St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-08-22

/ square game. Slr. said Atwood. with
ont the least apparent rutfiing of his
| humor land you can take whatever
course You like. Moreover. | don't
! think it worth while to resent your in
suit"
Having said this. Atwood started to
| leave the room. Oldham got up quick
| ly and confronted him. but before there
could he anything said OF done the men
/ in the room had intcIftred. .is Atwood
went ont Oldham called after him:
"lou hear me-it'> You OF me from
/ this time on.
About three hours later they met in
Il saloon. Oldham WAS carried ont
| Atwood walked out and went to his
room. \ bullet had tom through his
cOatcollar and another had rakcd his
| right side. but he was umharmcd. He
| had confronted Oldham and killed him
with the same impcrturahle equanlin-
| ity that distinguished him always. And
| he had not even drawn his derringcr
| till Oldham had fired one shot at him
| from behind screen.
If Irish Ned or Smith lIallOran OF
| Billy Nolan OF Frank Mcpherson had
John Oldham i'll that sort of IL quarrel.
nobody would have given the matter
more than Il passing thought. for they
were ordinary ruifians. But in the ease
of Atwood the killing of Oldham afford
ed precisely the pretcXt that WAS wanted
/ 10y certain of the regulators to tackle
/ him. These were Oldham's crOnieS and
| they arranged to make it warm foI
, sam.
All the next day-which wa> sunday
] ,..,,li,,,r H., tl,,4r,rl, = Ia,
/ Sabbath had not vet got aS fan west a.
/ Cheyenne there WAS an unusual quiet
i'll the town. When YOU see such Il
( town quiet. you may set il down at once
/ that some great and absorbing excite
ment is rife tor the bordercr. when his
mind is busiest. keep his tongue stillcSt.
"What'> Yer opinion of that KILN
/ last night - asked Frank Mckeogh ot
/ grizzly old Ben Wright. as the two stood
on the vcranda of old man Jomc>'S new
railroad hotel.
/ "Cus>ed eff know what to think
about it," replied Ben. "ThaI'> two
views ont. anyhow.
. Il can't see but one way of lookin' at
it. said Frank land that j. the KILN
amt hut half done"
You mean that thar'> business fur IL
lariat. eh?" asked old Ben.
''Gou'Ve hit it. was the reply.
well. yOmgstrr. said old Ben very
/ deliberately. squaIing himself around
and taking fresh chew of tobacco. 'a>
| said. thar's two views To take a this
thing. One is that Atwond couldn't
a helped KILN John 'cept he'd Il gin in
and let John get away with him. IT.
Il clear enough ease OF >clt-detrncc
tUu's that's coIlSarnrd. But the other
pint is that Atwood seems To be one q
those sly. quiet. Omaccountahle devils
that You cant never tell when to look
ont for 'rm. Atwood has al'u< seemed
To me like he WIS Il dangerous man.
and the way he managed in this thing
convimceS me dead sure. | don't reckon
we'll ever git Il better chance to sling
him. and it looks To me like he mought
aS well 90 up now as ever.
This waS sam Atwuud's trial tor the
killing nt John Oldham. The TWO men
who had held This conversation wer,
the leaders of the regulators. and thciI
word fixed the law. He was to stand
on nothing that night under cotton
wood.
Some time during this Sunday after
noon. sam Atwood had read in tn,
>ullen glancr~ that were bent upon him
aS he walked about the menace of hi,
fate that was 81 near. 80 along about
four o'clock he Sauntered down tu the
office of the Frontier Indcr. and said
that he would like to talk with tn,
editor Il minute. The latter asked him
To- proceed.
''Iuu are aware of all the circum-
stances under which have been place.
in the last twenty -tour hours" said he
in Il slow. deliberate. measured way
like Il man who wants tu impress hi
nearer. Il have good reason Ia he
licVe that | shall not hc alive to-mor.
row m"Eing. What | want t. ask %
You l.. that If these vigilante> take IN,
ont and hang me tonight. lou will mo-
publish my name. | have people living
in MHrylan To whom my fate is ;
mystery that cannot he as bitter Il
them a> the knowledge that had me
my death at the hands of vigilance
committee.
Il am conscious" he continued. -
never having wrongcd any one. an
a gambler. a social outcast and outlaw
But am not Il criminal. could tel
YOU some things if chose that wuul'
! make my case clear to You. hut don
suppose YOU care to hear it.
The editor of the Lder asked him t'
tell his story.
No" replied Atwood. If its ali til,
same to yuu. Id rather not. But thi
much | will tell you. If am >trUn:
up by Ben Wright and his crowd to
night. You will find about my neck 4;
gold chain. with u locket in which there
; is picture and lock of hair. Thei
You will find in my coat pocket large
pocket book. in which there are three
p letters"
You take it mighty cool" said ON,
of his listeners.
, Yes" said he. Il have found tina
the hest way to meet misfortune is Il
take it cool. And now" he added. "cill
depend upon it that you will srIppreS
my name i'll whatever report YOU ma,
make of fto-night'S business"
The editor of the MdeJ aSscnted an'
Sam went away.
Il don't much think they'll hang hin
not if can help it. observed Harris
after Atwood had gone.
/ Between one and two o'clock tina
night body of men. marching in
sort of hollow square, were observed t,
pass up what is now Third street il
Cheyenne till they got clear of til,
buildings, and then take over acros
the railroad track on to the prairie
toward IL couple of trees that stood there
like sentinelS. In the centre of thi
hollow square walked sam Atwood, hi
head bare. and nothing on but his um
dershrt and drawers. They had takeI
him out of bed. He had made no re-
sistance, simply because he knew tha
resistance would not help matters. II