The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-10-27

the teeth, proclaimed crusade, and
swore never to return without the body
of Hans Rudner, living or dead.
The forest was surrounded, and the
circle contracted by degrees, as in the
grand hunting expeditions of the east,
until the poaching brigands were at
length discovered, hunted to their lair.
and, urged to extremity, these lawless
men defended themselves with great
bravery, but, overpowered by numbers,
they were taken almost all alive, with the
exception of the chief, the dreaded
"Leit.eye," anC led in triumph to Frank
fort, to be judged and hung.
As might be well expected. short work
was made of such notorious criminals.
The inhabitants of all the surrounding
districts rushed to Frankfort to witness
their execution as most delightful
spectacle.
But men and women and children who
had been taught to lisp his name in ter
ror deeply regretted that Hans Rudner
was not the first to mount the scaffold.
An exceedingly pretty young woman,
leading child by the hand, was stand
ing near the gibbet, watching the execu-
toner performing his Office, when, on
suddenly turning her head, she per-
ceived tall man standing by her side.
A cry of terror escaped her.
"Silence!' said the tall man, in a deep
but concentrated and ferocious tone,
while at the same time he displayed O
long woodlands knife. "Silence, or
that infant is an orphan
She uttered not word; but that wild
cry of terror, and the faint murmur of
the strangers muttered words were
heard by one of the municipal officers.
He eyed the mysterious man before him,
and remembered that the woman had
passed some months in the brigand-
poachers cave. He made sign to two
of his brother officers, and the three
made him a prisoner, in spite of the
most violent resistance, and led him be-
fore the senator's.
"The poachers have been executed"
said the man who had been principally
instrumental in effecting his capture.
"Worshipful senators, you wanted the
arch -fiend that led them-there he
stands"
Spare him! Spare himI" shrieked
the woman, whose involuntary cry had
led to his arrest, ''for heavens sake
spare the father of my child"
"Well, be it SOL said the prisoner;
''let there be no farce about it! This
woman has betrayed me, but 1 pardon
her.-I am Rudner Lincks-Auge," he
added, fearlessly and proudly.
Go, tell the hangman, said senator,
"that the days work is not yet accom-
plished."
THAT paltry wretch who, with the
...ko nj, hoe 40
prisoner" quoth Rudner, II played
with him yesterday at two hundred PAGES
distant. l was about to plant ball In
his left eye, but pity withheld my hand.
Had I followed my first impulse, he
would have fallen dead, and bitterly he
continued) I should not now be standing
before you with fettered hands"
"You reckon with certainty, then on
lodging ball 200 PAGES distance in the
eye of a MANI
AYE, 10-one after another. They
shall enter through the same hole"
"Pooh, impossible !" said the argue
busters of the city, who assisted at the
execution, with the banner of their craft
displayed. -.
because you are all bunglers," said
the poacher with Unsurpassed sneer.
"You imagine tn 1t am no better; good!
if you desire to be amused, l am ready
before die, to show you how to handle
an arquebuse.
"Agreed, agreed" shouted several of
the bystanders, eagerly closing with the
proposal.
The senators did not oppose the wishes
of the people, and the chief of the argue
busters said:
"Let bottle be placed at 200 PAGES
distance. If ball enter through the
neck without breaking it, would most
humbly suggest, right worshipful sena-
tors, that free pardon be granted to
this man."
"a mere nothingw sad Rudner.
True, said ne her of the arquebuse
troop; besides chance might serve his
turn his turn; for the demon has his
luck. This lawless ballard hath borne
off nine of the fairest maidens in the dis
trict, let him then, writhe the figure Of
nine upon the weathercock which sur
mounts the Thor Ernscheimer, a gate 30
called; let him hang else?"
The bystanders roared out their ap-
plause.
I'll he fails but once continued the
same voice); If but one Of the balls is
ill-placed. most assuredly We will hang
him."
u a