Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-02-26

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tains at this time and the mule
paid more attention to this than
he did to the prisoner upon his
back. Mild words unacc0mpained
by rein or eudgel, had no influence
on the longeared hybrid. He ate
ard drank until filled, then lay
down for the night. He, howev-
er, lay upon his belly and knees,
and indicated by his position that
he would do the best he could for
his unfortunate bed fellow. When
morning came the beast arose and
determined to leave for other
fields. Over rocks and through
tangled woods he went-often
nearly tearing to pieces his rider
until he halted at a ripping stream
to take a drink. At this moment
the rider heard the sound of an
axe. He hallooed loudly for help
In a moment the answer and a
man dressed in a red shirt and
buckskin breeches came in sight
with an axe upon his shoulder. AS
he approached the mule became
alarmed at bis appearance and
started off on brisk trot, but not
until the axman had gotten near
enough to learn from the rider his
sad condition.
The woodman laid down his
axe and started in pursuit. For
hours he followed the mule and
its lone rider in vain. AT times
he would almost lay his hands
upon the creature, when, peculiar
to mule, with a snort he would
bound away with increased speed.
Night was fast approaching, and
darkness would end the persuit.-
The case was getting desperate.
He awaited himself of the best OPP
portunity he could get and sent a
bullet whizzing through the ami
malls head. A moment and the
rider was released, but too much
exhausted, and the two strangers
who had met by chance this unus-
ual way camped for the night
among the rocks, with wolves all
around them.
In the morning they succeeded
in reaching q cabin a few miles
away. After resting few days
and partly regaining the use of
his limbs, which were nearly par
alyzed, the man of fate departed
for Denver. Here he made known
the robbery, and described the
robber so infinitely that he was
easily traced to the mysterious &C.
cupant of the lone cabin at foot o.
"Warder's Hill,' as it was called
by the pilgrims of that day.
Colonel Farnham, United
States marshal, and a practical
miner at Buckskin, was sent to
ferret out and capture the rober.-
The Colonel will be remembered
by all old settlers of Colorado as a
sharp detective in tho early days,
and as a man of nerve. He soon
learned that there was a probable
ity of there being a band of rob-
bers in this cabin instead of one
To make himself familiar with
the situation he disguised him
self as a tramp. With a blanket
and a coffee pot strapped upon his
back he halted at the cabin and
begged for something to eat. Here
he found three men in the act of
dividing some plumber, but in
stead of giving him food they rob-
bed him of his blanket and a sill
yer watch, and told him to move
| on. The Colonel had a trusty re-
volver which he carried in his
boot, and which was not found by
the villains. AS he left the door,
to effectually deceive them as to his
errand, he feigned to cry for the
treatment he had received, when
the burly chief and proprietor
gave him O kick. That was dear
kick for the beast who gave it, as
the sequel with show. Farnham
went a short distance away and
| concealed himself in a cleft of the
rocks to watch his game. He was
but a short time there when two
of the men came out, saddled their
horses and started on the road to-
ward Canon City. Waiting until
they had got well away, the de-
tective wandered back to the cab
| in and knocked at the door. The
man within, who was Leaper,
sung out, "come inn AS the door
| opened, Farnham was confronted
by the robber, with pistol in hand,
who demanded:
"What do you want here, you
id old beggar? III kill you if
you don't 60 away"
"Give me but a crust of bread
/ am starving said Farnham.
| When the robber, probably
thinking 1t the easiest way to get
rid of his unwelcome visitor, stoop-
ed to pick apiece ofbread that had
been thrown upon the ground,
Farnham snatched the pistol from
his boot and with one blow felled
| him m fhn Ur0und Ha thnn die