Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-05-17


al had hoped, until now, that Wells &
Co, would pay up and save trouble, or that
some sort of compromise would be made
between the New York claimants; but it
was idle to hope any longer must be
prepared to meet and overcome all sorts of
schemes and tricks; and as the first dis
creditable trick to detain me in Chicago,
by changing my order so that should miss
| the train, had failed of its object, and ex-
posed Mr.. G. Wakefelds presence and de-
signs, must expect to meet almost any
obstacle that could be placed in my way
for less sum than fifteen thousand dollars.
"That was the prize for which we now
both struggled, and half an hours delay
might defeat me; so / called up the con-
ductor, and questioned him particularly
about the place where we were to stop. /
found out where to go for good dinner,
the best livery team and the sharpest law
yer.
al walked back to the hind platform of
the last car, and slipped off with my va
Use before the train had fairly stopped. l
went directly to a comfortable little public
house, and, ordering dinner, immediate
ly consulted Mr.. Benway, the best lawyer
to be found, paying him one hundred dol
| lars down, with assurances of more. In
two hours the papers were drawn, dinner
was over, and we were riding across the
prairie towards Wells e Co.'s store. had
fairly distanced Wakefield, and felt good
Added to this emotion of triumph was an
| indescribable sense of freedom from re-
straint, and an exhilerating feeling of
roominess. in the wild, grassy, echOless
plain and there was a tonic, too, in the
winds that blew out of the boundless hori-
ION.
"'Mr. Benway, believe I should like
to live in that lonely farm house all my
days said |. DO you ever get homesick
here?'
"'No,' said he, Il never have regular
nostalgia-which, | take it, is an excessive
inflammation of the memory; but l some
times feel an almost Unsuitable longing for
pine trees, and crows, and mountains, and
| when it gets too strong for me, come out
here with my bird-dOg and shoot prairie
chickens, singing and shouting to scare off
the blues. You can't. imagine, unless
| you've tried it, how much good it does a
man to sing old hymns and boyhood songs,
for instance and yell fire, if so disposed,
till his throat is sore, without fear of po-
liceman. 1t keeps alive the spirit of lib
erty and the love of nature in mans
| heart
\ VIC ootu Iaugucu, anu, DfcdklnS INTO
Old Hundred, sung at the top of our voices,
filling at least half mile of space with
noise not entirely unmelodious l was at
my highest pitch, with my mouth wide
open, when / saw a man standing on a
knoll, some distance to the right, shouting
and reckoning US that way.
"' 1t is the Sheriff, said Benway, as he
drew near, and he has got something over
in the slOugh-a deer or hOrse-thief, Ill
bet, for he's death on both
ave rode up on the rise of ground, and,
looking over the slough, saw two horses
mired, and on the other side was a man
covered with mud, and limping off through
tie grass, evidently quite lame.
"' What's the matter?" asked Bcnway
"'Thats a counterfeiter,' replied the
Sheriff / was chasing him, and We both
rode down in there, pellmell, and got
| mired-blast his pictur'
1.-THE cOunterfeiter's horse had strug-
gled out to our side, and was shaking him
self
Here said the Sheriff, taking the
horse by the bride, and pulling a pistol
from the saddle pocket, You go around,
Benway, and head him of. No you
needn't. though, for understand his dodg-
es, and can do better. You two stay here;'
and, mounting the counterfeiter's horse, he
rode around the end OF the slough, hun
dred rods off, and came up in front of the
man, who had turned back towards us
again.
"s Now, see mere, said the fellow, cock
off off.. large revolver YOU'D better Keep
"'No, guess not said the Sheriff, Il
think I'd better keep on. I've been hunt
ing you too long. I've grown fond of you,
and fairly haaScr after your fascinating
face. couldn't tank of giving up my
game just as it is ready to bag, YOU know
az But you may go into the bag, that's
ALL said the man. IN shoot, if you cont
keep off,
:" No, now, said the Sheriff, riding up
nearer you wouldn't do that before wit
nesses.'
"The fellow looked over at us; and a
sullen face it was, too, his coarse, black
eyebrows covering a third of his forehead,
and growing clear across the top of his
nose then he turned suddenly to the Sher-
if and fired. The horse jumped as if he
had been shot at before, and, wheeling
around, threw his rider on the ground,
end the counterfeiter started on a run
again.
So, that's your game, is its' said the
Sheriff. Il only want TO know what your
game is, so as to play according to rule;
and, drawing his pistol, he snapped it at
the fellow, but il missed fire. Throwing it
down, he dashed after the man, and, com
ing up to him as he struggled through the
tall tangled grass near the slough, he seized
him by his arms behind, and threw him
down. We had started On a run, too, and,
coming up, We tied his hands with hand
kerchlef.
ain the grass close by, Benway and l
found two fifteen thousand dollar packages
of counterfeit bills, which we claimed as
our share Of prize money. In the fellows
saddle pockets the Sheriff found plates, en-
craving tools and dies. 81
9" You are a captain, l guess said the
Sheriff Hold out your hands, here, and
let me put on these bracelets. There you
are, now continued he, standing back to
admire him, as If he had been a statue of
the Greek Slave; there you are, now, all
ready for court, with your regular uniform
on, and the jury won't disagree a minute
when they come to see your face, / think
- Won't they, though p said the man
between his teeth. We'll, IUagree to pay
you for this, and give you good interest,
too, sometime
"'Of course retorted the Sheriff, that's
what all you fellows promise me when ]
catch you. You are fellows of great prom
ise-but take it out as 90. I'm for
prompt pay, you know
"'Well, now, Benway,' said he, turning
to us, what have you got to drink, and
where are you going?'
Having satisfied the Sheriff on the first
point, Benway said, We are going out to
attach Wells d Cos goods, and you must
90 with u.s.
go Their store is closed replied the
Sheriff; 'Ijust came through there
"'Then we must break down the door,
said Benway.
But, can you give bonds!' he in
quired. s'e-s ~
yes; represent the house of Phillips