Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-12-09
A DEPUTY's STORY.

county. l had gone West to begin
life, and this being the first en-
ployment offered me ! had gladly
accepted it.
"Here, Scott said the head dep
uty, as / entered the Office one
mo ming, sis a warrant for you to
serve; It's for Jim Dade. You'll
see directions how to find him.
he added, tossing me over some
papers.
Elliott, the head deputy, had
treated me far from civilly at the
first. Hescemed piqued at the par
TALLY shone me by our principal,
who was serving his last term and
whose influence for the succession,
to which Elliot aspired, the latter
was specially anxious to secure.
1.-THE warrant appears to be an
old one" l remarked, after exam
ing the date.
"More reason that its execution
be OF further delayed" was the
gruff response.
made no response, but ascer-
tanning, from a memorandum pin
ned 10 the warrant, the exact To-
cality Of Dade's residence, / pre-
pared to set out at once to perform
the duty assigned me.
The writ contained q serious
criminal charge. But what man
mel of man the accused might be,
whether one likely to obey or re-
sist the laws commands, could
only surmise. AS Mr.. Elliott had
said nothing about furnishing as
sistance, l hesitated to breach the
subject, fearing he might attribute
the suggestion to timidity.
The country was thinDy settled,
and abounded with game; and,
being something of a sportsman,
on starting on my mission, / dom
ned my hunting accoutrements
and started out on foot. /
went afoot for two reasons-first,
the nearest way led through for
est, and next, i had a better chance
of getting shot at something.
l sauntered along leisurely for q
time, keeping a keen lookout; but
seeing nothing worth the waste of
powder, my thoughts gradually
settled down to the business had
in hand. l must confess wished
it we'll over. Jim Dade might
prove an ugly hand to deal with
in a lonesome place. without wit
nesses. AT any rate, the testimo-
NAL to his character, then in my
pocket, was not such as to inspire
me with confidence.
"DO you know Mr.. Dade?" /
inquired at length, of settler /
found cleaning up patch of
ground near his cabin.
"Jim Dade ?" asked the man.
"Yes," / replied, lean you di-
rect me to his house ?"
you'll hardly find him thar,
stranger" was the answer "you
see him an the sheriff's folks been
keepin' outer one another's way
like, for while back. Jim, he
hunks In the woods, mostly, with
a pistol and rifle for bed-fellows,
an tothers, guess, don't keer to
scrouge him too much"
us he a dangerous character
] inquired.
"Wall, no, not eff you give him
his own way, take all his sass, an
don't talk back. But Jim is a lit
tie cantankerous, sometimes, EFF you
rile him. Jest ak Jabe Elliott"
continued the settler, with chuc-
kle. "He come out here to nab
Jim a spell ago. Wall, Jim he
Jest pinted his rifle at him an
sarved nodis onto him to git up
and git, and Jabe did git, maxim
a leetle the best time ever seed in
these parts"
This cleared up considerably Mr..
Elliott's motive for detailing me
for the present service.
"Ef you've pertic'lar business
with Jim," the settler added, "you
mought run agin them over thar
in them woods, 'crost the guich, ,"
waving his hand in the direction
indicated.
L felt it my duty not to return
without making an effort to ac-
complish the object of my coming.
So, thanking the man for his in
formation, / started to make what
use of it might.
I had not proceeded far when
the report of a gun drew my at
tention. Following the course of
the sound, I soon came in sight of
man standing beside a fine buck,
probably just brought down by
the shot | had heard, The hunts
man was in the act of reIoading
his rifle, which he finished by put
ting on the cap as approached.
Iurning quickly at the sound of