The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-06-28

man drew his chair, 50 that he sat
between the officer and the desk where
on lay his belt and pistols, threw open
his coat SO that the butts of two heavy
revoNers might he seen, and blowing
the smoke lightly from his cigar, said
in quiet tone to his companion:
''You are DESTROYS of arresting a
noted moonshincr, one Ruloff Allen.
are you not?"
"There's no doubt of that" said the
marshal smiling.
Il am the man"
Nuttinss cigar never stirred in his
lips his hand did not culver, nor his
breath come the quicker. y single
sign showedhow deeply hewas moved !;
his eyes diIated, then he laughed long
and low.
"You-you, Rulod' Allcn?" My
friend, l know Allen. His hair is red !;
yours is black. Ills face bears 4 scar
across the chin yours 4 beard. His
teeth are broken; yours are perfect.
The joke IS good, but YOU arc not
Allen.
The other hesitated moment, then,
striking a wig from his head, beard
from his chin, and removing a single
falsc-tooth, he turned again to Nutting,
red-haircd and smiling.
.'And now?"
''You are Allen p
For 4 full moment neither man NOV
ed. 1t was as though two large tigers
gazed ut each other. Then the outlaw
said:
''Listcn, l am armed you are not.
| am fully as desperate a man as report
makes me. | am as strong as you. Do
not try to arrest me, for | shall then lie
obliged to kill you. | came here to
have private talk, but it was necessary
that you should know who | am.
will OF modest you if you will do the
same by me, and give me fifteen min
utes to escape when we have finished.
Nutting measured his chances. I'M
armed in the presence of man to
whom murder was not new, he deemed
prudence the better part, and replied !:
Il agree :"
Good" said Allen, removing his
own pistol belt, you word is equal to
mine. We shall both be unarmed.
And now would tell you a story"
Then he drew his chair still nearer
the marshal, and as the twilight fell and
night came down, he told of his life
a weird strange history, every line in
tense with the throbbing passion Of a
iawlcssness which made the man what
he was.
The other listened breathIcssly, the
darkness shrouded both, and the cigars
were finished long before the story was
ended.
vt length, however, the visitor paus-
| ed and then concluded as follows
80 have | lived. As a wild man, al
most and that life has for the past five
years been more 4 mania than ever be-
fore, but with a method. | am and
have been seeking money and money
only. Not SO widely different, you
will say, from all the world, except that
my search was without the pale OF the
law. And now the end has come. l
am rich. have enough, and now |
desire to return to civilization. You can
permit lt-you can prevent it. | am an
outlaw. Very well | will cease outlawry,
will turn over my stills to the govern
ment, will swear great oath, and keep
it, too-for my own interests demand
ito become worthy citizen and if
you will receive the prodigal son, and
kill for me the fattcd calf of pardon.
all will be well. | came here to ask YOU
to intercede for me. VIII you do SO %
Nutting hesitated 4 moment.
This man was 4 yeritable Robin
Hood Could he trust him.
The other spoke again.
''Such assistance from an official is
what l need, and can pay for it. If
you will get Il pardon for me, l will
give you five thousand dollars.
Aliens face paled, and MS hand
crept toward his hip; then restraining
himself with a scofIing laugh, he said !:
"Be it 50. Then we are enemies. /,
to you and the law; you to me. Re
member my fifteen minutes, and be-
ware when next we meet? ;"
Tie threw his cloak about him. buck
led his pistols at his waist, and disap-
peared, but IS he left the room 4 little
piece of metal fell from his person and
rolled unnot;ced upon the floor. A
minute latter the ring of his horses
hoofs sounded through the night as he
rode towards the mountains.
The morning following, as Nutting
entered his office, his aged servant
bowed low before him, extending his
brown and wrinkled hand, and said in
an awe-stricken voice;
"Foun' dis on the floor. massa.
S'posc him your'n, bad ting, massa,
bad-ef yc low ole niger to say SOP
The marshall leaned forward in sur
prise. Lying in the out-strctched palm
Of the black, was 4 silver pistol bullet
"Why, uncle" said he, taking it,
"this is not mine -
Not your'n, massa Tank dc lord
Use pleased, / is. massa. Found it
yer, dough. Dat ar's seweyside bull