The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1878-10-17

the younger fugitive arose: "If We
must die, we might ss we'll die like
men," IL said.
What followed was almost like the
flaming OF a flash OF lightning. l
heard the Sheriff call out, Throw up
your hands ~ and saw him spur
straight for the strangers then came
q flash, a rattling fire OF csrbines and
revolvers, and fierce oath from q
trooper behind me, who tum blsd from
his saddle with his thigh smashed.
At the same time, and before / could
kick clear Of the stiTTUps, my poor
pony staggered and fell dead, with q
pistol ball between his eyes, and, in
his fall, pinned me to the earth.
The fight was as brief as il was fu-
Fious, and like sll other desperate en-
counters / ever witnessed, was sn al
most silent one, So far as any sound OF
voices went. But the sharp reports OF
revolvers, and the duller discharge OF
carbines, freighted the night wind,
and the ground owls numbered Into q
clumsy hight at the unWOnted noises.
Finally 8 single fash Of light famed
across the light, thin vapOr from the
firing, q single report was blown to
leawsrd, sharp and elesr, and then
| the discharges ceased. With 8 des-
perate effort dragged myself clear OF
my dead animal and limped 20 my
I feet
The Sheriff and half & dozen soldiers
were grouped about the body Of one
OF the fugitives. Another soldier sup
ported the figure OF the ''likely boy"
Some black shapes on the prairie
marked the whereabouts OF the rest Of
the dozen troopers, and told at what
cost the victory had been won.
The boy bimself, only held upright
10y the soldiers strong arm, Was still
alive. The bright moonlight shining
on his handsome, girlish face, lighted
il to unearthly beauty. In the strug-
gle his coat had been torn off, and a
broad, dark, slowly-spresding smear
was visible on his cOsrse, gray shirt.
His breathing Vas hOaFse and quick,
the sure index TO q shot in the lungs.
"He's gOin'," said the sheriff, mop
ping the blood from 3 bad cut in his
forehead with his sleeve. "Great
snakes ! what 8 fight he made %
HERES the pony, Sheriff"
One OF the men led the pack pony,
which during the entire Aght had
been quietly grazing at s little dis
tance of, up to the group. With a
quick jerk he dragged off the tattsTed
blanket which covered the pack.
There was a few camp utensils,
some provisions, and buiging sort OF
double bag thrown over tue fronts OF
the pannier. With an effort be pulled
this of, but its weight tore it from his
hands, and it fell with q metallic
crash. AS it struck the earth its
seams Eurst. The quesr,shRped sack
was simply an old pair OF pants with
the legs tied I'D, and it contents roll
ed, jingling snd sparkling over the
short grass, q cascade of minted gold.
Before the ring Of the precious met
al had died away, the group about the
dead man and the wounded boy part
ed with an exclamation OF startled
surprise. The boy had suddenly
to his feet. He stood swing
ing dizzily to and fro for an instant,
and then, snstching g revolver from
the belt OF the amazed soldier, who
stood beside him, fired point blank at
one Of his csptors directly in front Of
him.
The man fell dead, and his murder
Or, with the smoking pistol still in
his hand, aOttered forward q step and |
sank in q heap on the corpse of his |
with his face upon its
breast and one arm about its neck.
Strange! Well, however, that may
De so far. the strRngest part is to come |
yet. OF course, you have suspected |
All along that the handsome boy was |
/ woman. Well, he wasn't and what |
vas more, the pair, far from being |
he train robbers, were q worthy Tex |
IN drOver and his son, who had sold |
mt their beasts at North Platte and |
we're on their way home with the
money. They had 81 900 in coin |
With them, and probably fancied that /
Dur party were the very robbers for
whom we mistook them. The boys
lad the laugh on the Sheriff for many |
! long day after. For once his Vaunt.
I'd 8cuteness had failed him.
What was done to him ? Why, |
Ireat Scott, stranger, what do you
uppose? Are we not all liable to
Mistakes