Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-07-30
THE PERRY GANG.
BY A. A. HAYES.

The sun never shone more brightly
and the air was never more clear and
bracing than when Sinclair helped his
wife off the train at Pawnee Junction.
The station masters face fell as he saw
the lady, but he saluted the engineer
with as easy an air as he could assume,
and watched for an opportunity to
speak to him alone. Sinclair read the
dispatch with an unmoved countenance,
and, after a few minutes reflection,
simply said: "All right Be sure to
keep the matter perfectly quiet" At
breakfast he was distract much so
that mis- wife asked him what was the
matter. Taking her aside he at once
showed her the kilograms.
"You see my duty" he said, ''My
ouly thought is about you, my dear
child. Will you stay here?'
She simply replied, looking into his
face without tremor:
my place is with you" Then the
conductor called All aboard" and the
train once more started.
Sinclair agked Foster to join him in
the smoking compartment and tell the
promised story, which the latter did.
His rescue at Barker's, he frankly and
gratefully said, had been the turning
point in his life. In brief, ne had
Sworn off" from gambling and drink
ing, had found honest employment, and
was doing well.
tive two things to do now, major" he
added; first, [ must show my gratitude
to you; and next" he hesitated little
ct want to find that poor girl that [
left behind at Barker's. She was en-
gagged to marry me, and when came to
think of it, and what life I'd have made
her leave, hadn't the heart till now to
look for her; but, seeing I'm on the
right track, I'm going to find her, and
get her to come with me. Her fathers
a-old scoundrel, but that amt her
fault, and [ amt going to marry him."
Foster" quietly asked Sinclair, edo
you know the Perry gang?"
The mans brow darkened.
Know them ?" said he, "I know them
much too well. Perry is as ungodly
cut-throat as ever killed an emigrant in
cold blood, and he's got in his gang
nearly all those hounds that tried to
hang me. Why do you ask, major?"
Sinclair handed him the dispatches.
"You are the only man on the train to
whom I have shown them, said he.
Foster read them slowly, his eyes
lighting up as he did so. Looks as if
it was true," said he. "Let me see
Fort -. Yes, that's the infantry.
Two of their boys we're killed at Sydney
last summer by some of the same gang,
and the regiments sworn vengeance
Major, if this story's on the square, that
crowds goose is cooked, and don't you
forget it, I say, you must give me a
hand in it.
Foster" said Sinclair, ''I am going
to put responsibility on your shoulders.
I have no doubt that, if we be attacked,
the soldiers will dispose of the gang;
but I must take all possible precautions
for the safety of the passengers. We
must not alarm them. They can be
made to think that the troops are going
on scout, and only certain number
of resolute men need be told of what
we expect Can you, late this after
noon, go through the cars, and pick
them out? [ viii then put you in
charge of the passenger cars, and you
can post your men on the platforms to
act in case of need. Ny place will be
ahead" e
major, you can depend on.me," was
Fosters reply. "I'n go through the
train and have my eye on some boys OF
the right sort, and that's got their shoot
ing irons with them"
Through the hours of that day on
rolled the train, still over the crisp buff
falo grass, across the well-worn buffalo
trails, past the prairie-dog villages. The
passengers chatted, dozed, played cards,
read, all unconscious, with the exception
Of three, of the coming conflict between
the good and evil forces bearing on
their fate; of the fell preparations MAX
ing for their disaster; of the grim prep
arations making to avert such disaster;