Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-08-21

| maoe complete wreck of the crOckery
and furniture; and in the grocery-room ht
helped himself to tobacco, and emptied his
revolver at the kerosene barrel, which,
tapped in half a dozen places, was delugine
the floor.
shall not undertake to say what the
duty OF my young friends was-whethel
they shonld have resisted outrage and de
tended their property at the risk of theil
lives. or moved away from so dangerous a
neighbor. What they did was to get out
of sight whenever they saw Walker com
ing, and let him do his worst.
1t CHANGED that after a time second
| cousin of my young friends came West tc
see them. His name was Forney, and he
was then a student at the military academy
at West Point. l am not sure, however,
but he had just graduated, though that
| does not matter.
He dropped in upon the Small brothers
quite unexpectedly one afternoon, and it is
| needless to say they were glad to see him,
and that they passed a very pleasant even
| ing. Nothing was said about Walker, for
Gilbert and Charles, having an honest pride
| in their ranch, were 10th to let Lieutenant
Gerald know how badly they were off in
respect to neighbors.
The deperado happened to come along,
however, the very next morning. Charles
and Gerald were sitting in the dining-room,
when Gilbert, who had seen the gambler
coming up the road, suddenly rushed in.
''Old Clate Walkers coming p' he ex-
claimed. 'fPut out at the back door p
Charles leaped to his feet but our young
West Pointer arose more leisurely. 'sWho
the dickens is old Clate Walker ?' he
asked.
ga regular border terror A desperate
A killer !' exclaimed Gilbert: sHe's
likely to shoot any of US at sight Come
on after us p'
"What run out of your own house r'
said Forney, surprised. ''Why, what hold
has this fellow on your
"No hold whatever, but he's a dead-shot
and double-dyed murderer p cried Charles.
"You don't know him as we do. Come
along with US and get out of his way p'
"Not Ir' exclaimed Forney-who felt
that his military reputation was at stake.
''Take your two shot-guns and stand ready
in the kitchen. I'll stop here and see Mr..
Walker ~ and he hurriedly took his re-
volver from his overcoat pocket, then STEP
ped to the window behind the desk on the
counter.
With his customary oath the gambler
and dead-shot kicked open the door and
strobe in. The young Lieutenant sat on
the high stool behind the desk, apparently
reading a.newspaper. He did not look up.
"Hello, you sneak p' shouted Walker.
"Where are the tender kids that keep this
blasted Temperance hotel?''
II think they've gone out to hide" said
Forney, carelessly turning his paper.
"They said there was man-eater, a reg
ular anthrophagus, coming, and that they
were going to hide somewhere
Walker stared. 'Well, well l'' he ripped
out. eff you aint the freshest kid I've
struck in ten years ! Right fresh from the
East. aren't ye, young feller ?'
eyes" said Forney, moving the paper
"l'm from the East, and Pm pretty fresh,
| suppose. I'm young fellow, but Pm a
pretty nice one.''
thundered Walker. 500 you know who l
amp
"How should I?' said Forney. sTts
none of my business. ''I'm only here on a
visit. I don't care who you are.''
The bully flushed, stung by the careless
contempt in Forney's tone ssSuppose, :"
he muttered, taking step toward the
counter, while a murderous gleam crept
into his eye, suppose were to tickle your
Adams apple with my dirk, what then ?''
''Then I'd shoot you dead for the scoun-
drelly hound you are p exclaimed the
young cadet. suddenly presenting his cock
ed revolver full in Walkers face. "Move
stir hand, and I'll shoot you like a
dog esI,' r. Co.,.
"The first man that ever got the drop
on me?" gasped Walker; sand you little
whipper-snapper from the East %
''No matter what I am," said Forney,
sternly. ''If you move hand, I'll shoot
you Gilbert! Charlie !''
The two brothers who, from the kitchen,
had heard the above dialogue, and were
several times on the point of taking to their
heels out at the back door, now entered,
guns in hand.
''Cover him, Gilbert" " said Forney. eff
he stirs a hand, put load of buckshot
through him Now, Charles, come and
take his pistol and his knife
A deep red flush mounted to Walkers
face. But he knew that the slightest
movement on his part would send two
charges of cold lead through his body. He
gritted his teeth, but stood motionless
They disarmed him, then marched him
out of the door and round the house into
the little corral in the rear of it. This cor
raj was built of adobe bricks, the wall be-
ing from seven to eight feet high, and in
closing space of eighty feet square.
They gave him no chance to get the start,
but kept him covered with both gun and
pistol constantly They gave him chair
to sit on, and there he sat all day, watch
ing the cadet and Gilbert, and they him,
while Challes rode post-haste to Alamosa
to swear out a warrant for his arrest, and
summon the Sheriff and his posse to take
him.
The officers, hearing that SO dangerous
rufian was really waiting their disposal,
were not slow in responding to Charles
SmalPs summons; and by three o'clock
that afternoon the young Lieutenant had
the satisfaction of seeing the 'border ter
ror'' taken into legal custody and marched
off to Jail.
But, as is too often the case in the far
West the prisoner was lynched instead of
being fairly tried and convicted of his
crimes. He was taken forcibly from Jail
by masked party from one of the neigh
boring mining camps the third night after
being lodged there, and hanged without
any form of trial to the nearest tree
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THE CURCULIo- horticultur;st writes