The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-11-23

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u3observed, but there was the closet.
Acting on the thought, I hastily gath
ered my gun and aecoutrements, slip
pc into the recess, and pullel to the
door,. I had hardly done so wher
several men entered; how many, il
was impossible to discover IN the dark
ness. There was less difficulty in dis
tinguishing the character of the visit
Tors. Their rude discourse, in erlarle
with coarse and brutal oaths, related
to some deed ofviolence rIther alresdy
done, or nearly contemplated. As
they continued, 1 learned, to my hor-
ror, that my own robbery and murder
lad been already planned, and by
these men, by whom I was suspected
to have about me a conside. able sum,
had been looking for me all day in the
woods.
Il say, Blant Durton," spoke one
ofthem, "yo1H have to make better
shootin' this bout than you did last
time I; 'twon't do to miss this yer
chApp'
"You needn't brag, Jim Simple ;
1 kin take the consate ont of you,
right now eff you're mind to try"
was the answer.
oufsOhl as likes not" replied the
other ; zone mans shootin's as good
another's in the dark"
THAT needn't be no excuse" put
in a third voice. ave kin have a
wood fire ia two jifies, an a
leetle sport'T sarve to pass away the
Q
The fire was kindled, by the light
of which. through a creyice between
the closet door and the jamb, L saw
three worse looking cutthroats than l
had supposed gould tie found even in
Shelby county.
t'T'il jest stick a-fife patch on this
yer door for u mark" said the last
speaker; approaching my hidiDg-piace
'san you two kin take your r~eyolyers
and 60 to 'tother end of the room an
pop away - t"
"A thin board of soft pine is but
poor protection against aI"Colts Ma
W." To break from my-concealment
Or lie close and take the chances, were
he alternatives I had to choose be-
;ween, and that quickly. Either
SCENE desperate. If L re-
NAMED, my body was directly behind
he mark, with no room to turn to
,lther side; and to leave my shelter,
vas to rush into hands waiting to
she'd my blood.
There was another chance. / too
arevolver, and was not with
,ut skill in its use. The erevice al
,ealy mentioned gave me a full vi,w
IF the man calle1 Burton, who was
standing ready to take the first shot
d Cautiously cooking my pistol, 1
'aised it ard took deliberate aim at the
heart. l experienced none
# the tremor I had felt in the morn
ng. My life depended on the steadi-
less of my hand, and it was steady.
)urton's pistol was leveled at my
reast when the report of my own
roke the stiffness. The bandit fell
onward, his limbs eonYulsed with the
truggle of deathl
His companions advanced a step, as
to his assistance, then glared wildly
round, and like men appalled, by al
snse ofunknown danger, turned and
ed in terror from the scene. Nor
as my own departure long delayed.
and catamounts were better
,mpany than Ihad met with there,
I'd at the risk of encountering them,
plunged into the forest.
Luckily it-was soon daylight, and !
shortly fell in with a couple of hum
rs, who, after he ring my story, &C +
'mpanied me to the cabin. 9 -
"Blant burton" exclaimed one of
em, as his eyes fell on the cold body {
1.-THE biggest scoundrel in all Texas,
ID down in our books for an early {
nch ng. You've saw d US some trolble +:
aaDger." G0FTIWN 81 ]