The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-08-09


"Yes, yes, don't shoot" said Wolf,
turning about, as commanded. He was
thoroughly cowed.
"Do not turn your ugly face this way
again." said Darrell, Tor you will pay
for it with your life. Novel;"
Tanner than whipped cur, the rufiian
walked toward the door, and Darrell,
springing over the counter, was at his
heels in an instant.
"Don't look back, or I'll kill you"
Meekly obeying the imperative orders
of the youth, Wolf moved slowly out
of the room into the corridor.
"Be careful; don't--don't let the gun
go off," Wolf stammered as he reached
the head of the stairs.
At this moment the clamors OF the
impatient crowd below arose with ter
rible distinctness, and one shrill voice
was heard to say.
"Hurry up, Wolf, why don't you
throw them fellers out ?"
Exasperated beyond measure, he was
on the point of turning back, at the risk
of his life for after all his braggadocio
how could he face those below, disarm-
ed and chased out of the building by
one of the puny boys he had intended
so terribly to chastise? But Darrell
was after him, and with ono vigorous
kick sent him bounding down the wood
en- stairs, with laundering clatter,
and rolling over the doorsill, the defeat
ed bully actually tumbled out upon the
street before he could really recover his
equilibrium.
"Hello! how's this? What's up p"
asked a dozen voices at once, as the
dreaded man reappeared in this undig-
nified shape, without having sent any
corpses down from the window.
"Why, 1 simply kicked him down
stairs-that's the matter" responded
the boyish voice of Darrell at the top !;
'and if he comes up here again 1 won't
let him off so easy. Do not be afraid of
him took all his weapons from him."
Wolf struggled to his feet, rubbing
his head, and presenting such ludic-
rous appearance that he was greeted
with loud. jeers and bursts of laughter.
So completely had he tumbled from his
lofty eminence in the eyes Of those who
either admired or feared bold MUIR
derer, that they who an hour ago would
have dreaded to offend him by word
or look, now regarded him only with
contempt-laughed at and derided him.
Never before had the rough crowd
seen man with an established reputa-
tion like Mr.. Wolf thus suddenly fall
to such depth of degradation. All his
name, fame, prestige, melted away like
mist, aud he was no longer feared
no longer respected by the low thieves
and cut-throats around him-only de-
spised. Yes, despised by the meanest
of creatures, whom he had oftentimes
bullied as though they had been
hounds.
The dread which had surrounded his
name seemed to vanish like mist.
clicked by a boyW "Kicked down
stairs" SCOT his barkers took from
him!" were the murmurs of the crowd.
AT length a voice boldly taunted him
with "Where's your knife?" and anoth-
er proposed "Three cheers for the boy
that licked him."
Looking very little and pusillanimous,
he skunk away toward Montgomery
Street.
Such was VOLTS modification, when
he came fully to realize what a pitiable
figure he had cut, that he left San Fran
cisco and was seen in her streets no
more. The fatality which had apparent
ly thus far shielded and assisted him in
his murderous deeds suddenly deserted
him.
He was destined never to commit
another murder, but was himself shot
dead in Sacramento within but three
weeks after the events narrated.
Inonot know what became of Haynes,
or whether he is still alive but know
that Darrell, the brave boy whose cool.
ness and courage saved them both, is to-
day gentleman of position, residing
in a flourishing city of Nevada.