Mexico weekly ledger., 1876-09-21

followed, Towhead staggered along un-
til his path led him through deep gu
", which had been dubbed the Devils
Glenn. Then and there his follower
stealthily advanced from behind and
killed him with a murderous dirk stab.
| 4 hasty search of the victims pockets
convinced the murderer that the prize
for which he had committed the Villain
| Gus deed was not there. Then the COW
ardice of the man showed itself. A
storm had been coming up, and now,
as il burst forth in thunder, lightning
and flood, he shivered. With blood on
his hands, with horror in his eyes, and
with the dreadful mark of Cain brand
ed indelibly upon his brow, the wretch
ed man fled, clutching his breast with
his pale, talon-like fingers, as if to tear
hence his cowardice. On he went, fly
ing over rocks and chasms, and uproot-
| ed trees-on, on, still on, unable to stop
until he sank exhausted beneath a huge
pile of rocks. The storm was madly,
| wildly cannonading against the rocks,
as if it would teal its way to where he
lay, and boldly engulf him but he heard
nothing but an imaginary and unearth-
ly cry of "Murder!"-saw nothing but
the cold, still face and lifeless form of
his victim. :
Towhead had not been murdered
more than fifteen minutes before
his body was discovered by a party of
miners returning from a midnight "a
rouse. They carried it back to Jack
Jeptha's shanty, amid threats of ven
geance on the murderer. Arrived
there, they laid the body on. the floor,
while one of the party went behind the
bar to help Jack fix up a dram, in the
vain hope of reviving the murdered
man. His eyes fell upon the bag of
dust, with Towhead's mark upon the
side.
"What this ?'' he said, holding it up.
"That's T~owhead's!" replied sever
al.
How did it come here?" asked 9TH
ers.
Jack Jeptha turned pale as he real
lied the predicament in which he was
placed. He gave the true version of the
affair, but they would not believe it.
They were anxious to fix the guilt upon
some one, to.hang somebody, for Tow
head had been pretty popular among
them. Several remained as guard over
Jack, while several went out to collect
the miners for the immediate holding
of a trial. Judge Lynch allows no de-
lays, and there was every prospect of a
hanging in the morning.
Mollie Jeptha had come in on the ar
rival of the corpse, and her eyes had
closely watched Jacks face; but she
believed his version Of the story.
"Jack,n she whispered, 81 believe
you," and then added aloud: 81 be-
lieye l know who did this. There was
a stranger here among the rest, drinking
last night, and more than once | saw
him look at Towhead's bag"
But the rough and u~nreasoning crowd
would not listen.
"Jack," she again whispered to the
prisoner, "keep up your courage, old
partner, I'll get you out of it yet"
"No," said Jack, doggedly, 81 didn't
do it, and / won't run. Let 'em hang
me if they want to-
81 don't want you to run, jack" she
said, sI'm going after that fellow my
self. Good-by, Jack; keep up your
courage"
Mollie kissed him, armed herself with
a pair of revolvers, and slipped out un-
noticed. Taking the path tina: Tow
head had followed, and speeding along
with all her strength, she Don came TO
the blood-marked spot of the murder.
"Of course, he ran away" she
thought, "and likely he took this path
On she went through the storm, which
still ragged with such binding fury as to
render it difficult to keep the path. On
she went, mile after mile, until the rap
i'd gait began to tell on her strength,
and she thought she must drop down,
when through the darkness she saw the
murderer where he had fallen, and
the blood fresh upon his hands and shirt.
He started up when he saw her, but a
revolver faced him. He turned to flee,
but her determined voice stopped him.
"Move a step further, and III shoot"
He was entirely unarlmed, having
thrown away the bloody knife, and
could do nothing but obey.
"I'm going to take you back to the
Shanty," she continued. EGO on ahead,
and remember that a bullet will be the
Of airy attempt to escape. Go on!"
The man hesitated a moment; but,
oOOAAS OAob lCdllU WlIaG SlIC SLlU, LC |
sullenly started.
With q revolver in her hand, Mollie
followed a few steps in the Once
turned quickly, as if to grapple with
ler and disarm her, but the CLEAN of
he revolver aimed at his head changed
ais mind, and he sullen!!y started on
again. Knowing that death awaited
aim at the shanty, still he lacked the
courage to make the only possible effort
or liberty. Daylight came as they
reared the cabin, and both could hardly
trag themselves along; but not a word
vas spoken. AS the Gulch became
lighted up, Mollie saw arerowd of min
srs take the path from, the cabin.
1s"My God,'' she cried, ''they are tax
ng Jack out to hang him!''
The tired girl nearly tainted at the
sight. They were nearly a mile away,
md shegwen knew the promptitude of
.oorddeEE EXECUTIONS. The first tree would
a gallows.
"Faster!" commanded Moll.
III Notwithstanding prisoner. istit's