The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-07-05
AN ADVENTURE IN TEXAS.
BY TEXAS JACK.

At the period when the following in
cident ..occdrred; California and Texts
were infested by bands of despefadoes,
who held the rights of property and life
in the highest possible estimation.
acted as sheriff in California during
her most iaw1sSs Period, and had occa-
sion to bring some bad chandeliers. to
Justice. A number of them were hung
and others escaped unhung, swearing
vengeance. I eventually resigned my
commission, and then went into Texas.
/ had some pretty hard knocks there,
and ouce came near my death at the
hands of some horse stealers. As it was,
/ did not get off my bed for six weeks.
In the conflict Was shot in the thig
the bullet leaving tearing wound, end
I was stabbed in the right breast. At
one time ( was given over, but my tenn
perate habits told favorable for me. We
broke up the band and that was some
satisfaction. .
I had scarcely regained my wonted
vieor, when / met with an adventure
that Isl worth relating.
l.. I had been off to tile western part of
the state on business, and was Returning
home on horseback, when reached g
stream that was crossed by means of a
ferry. The boat was on the opposite
side, and by the faint light distinguished
the signal trumpet hanging On an
old post. This blew, and hearing the
answer of the ferryman, waited with i'm
patience the moment when l should see
the ferry-boat move from the opposite
shore.
+ shouted at1ast: "Gome. make haste,
Pm behind time howl"
"Hang your timev' was the response,
in q deep and powerful voice.
I saw thst impotence would make
last the boat moved out into the stream
and could hear the mutterings of tt
ferrYman. Ere long the barge grated
on The sand; and after getting my horse
in as best I could, / followed:
AS seen in the dim light, The countsn.
ance of the ferryman was not very pre-"
possessing. The nose appeared to be
broken, and one eye gone. Then the
jaws were heavy, and a grizzly mus
tache, which he was consta ntly biting,
lent most determined expression to
the face. He was thick-set fellow, and
and seemed hard customer.
When I stepped into the barge | no.
ticed that he eyed me rather sharply,
and if the moonlight had been clearer.
might have Sect something in that eye
different from friendship: ! ventured
one or two off-hand remarks; bit re-
ceived only grunts in answer; so gave
up the idea of being sociable.
Once or twice I turned toward my
sullen companion, and each time caught
the one deep and penetrating eye fixed
on me. The first time paid no atten-
ton, to it; but the second time :! was
startled by An expression as if all the
evil mortal was Cd pable of was concen-
trated in that single orb: sat gazing
into his sinister eye, as if under the in
Suddenly l felt shudder as the
moon broke from, the, clouds aud poured
light down upon the fertyman's face.
It was the face of certain Dick Thur
der whom had arrested in California,
and whose father WAS hung for murder
committed under such aggravating cir
GUMS tances that we strung him up be-
fore there could be any possibility of es-
cape. Dick broke out of jail-not diff
fcult performance in those days-and
swore to shoot me whenever and where
ever he might chance to meet me.
was not expecting to meet this des-
perado in just such place, and under
just such circumstances, and was taken
entirely off my guard. My opinion was
that he failed to recognize me at first,
thinking, perhaps; that was still act
ing as sheriff in California; but now he
knew whom he had on board, and tl1at
he would attempt to carry out his threat
had no doubt.
My revolver was in my breast coat
pocket. A moment under such circum-
stances is an hour. and I saw that any
precipitate motion on my part would
button my coat, for we'll knew that he
had a revolver ready at hand. either to
shoot victim or resist an arrest.
I thought it best to show no feeling,
but appear to be perfectly unconcerned.
So turned my eyes down the river,
anc remarked carelessly:
IA fine sight, 'Spose you've been IN
these parts long enough to know all the
hooks and corners?"
"Yes-and all the contemplate
scoundrels that cross here, tooY
This WAS hitting pretty close, but I
remained imperturable.
,Ahl SO you nab few Of 'em now
1 turned sharply on him when I said
this, and, as did so, managed to un-
button my coat with the left hand.
which was on the "off side."
"You Internal neck-puller, dye think
to fool me again?. I've got we! You
know me, and you'll know something
more befor you can say yer prayers!'
looked him calmly in the eye. I
quickly resolved to distract him from his
present purpose by engaging him on
other grounds till I could operate
"You were coward to killa woman,"
said I, with voice of sarcasm.
You should have seen his eye, then!
It seemed fairly bursting from his head,
and he was now growing blind with fury.
"You cursed scoundrelp' he yelled !;
''I'll show you that can kill two peo-
ple!'
He glared at me with one orb charged
with the spirit of murder, and, drop
ping the rope which was stretched from
shore to shore. and by which he was
pulling the barge. he thrust his hand
within his flannel shirt.
Nov seize himp cried I, as if adj
dressing some one behind him.
Lost in his passion, he ell into the
trap, and turned his head for an instant,
as if to defend himself from one of my
men, He saw the trick at once, but it
was too late. My pistol threw off the
CLEAN of the moonlight-a flash and re-
port; and the body of the ferryman
pitched headlong into the river. The
current carried it out of sight, and l
pulled the barge ashore and continued
my Journey"