The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-04-04
VOLUME XI.
USho'. now I"


truded from the sand The suns rays
poured down upon the plain until the
dust and sand seemed 30 melt IN the fer
vid heat, Aud, 20 crown all, the captive
suddenly experienced the agony Of eX-
ceSsive thirst.
A faint sound in the distance arrested
his attention. Was that not the sound
of horses feet What il il should prove
10 be his friends--the Vigilantes? I'm
possible His morning stroll WAS I'M
known 10 them. The sound came nearer
and nearer 10 him. Then he observed
for the first time q rocky ietile further
10 the left, as though a chasm Law there,
or stream chiseled out its course across
the plains. Now there could be no mis-
taking the sound. The steady trot Of
horses feet and the clankiug OF spurs
euuld be heard. Suddenly half dozen
horSemen swept around low rock, at
sight Of whom the captor granted.
Here's Captain Jim. Mind your
manners new, for he's the perlitest man
you ever met.
The captive shivered. When a boy
he was detected in an act that brought
upon the wrath of the teacher of the
school in the New England village he
would never see more. The eagle eve
Of the teacher singled him ont from a
score Of mischief makers, and he shiver-
ell rs he felt that the punishment award
ed incorrigibles was unavoidable. But
he braced himself, walked out promptly
to the middle of the hoor the moment
his name was called, and, 20 his lasting
surprise, was let 60 with mild rebuke.
In much the same manner Dick Hart
ford braeed himself for the interyied
with the leader of the most desperate
gang of miscreants that ever levied a tax
upon the travellers who crossed the
plains. This was the man he had
dreamed Of circumventing. The case
was reversed.
The road agents rode forward without
order, aud surrounded both horseman
and captive.
"What have you got, Barham ?"
MAKE your bow. It's captain Jim, "
said Barham. Then TO Captain Jim's
query: That's for you TO find out.
obeyed orders"
What "a magnificent front the captive
presented His gaze was as clear and
steady and level as though he we're look
ing right through Captain Jim, away
beyond the rancho, and of 10 the noun
tains in the distance.
What have you got TO say for your
self, anyhow ?" Captain Jim's sinister
face clouded still more as he met the un-
wavering gaze of the captive.
Nothing" replied the captive, as
he walked in front of the leader.
"You are locked up, and the KEYS
lost, " said Captain Jim, sneeringly. -
think / know your business. I've a
mind to send Ben Halliday your ears.
No, I'll send him your heart. This
trips failure, and Ben ought TO know
it. II you won't talk"
"I'H die first T. The words were flung
at him so passionately that even Captain
Jim was moved 10 admiration.
"Die il is, then e. exclaimed one Of
the gang.
"You are seven to one, said Hart
ford.
I'VE are in the majority mostly,
said Jim. But I'll give you chance.
You are plucky. Now, what does
milksop life do for you? Come along
with Us, share and share alike, and wen
/ give you excitement, and opportunity TO
show the stuff you are made of. +"
(" To make one OF gang Of murderers
who are afraid TO cope man to man,
said the captive.
One of the gang al that moment level
ed his pistol at Hartford's head. But
the leader ordered him 10 keep his fire
until there was need for it. Let us do
this thing in order" said Captain Jim,
as the scar on his cheek became liyid,
/ then dull red. Wen ride down to
the old place aud pull him mp like n
dog. You got what was ON him D. to
BEham. Barham nodded. There was
not O word said further. The party
rode on perhaps twenty minutes, when
the defile deepened, narrowed, and the
rocks shut over the horsemen's heads.
Then at word from Jim the men dis
mounted. Advancing TO Hartford, he
said, with cruel smile:
i" Say your prayers. you have got Ave
minutes 10 live. Mount that stone.
There was ledge above the captive's
head, with a iutting point, over which
a rope was thrown, and moose made at
the end OF IT,
"Will you allow me to speak ?"
Blow away" answered Captain Jim.
Z" I may a. well tell you we know all
about you. You've travelled fifteen
hundred miles 10 trap us. Ben Halli.
day tried that game often. You gave
yourself away. You expected to master
the road, and the biggest BOBBY among
us mastered you. Now fire away"
"Well, then, let me predict what your
end viii be, said the captive. With
the moose around his neck, and gloating
/ eyes and fierce faces for his audience,
he spoke ont clearly, defiantly. when
I you've murdered me, you may prepare
for the hereafter. There will be no rest
for you. man will come after me who
will hunt you down like the cowardly
dogs you are. He will never rest until
you are driven ont of the country, and
his reach will sweep 10 California. Once
he marks a man, that mans fate is
sealed. He is not my friend. He knows
my mission, and, II il fails, he viii shoot
every man down with : his own hand
whom he suspects Of knowing anything
about me, or my death. That's all. I'm
ready now"
"What's that |" exclaimed one OF the
gang listening.
up with him." The rope tightened
around Hartford's throat, he felt him
self strangling, the color faded out, he
was in a void, then shooting pains
pierced his temple, myriad sparks played
before his eyes, blended into brilliant
colors, and still he could hear the voice Of
Captain Jim. Now it was a stream OF
oaths, an exclamation, 1.-THE Vigilantes
are upon us |" blurring of sounds, as
he swan, or rather foated out upon the
great void, and then all was over.
Ii was true. A cloud of dust rolled
up from Overland City, swept down to-
wards the narrow defile from the rear.
and sent a shiver of fear through the
road agents, who scrambled hastily to
their saddles and galloped off in the OPP
posite direction. All but one, Captain
Jim, who deliberately approached Hart
ford as he lay on the ground where he
fell when the crowd dropped the rope,
and placing revolver against his tenn
pie, pulled the trigger. The pistol
snapped fire, and Captain Jim rode off,
turning in his saddle and aiming sec
ond time at the apparently hfeless body
of the prisoner, shot him in the arm.
But it would have been better for Cap
tain Jim had he never met the prisoner.
For another party, also Vigilantes, armed
to the teeth and superbly mounted, en-
countered the road agents as they
emerged from the defile, and although