Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-08-07
A CLOSE SHAVE.


Another step, and you are dead
man."
"By what authority do you bar my
passage?"
Authority? Ha, hal If this amt
enough" holding out a revolver in each
hand, with hideOus leer in his evil
face, 81 reckon I'll have to explain fur
ther. By the authority of the Road
Agency of this great overland route"
1t was in the days when Ben Halliday
and the pony express served in lieu of
locomotives and telegraph lines. When
might was right throughout a region ex-
tending over nineteen hundred miles,
from st. Joseph to Sacramento; when
the stage run the gauntlet of road agents
and Indians, and bones, many of them
human remains, grinned up at the trav-
eler Unexpectedly as he crossed the
plains; when to be "quick on trigger"
was worth more to d man than all the
wealth, all the culture, and all the cour-
age in the world.
Dick Hartford looked into the mans
face calmly, looked into the muzzles of
the pistols, smiled and uttered single
NOIu. w ell
Don't you aggravate me, or 1 will
fire, and serve you right"
81 never flinched in my life. won't
finch now. What do you want?"
Throw down your revolver. Now
turn round, and if you bulge hairs
breadth I'll blow your brains out"
Haatford Obeyed. He permitted his
hands to be tied behind his back. He
saw his pockets turned inside out, his
money appropriated. his watch pocket
ed, and only demonstrated when his cap
tor felt for a money belt. Don't cut
me, there's no belt on me-"
20! you did feel it then. Thought 1
had bank to pry open. Now then,
march. There's good ground here. and
plenty of it. 1t will do you good to
stretch your legs. Keep right on to the
clump to the left, and mind you, don't
stumble, or like as not you'll never get
up. There was one fellow stumbled
here about six weeks ago, and he never
got higher than his knees. I'll show you
his bones d'reckly."
Was it lie, or a threat? Hartford
cursed himself for refusing 10 listen to
the advice of the conductor o; the stage,
who warned him to beware of the road
agents. He had answered that he would
take the risk. He desired to see for
himself if the stories told of the robber-
les and murders on the rovte were true.
And he was learning.
81 little faster, stranger. My horse is
reether restive, and, beside, Jim Porter
would like to see YOU
The road was unbrOken, but the dust
was sitting, and it blew from the horses
feet to the captive. The captive kept
his head up and strobe on.
Rough, isn't it? Now, l suspect you
came out to capure some one. Like as
not Jim Porter?"
No response from the captive.
"They do say there is a party looking
for US. Porter is anxious to see them.
This yer's god-send. Never thought to
meet ye this way. Got tired ritiin', 1
suppose. Thought you'd lay over, do
up little business, and take next stage.
Now l never knew man to lie over
that didn't rue it. There was man
from Illinoy laid over about three
months ago. He was mighty sly, that
Illinoyan. 1 reckon he'd furnish re-
giment of Vigilants with cunning. Kind
O. sauntered out of same town you left
an hour ago, but be had some company.
He wasn't such fool as you. And his
company went back on him. Shot him
through the spine, then tickled his ribs
with knife. He was powerful, ac-
tive Vigilante, was the company. He
was too much for the nlinoyan."
"Just as you were too much for me-"
81 like your pluck now. You do keep
stiff upper lip. But it'll be all day
with you the moment Porter clapS eyes
ON you. He makes short work of spies.
1 reckon that's your line"
The captive did not reply. AT that
moment his thoughts were ON home. A
mighty throb rose in his throat-a suffO-
eating throb-wrenched from him by
that one thought of home. His wife and
child, his boy that he would never see
again. He had played bold game and
lost. The Vigilantes were in league
with the road agents. He had been out
witted. The stage company would be
short another man, and the road would
be under tribute as before. His plans
SO carefully concealed in his own breast,
were known to the murderOus gang.
Perhaps in less than an hour he would
be dangling at the end of rope. He
half turned as he thought of the rope.
"NOne O. that, unless you want your
early pill, in which case Pm bound to ac-
commodate We. Porter didn't say we
were to run risks. He does like a friend
ly chat, and he pumps some people as
dry as limekiln."
"I'll make you an Offer"
"Crack your whip"
"I'll fight you fair, like a man. Tie
one arm down, give me pistol, and let
us take shot about, you the first"
"ShO', now."
"OrI'll allow you two to One."
"Yes, | see you can allow most any
thing. but unless you move right on, and
keep movin', I'll make short work of ye."
A cayote rose slowly from sage brush,
looked at them sneakingly over his
shoulders; then trotted slowly away.
A noisome bird of prey rose slowly from
.he carcass of a mule, Tapping its wings
azily, sailed slowly through the air, then
settled down upon rib that protruded
rom the sand.
The suns rays poured down upon the
Ilain until the dust and sand seemed to
melt in the fervid heat. And to crown
Ill, the captive suddenly experienced the
Igony of excessive thirst.
A faint sound in the distance arrested
lis attention. Was that not the sound I
# horses feet? What if it should be
lis friends, the Vigilants? Impossible.
lis morning stroll was unknown to (;