West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-02

tANNlAlk lllltA NlOulS ACROSS the lace OF
the moon, mottling the dim plain with
fantastic shadows. Suddenly these
clouds swept away. 4 full. clear burst
of light flooded the prairie. and not
+ hall mile away we saw three moving
figures which, in the now maryelouslS
/ brilliant lunar illumination. could be
easily distinguished as those of two
mounted men and pack animal
. The wind was i'm our faces. blowing
/ the noise Of our approach from the furi
uveS' ears, and though we rode hard,
/ and with no attempt at stealthinesS. il
/ was not until we we're close upon them
/ that they suddenly drew i'm and faced
/ about, both men sitting bolt upright i'm
their saddles, with their hands at their
/ hips. In gesture and bearing they meant
/ night. aud looked every inch desperate
and dangerous men.
/ We halted too For moment dead
/ silence fell upon us. Then the Sherif~s
/ gray mare neIghed, and the charm was
/ broken
Who's there?" called one Of the
( iugltlves I'm Spanish, emphasizing the
I challenge by the sharp click OF his
( pistol as he brought il 10 a cock.
The rattle of a dozen carbines falling
/ into position drowned the Sheriff reply.
/ Then the clear voice OF the Younger
! fugitive arose: " If we must die, we
might rs well die like men," it said.
What followed was almost like the
flaming Of fash of lightning. heard
the Sheriff call out, "Throw up your
handsl" and saw him spur straight for
the strangers; then came q fash, rat
| Ting fire of carbines aud revolvers. aud
a fierce oath from trooper behind me,
who tumbled from his saddle with his
thigh smashed. At the same time. and
before could kick clear Of the stirrups
my poor pony staggered and fell dead,
with pistol ball between his ewes, and,
in his fall pinned me to the earth.
The fight was a. brief as il was furious.
and like all really desperate encounters
ever witnessed, was an almost silent
one, as far rs any sound of voice went.
but the sharp reports of reyolvers and
the duller discharge of carbines freighted
the night wind, and the ground owls
numbered into n clumsy fight at the
unwOnted noises. Finally single fash
famed across the light, thin vapor from
the firing, q single report was blown To
Toward, sharp and clear, and then the
discharges ceased. With a desperate
effort dragged myself clear e my doad
animal and limped 10 my feet.
The Sheriff and half dozen soldiers
were grouped about the body of one of
the luguves. Another soldier supported
the figure of the likely boy" Some
black shapes on the prairie marked the
whereabouts OF the rest of the dozen
troopers, and told st what cost the vic
tory had been won.
The boy himself, only held upright
hu nr'l
alive. The bright moonlight shining on
his handsome, girlish face, lighted il 10
uneaythly beauty. In the struggle his
coat had been torn off, and broad.
dark, slOwly-spreading smear was visible
on his coarse, gray shirt. His breathing
was hoarse and quick, the sure index TO
a shot in the lungs.
He's goin', )" said the Sheriff. mop
ping the blood from bad cut in his
forehead with his sleeve. Great
snakes what fight he madew
" Here's the pony, Sheriff"
One of the men Led the pack-pony,
which during the entire fight had been
quietly grazing at a little distance of,
up to the group. With quick Jerk he
dragged off the tattered blanket which
covered the pack.
There were few camp utensils, some
provisions, and bulging sort of double
bag thrown over the fronts of the pan
nier. With an effort he pulled This off,
but its weight tore il from his hands,
and II fell with a metallic crash As it
struck the earth its seams burst The
queer-shaped sack was simply an old
pair of pants with the legs tied up, and
its contents rolled, jingling and spark
ling, over the short grass, a cascade Of
ninted gold.
Before the ring OF the precious metal
had died away, the group about the
dead man and the wounded boy parted
with an exclamation Of startled surprise.
The boy had suddenly struggled 10 his
feet. lie stood swinging dizzily TO and
fro for an instant, and then, snatchinga a
revolver from the belt of the amazed
soldier who stood beside him, fired point
blank at one Of his captors directly in
front Of him.
The man fell dead and his murderer
with the smoking pistol still i'm his hand
tottered forward a step and sank i'm
heap on the corpse Of his companion.
with his face upon it's breast and one
arm about its neck.
Strange Well, however that may be
30 far the strangest part is to come yet
Ol course you have suspected all along
that the handsome boy was a woman.
Well, he wasn't and what was more,
the pair, far from being the train rob
bers, were a worthy Texan drover and
his son, who had sold out their beasts AZ
North Platte and were on their way
home with the money. They had Sll 900
IN coin with them, and probably fancied
that our party were the very robbers for
whom we mistOOk them. The boys had
the laugh on the Sheriff for many a long
day after. For once his vaunted acute
ness had failed him.
What was done to him? why. great
Scott, stranger, what do you suppose 2
Are we not all liable To- miHakoa5
4 New Trick.
Il -. L. L. IL IL -