The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1876-07-26

any quarter. One day as they we're
engaged on a hunt, member of the
band became separated from the rest
in the excitement of the chase. He
was found dead, snot in the left eye.
A few days later, one of the ruffians,
riding alone, was killed Again the
bullet was found TO have entered the
left eye, but no trace of the slayer
could be discovered. A week or two
passed, and another of the despera.
does was shot, the same terrible accu.
racy being exhibited in a shot in the
left eye, proving all the shots to be
from the same source. The robbers
became alarmed, and kept always to-
gether in their raids, but there was no
escaping the death which seemed al.
ways to be lurking near them. One
after another fell, until ten men had
died, each pierced in the eye. The
woods were secured by the terrified
men in vain. On one occasion, when
member of the band was killed, the
shot bad been heard, and once a giant
figure was seen running through the
woods, but pursuit failed to overtake
him. Accustomed to face danger as
the despersdoes were, and possessed as
they were of brutal courage, they
trembled before this mysterious danger.
1t could not be faced and it could not
be averted The result was that some
of the band deserted and fed the
region. There remained only the cap.
tain and four of the more resolute of
his followers. These five hunted and
made their raids always together, and
for some time escaped harm. 1t
chanced that among the five was the
man who had endeavored to save Long
at the time of the whipping from so
severe a torture. This man one morn
ing ventured out in the woods without
his comrades. He was walking slow
! ly along, looking for game, when the
brown barreh of a rife projecting
from bush beside him. checked his
course. A tall, lank figure rose from
the bush, and the startled man recog-
lied Sam Long. the hunter. Long
raised the rife, then lowered it.
"You're the man who said a good
word for me, an you may go, bad as
you are. won't take your miserable
life. Coz"
The man needed no second invita-
tion to 90. He hurried to the camp
and told his story. The captain and
the other three men started out in pur-
suit of Long, and hut two men accom-.
panied Dick Reddett when he returned!
The third man had fallen, shot in the
eve, and no search of the underbrush
revealed the hunter. The next day
another man was killed in camp, and
again the hunter escaped. On the
next day the two remaining men fed
the country, leaving the fierce Reddett
alone. The leader of the desperadoes
dared not remain where he was. He
knew he was the man above all Others
Long sought to kill. Concealing
himself until night, he mounted his
horse and fed for the nearest point on
the Arkansas river where it would be
possible to take passage on a steam
boat Two days later he reached a
small landing in the woods on the
banks of the river, where the steamer
stopped for passengers when there we're
anysto take. He learned from the oc-
cupant of the only cabin in the neigh
borhood that the boat would be down
in the afternoon. and so, having put
up the signal to- secure a landing oi
the boat, established himself on the
bank and waited. He deemed himself
safe from pursuit, and took no precau,
tions. Throwing himself on the
ground. he slept until. late in The day,
he was awakened by the sound of the
boat in the distance. She would round
a point in q moment or two, and he
waited expectantly. AS suddenly as
though risen from the ground. lank
figure stood before him, and the muz
zle of rifle peered in his face. The
terrified desperate had no difficulty 10
recognizing the man as the one he had
injured. With the rife still held
steadily upon .he face of the startled
Reddett, Long hissed: "I've got you
You whipped mel Whipped me like q
nigger, like dogl 1 swore I'd kill
you before I'd call myself a mar
again, and I'm goin' to do it I've
cleaned out your hand, and now iti
your turnl Oh, I've got youl ThanE
, God, I've got you p
The rufian in abject fear pleaded
for his life, groveling at the feet of thu
} hunter. He elung to his words as {
} drowning man clings to straws. Th'
boat was near. Should she round th'
! point in time he would be saved. AL
3 ready her smOke stacks showed through
, | tho hrnsh ruhnn tha hnnIar nressaf