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

'cm massa. Is seen 'em afore." Then,
drawing nearer, he whispered, ops
made 'em -
"And did they do their work ?" said
Nutting, laughing lightly.
"Dey did, maSsa."
The officer now opened a drawer in
his desk. and took from it an old-fash-
ioned duelling- pistol, which he had
picked up somewhere, and fitted the
bullet into its rusty muzzle.
Its just the thing, uncle. Bring me
my flask, and I'll load it with the sui
eide bullet. It's best to have it handy
by if l get the blues" He laughed
again.
The servant obeyed.
NO use TO fix i'm, massa. 'Twon't
only kill de one who it's made fer,
shuah an ye couldn't shoot yerself wild
| it. nohow."
"Wcll, uncle, I'll load the old smooth
bore, anyway" said the marshal, suiting
the action to the word, land this after
noon well try it at a mark. If miss
half-dollar at dozen PAGES, I'll give
up that you're right. III hit, your
Suicide bullet is no better or worse
| than = Ia1Ja,, ,pn
"All right, massa, but you won't hit"
replied the old darkey.
Just as Nutting completed the charg-
ing of the weapon, visitor called, and
it WAS thrust hurriedly into pigeon
hole'iE the desk. His visitors business
detained him from the office until night
and the plan of the morning was for
gotten. The dueling-plstol with its
silver missile lay unnoticed for months
in the desk.
The days and weeks passed, summer
came and went, and fall ripened the
year. \ dozen times had the marshal
organized expeditions and secured the
country, seeking the notorious Allen,
but each time he had returned unsuc-
cessful. Occasionally a still would be
destroyed, or quantity of liquor seized,
but the man himself remained free, and
the winter was approaching rapidly.
Soon these raids must be dropped for
the year. Nutting chafed under his i'll
success.
One final effort, however was to be
made. Certain information which he
knew to be reliable had at last, he felt
sure, put the OUTLAW in his hands, and
he looked to his horses shoes and
loaded his pistols with unusual care.
At his orders mounted guards-men
on whom he could depend-patrolled
al the roads. Upon the morrow at
dawn, with a posse of seven fearless
mountaineers, he was TO storm the very
stronghold of the moonshiners, and tc-
morrow night would find a vacancy
either in the government office or the
ranks of the illicit distillers. The expe-
dition had thus far, Nutting believed,
been kept secret. Because of this
he looked forward with strong hopes of
success.
The officer sat at his desk writing.
He had a few pages to complete, let
ter or two to prepare for the mail, and
some memoranda to destroy. He might
never sit at that desk again.
As his eyes wandered over the mass
of papers, documents and duplicate re-
ports, filed neatly away before him, he
suddenly noticed the butt end of his
old duelinS pistol, half hidden in one
OF the compartments, and as the re-
membrance Of how it came there flashed
over him, he was about to draw it from
his hiding-place, when a shufling step
at the door arrested him, and an instant
later an aged and bent woman entered
the door.
The hour was late, and Nuttins re-
garded the newcomer with surprise, as
he arose to offer her a chair. She &C
Cepted it with a whine of thanks. and
sank painting into it. The marshal re-
sumed his seat at the desk.
eye are the govment nan, reckon"
said the woman, after a pause, raising
a brown and wrinkled face, half-hidden
beneath an imminse hood and a pair of
green spectacles, toward Nutting.
Yes, madam" replied that worthy.
I've come right smart piece to see
We, for an old woman. I'm true grit, I
am, but sittin' wore out. These yer
mountains are sight steeper'n they
was forty year ago." and she sighed.
But see here, I'm on business, | am.
| want 10 talk to We. You don't know
me, reckon?"
Il can't say that | do" said Nutting.
slowly.
Il reckon not-as We never see me
before. Pm Mrs. Allcn-Bethsheb
Allen-an' my boy he's Rulofr Allen.
we've heard of him, mebbe?" and she
paused and gazed cunningly into her
listeners face.
Yes, know him." and the mans
brow darkened.
Wall now, III tell We. 1t pears yer
on a raid arter him to-momer-ye see
| know thing or two-an we've got
the boy badly cooped up this time,
shore. Not but what he'll fight. an
some on ye'll catch suthin' besides
moonShiners. My boys smart, he is.
| tell We, an he'll tote We round con-
sid'ble aforc yet gether him in but he's
coopcd all the same, an I'm afeard ven
catch him or kill him. An I'm his
nanny We know"
The Old bag paused and wiped her