The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-12-19

| colllu DE he ard suddenly half a dozen
horsemen swept around rock, at sight
of whom the captor grunted.
| Here's captain Jim. Mind your man.
ners now, for he's the pcrlitest man /
ever met"
The captive shivered. When boy.
he WAS detected in an act that brought
! upon him 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 out from
| score of mischief makers, and he shiver-
ed as he felt that the punishment award
ed incorrigibles was unavoidable. But
he braced himself, walked out promptly
to the middle of the floor the moment
his name was called, and To his lasting
surprise. was let go with a mild rebuke.
In much the sanie manner, Dick Hart
ford braced himself for the interview
with the leader of the most desperate
| gang of miscreants that ever levied IA tax
| upon the travellers who crossed the
plains. This WIS the man he had dream
ed of circumventing. The case was re-
| versed.
The road agent rode forward without
order, and surrounded the horseman and
captive.
what have yo'; got, Bsrhamg'
Make your bow. It's captain JIM"
4
query That is for you 10 find out. 1
Obeysd orders y
WHAT amagBi1icentf front the captive pre-
scented! His gaze was as clear and steady
ard level as though he were looking
right through captain Jim, away beyond
| the ranch, and off to the mountains 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 IN
| wavering gaze of the captive.
Nothing" replied the captive, as he
walked IN front of the leader.
You are locked up, and the keys are
lost, said Captain Jim, sneeringly. Il
think | know your business I've a
mind to send Ben. Holiday your ears.
No, I'll send him your heart. This
trips II failure, and Ben. ought to know
it. If you won't talk
'I'lI die firstt' The words were flung
at him so passionately that even Captain
Jim was moved to admiration.
die it is, thenr' exclaimed one of the
gang,
You are seven to one" said Hartford.
I'VE are in the majority mostly" said
Jim. But I'll give you chance You
are plucky. Now, what does Il milk
shop do for you? Come along with us,
share and share alike, and we'll give you
excitement and opportunity to show the
stuff you are made of
ITO make one of a gang of murdcrers,
who are afraid to cope man to man ~
said the captive.
One of the gang at that moment level
ed his pistol at Hartford's head. But
the leader ordered him to 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 livid,
then dull red 'We'll ride down to the
old place, and pull him up like a dog.
You got what was on him?' to Barham
Barllam nodded. There was not word
said further. The party rode on per-
haps twenty minutes. when the defile
deepened, narrowed, and the rocks shut
over the hOrsemen's heads. Then, at
word from Jim, the men dismounted.
Advancing to Hartford, he said, with
cruel smile:
Say your prayers; you have got five
minutes to live. Mount the stone"
There was ledge above the captive's
head, with Il jutting point. over which
rope was thrown, with moose ut the end
of it.
"Will you allow me to speak -
BLOW away" answered captain Jim. |
1 may as well tell you we know all
about you. You've travelled fifteen hun
NAIO W LIdlJ l0CA
tried that game often. You gave your
self away. You expected to master the |
road, and the biggest BOBBY among us |
mastered you. Now, fire away
well, then, let me predict what yonr |
end will be-" said the captive. With the |
moose around his neck, and gloating eyes |
and fierce faces for his audience, he |
spoke out clearly, defantly: "When |
you've murdered me, you may prepare
for the hereafter. There will be no rest |
for you. 4 man will come after me, |
who will hunt you down like the cow
ardly dogs you are. He will never rest |
reach will sweep to California. Once he |
marks man, that mans fate is sealed. !
He is my friend. He knows my |
mission, and, if it fails, he will shoot |
every man down with his own hand |
whom he suspects of knowing anything |
about Inc or my death That is all I'm |
ready now"
Whats that!'' exclaimed one of the
gang, listening.
up with himr' The rope frightened
around Hartford's throat, he felt himself |
strangling, the color faded out, he was in
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 ii was stream of OatlIs, then
an exclamation, THE vigilants are upon
usi'' blurrine of sounds, as he swan,
OF ather tloated, out upon the great void,
and then all was over.
1t was true. \ cloud of dust rolled up
from Overland City, swept down towards
the narrow dcfile from the rear, and sent
a shiver of fear through the road agents,
who scrambled hastily to their saddles,
-, h ii,
ton All but one, captain Jim, who de
liberately approached Hartford as he lay
on the ground where he fell when the
crowd dropped the rope, and placing
revolver against his temple, pulled the
the trigger. The pistol snapped fire, and
captain Jim rode off, turning in his sad
die and aiming II second time at the ap-
parently lifcless body of the prisoner,
and shot him in the arm.
But it would have been better for
captain Jim had he never met the prison
er. For another party, also vigilants,
armed to the teeth and superbly mount
ed, encountered the road agents as they
emerged from the defile, and although
the latter put their steeds to the gallop,
urging them on with oaths and spurs,
the YIgilants surrounded them with
lightenlike swiftness, and standing up
in their saddles, or dropping from their
horses necks, opened a steady and
merciless fire upon the murderous
outlaws. Captain Jim proved to
be the most cowardly of the lot He |
begged for quarter, but for an answer
was riddled by dozen bullets.
When the fray was over, and Dick
Hartford sat upright, listening to the ac-
count of the fight, which was one the Sc
verest and sharpest the vigilantes ever ex-
perienced he was COMMUNICATED upon his |
courage, and, in turn, thanked his res
cuers. In reality, he had performed his
mission, but not in the manner he had
planned. That he did not succeed in
caryring ont his plans was owing to the
merest accident. The vigilants had
been summoned at his instance, and were
in time to save his life. "A close shave"
as Bris Martin, the captain remarked.
However, miss is as good as a mile"
LAUGHTER.
1t Is the Language of the Cruel.