The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-07-23

you hev heard the evidence in this honor
able Committee of Vigilantes, and tn
verdict of guilty. We therefore intend {
country of all the thieves, right away
You have ten minutes allowed You I
leave any message you wish"
The apathy OF the two men was extra
ordinary. Phil only scOwled Sayagely a
the speaker; while Joe absolutely turne,
to his nearest guard, and asked him for
chew" and the guard, pulling 1 cake o
! tobacco from his breast, handed it to Joe
who broke piece off, and began mastica
! ing 1t with apparent relish. just then
caught his eye. and thought it was tiXe(
/ on me with such a hopeless yet appealing
/ look, that | could hesitate no longer
With an energy that surprised myself,
| broke out into an appeal for the lives o
! the condemned. explained how | had beeI
/ received by them. and given the best they
/ had. and how Joe had helped me to fine
my horse in the day. II will be security, ,
concluded, " that they leave the neigh
I borhoOd. | bear letters from good house,
in New York to several persons in thi,
vicinity, some of whom may be known tC
you, and which will prove can bear Oui
my offer" | drew my letters from my
pocket and lead the addresses: Captain
Hiram Danks, Major Julius Bumper
Sheriff Gollopy, Colonel VanwoOrt, Cap.
tain HimpuS-"
That's me" said rough looking man.
''Give it here"
tain: but, as il could do no harm, | gave
to the captain, a lCaGer of the band, who
read it also.
"EeS; that's all square enough" said
the latter; "but the Vigilantes out here
don't vally New Workers, and don't work
according to New York laws"
Nor they don't want no New York
money" said voice from the rear.
An asserting murmur indorsed this SEN
timent, and felt things were looking yeFy
black for my hosts. They were evidently
of the same opinion, for Joe smiled sadly
and said: lit amt of no use, squire /:
we re just as much obliged, though.
wouldn't say no more, or you'll may be
get into trouble yourself. If things is
ready, I'm ready" he continued, turning
to the leader.
Gwen, we shan't keep you awaiting
long, Joe Blakey," responded the latter ::
Il hear the young men a-cOming back /;
they have been choosing a tree"
With horror, | exclaimed: ~ never
dreamt of such cold blOOded work as this !,
Look here, captain the only reason
don't offer money is, because believe
should do more harm than good by it:
but, if you hang these men, you will send
me away with the feeling that have their
blood on my head, for they expected your
visit, and believe that, but tor my pres
ence, they would have made their escape
tonight. Ifyou won't listen TO anything
else, you might think of that"
| was pleased to see that my words made
some impression, for instead of answering
me in his calm, cruel style, the captain
turned to his gang, and low but earnest
discussion took place. At last he turned
round, and, in a very stern voice, quite
different to that in which he had previously
spoken, said: Hear me, stranger. The
Vigilantes are quite sorry for your posi-
ton, and respect your feelin's; but this is
their decision, aud | warn you that if you
question it by single word, you will ruin
the man you most seek to help. Joe
Blakey, you are considered by this honor
able court the best of the two. but you are
very bad for all that. Your life is spared
on condition that you hev cleared out from
here in six hours. and are not found with
in a hundred miles OF here ever after. OF
course we give you time to 90 the journey
Phil Marll, we know yer murderer
and treacherOuS One-yOu die! This is
the sentence. Boys! string up Phil Marll
if you want to see justice done in these
western parts, stranger, come out with us
if not, goodbye"
| turned deathly sick, as the procession
left the shanty. Joe and | being its only
occupants. One man. however. turned
back, and said 80 Squire, you must ex-
cuse my neglect; but | am Captain Him
pus, and live at Three Creek Farm. over
yOnder. My wife and the young ladies
Will be glad TO see you; and if you will
stop a month with us. we shall be I'll the
more pleased. 1t twill Introduce You to all
our best citizens, and I'll answer they will
be happy to have you among them"
| stammered out few words. and he
hurried off, to be presentat the catastrophe.
We saw no more of them; but, after few
of almost agOniZing silence, we
heard a band of horsemen ride past the
cabin, and could even hear their voices in
laughter. | looked almost timidly at Joe. /
who heaved a heavy sigh, and breaking
silence for the first time since his reprieve, /
said: They've done with Phil there /
was worse men in the room than him. |
when the Vigilantes were here: though |
don't deny, squire, that we hev been nard /
He paused as if taking a
mental retrospect of the wretched portion /
Of his life, then suddenly changing his /
One, said: "NOw, squire, must go, and |
hat right away. ! know where they've |
hung Phil; shall cut him down and leave |
some money with old Padre Francisco to |
nave him buried, and ell that; but before |
go have something important to say to .
you"
do you require" | began putting /
my hand into my breast pocket, for | |
thought he wished to borrow money; but |
ne waved his hand and said: mo; quite |
lifferent. [ have plenty of stamps. and if |
hadn't got to clear out now, should soon .
De the richest man in these diggings. You |
aved my life stranger. and hevn't made !
10 fuss about it; and feel it. You came
lOwn from the mountain by this long
yulch at the back, suppoSe?" | assented.
: Thought So" he continued. "Well.
stranger, about half a mile uD that gulch,
smaller gulch turns Off-yOu'll know it.
because it's the first on the left you come
o-that gulch contains the richest lead OF
rold in Colorado, and it's a fortune to a
nan in a single season. | can't touch it
low, but | hev got the claim, and hereby
rive you over that claim. Work it, and
'ou're a millionaire" | strOve to thank
i'm, and to offer him the proceeds, or half.
,ut he silenced me, and said he didn't want
o hear any more of the place. You stop
n here, squire" he said, - while go and
10 what I've got to do for Phil ="
So he went. and sat alone in the Shantv
Until dawn, when he returned looking as
old and impassive as ever. He mounted
lis hOrse-the Vigilantes had left one for
lin, and my own, out of several-and
ode away, and | never saw or heard of
lin again-unless Joe Baker, from Colo
ado, who was shot at a saloon in Nevada.
vas my friend, as some of my mining ac-
luaintances declared to be the case.
| had mining acquaintances, and l fol-
owed the counsel given me, and worked
he gulch, which, by the by, proposed to
all Annabella Laurentina Gulch, after my
ldest daughter; but which the people
bout, and even the county surveyor.
would call Ugly Barney Gulch. Why, or
Who Barney was, had not the least idea.
,ut, as Blakey averred, it was the :" richest
cad " in Colorado; took many thousand
ollars from it that summer, and then sold
/ to company for many thousand dollars
nore. 1t is exhausted now, but its orig
nal purchasers were enriched. No amount
{ gold, however. would tempt me to re-
ida In O country whore Vioilantes with I