The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-07-08

rope was thrown, ana moose mace al
the end Of it,
"Will you allow me to..speak ?"
elbow away" answered Captain Jim.l
II may ~. well tell you we know all
about you. You've, travelled fifteen hun
dred miles to trap US Ben Halliday
tried that game oftesa You gaves your
self awav.s Y,u expected to master the
road, and the biggest .boohy among us
mastered you. Now fire away
"Well, then, let me predict what your
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, defiantly. ''When you've
murdered me you may prepare for the
hereafter. There will be no rest for you.
A man will come after me who will hunt
you down like the cowardly dogs you
ARE, He will never rest until you are
out of the ceuntf and his reach will
sweep to California. Once he marks a
man that mans fate lis sealed. He is
not my friend. He knows my mission,
and, ii il fails, ne will shoot every man
down with his own hand whom he sus
poets of knowing anything about me or
my death. That's all. I'm ready now"
"What's that p exclaimed one of the
gang, listening.
"Up with him" The rope frightened
around Hartford's throat, he felt him
self strangling, The color faded out, he
was in void, then shooting pains pierre
ed his temple, myriad sparks played be-
fore his eyes, blended into brilliant col
ors, and still he could hear the voice of
Captain Jim. Now it was a stream Of
oaths, an exclamation, THE Vigilantes
are upon us r. a blurring of sounds, as
he swan, or rather foated out upon the
great void, and then all was over.
1t was true. A cloud of dust rolled
up from Overland City, swept down to-
ward the narrow defile from the rear,
and sent shiver of fear through the
road agents, who scrambled hastily to
their saddles and galloped off in the op-
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 snap
ped fire, and Captain Jim rode of, turn
ing in his saddle and aiming second
time al the apparently lifeless body of
the prisoner and 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 emer
ged from the de6le. and although the
latter put their steeds to the gallop, urg-
ing them on with oaths and spurs, the
Vigilantes, surrounded them with light
ning-like swiftness, and standing up in
their saddles, opened fire upon the gang,
who returned it and died like despera-
does as they were, either in their saddles
or dropping from their horses necks.-
Captain Jim proved the most cowardly
of tae lot: He begged for quarter, but
for answer was riddled by dozen bull
| lets.
When the fray was over, and Dick
Hartford sat upright, listening to the ac-
count Of the fight, one Of the severest
and sharpest the Vigilantes ever expe-
rienced, he was compllmented 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
carrying out his plans was owing to the
merest accident. The Vigilantes had
been summoned at his instance, and we're
in time to save his life. "A close shave
as Bris Martin, the Captain, remarked
|"However, a miss is as good as mile"