. 1t