Omaha daily bee., 1884-05-03
THE SILVER BULLET.

THE SILVER BULLET.
In 1869, Lawrence Nutting was n United
States Marshal in the Southern district of
Virginia. The state was ut that time fair
y everrun with outlaws of all classes
Bushwhackers, highwaymen, counterfeit
ers and "moonshiners" nestled in all tn,
countryside among the mountains, and IA
from towns and cities upon lonely roads
while gamblers and despcradoes swarmeC
in and about the settlements. Crime wa.
frequent, and the life of q United States
officer was a series of stirring adventures
involving great danger, and demanding as
great tact and personal bravery.
But Nutting proved himself worthy and
tit for the Office. A young man of temper.
ate habits, quick wit, splendid physique
and dashing courage, he was never at q
loss how to act and the vermin that ir-
Tested that section soon learned to hate and
fear him intensely.
Many were the expeditions which the
officer had led, many hisescapes, and many
the prisoners safely captured and walled
by his efforts; but one man evaded him.
The shrewdest and worst 'moonshiner' of
all was still at large despite all his efforts,
Nutting had not yet secured Ruloff Allen.
This man was known throughout thu
state. His career had been that of q GRIM
inal from his birth. In the businesses of
southwestern Virginia, he manufactured
whisky upon a grand scale, and was the
owner OF q dozen or more queer stills"
and snapped his fingers at the law.
Several times had Nutting sought this
quarry; twice he had actually caught him
yet twice he had escaped, and at the time
of which we speak he was still free.
Nutting sat at at his office windowfone
evening, mlsing, half-dreaming, wheu
there telpa light touch on his shoulder.
He started up quickly. A stranger stood
before him.
THE United States Marshal ?" said he,
interrogatively.
ayes sir" said Lawrence, rising. "Be
seated. What can l do for you"
~ would speak with you alone" he saiG,
glancing around. 81 have matters of im-
portance to communicate"
"This office is out of hearing from the
street" replied Nutting, and we are By
ourselves. You can speak freely"
The other drew q couple of cigars from
his pocket, offered one to the marshal, and
lit the other himself. Nutting followed
his example; then the man drew his chair
nearer, so that he sat between the Officer
and the desk whereon lay his belt and pis-
tolls, threw open his coat so that the butts
of two heavy revolvers might be seen, and
blowing the smoke lightly from his cigar,
said in a quiet tone to his companion:
"You are desirous of arresting a notos
m%oonshiner. one Ruloff Allen, are You
not 2"
"There's no doubt of that" said the
marshal smiling.
81 am the man."
Nutting's cigar never stirred in his lips
his hand did not culver, nor his breath
come the quicker. A single sign showed
how deeply he was moved; his eyes dilat-
ed, then he laughed long end low.
"You-yoa, kuloff Allen ?" My friend, i
know Allen. His hair is red; yours is
black. His face bears q scar across the
chin !; yoAxs o beard. His teeth are bro
ken ysurs aae perfect. The joke is good,
but you are not Allen"
The other hssitated a moment, then,
striking a wig from his head beard from
his chin, and removing 4 single false-tooth,
he turned again to Nutting, red-haired and
smiling.
"And now|
You are AAenW
For a fu&amoment neither man moved
1t was as though two large tigers gazed at
each other. Then the outlaw said:
listen ! I am armed! you are not. lam
fully as desperate n man as report makes
me. I I'm as strong as you. Do not try
to arrest me, Tor l shall then be obliged to
kill you. I came here to have a private
talk, but it was necessary that you should
know who I ana. I will not modest you if
you will do the same by me, and give me
fifteen minutes to escape when we have
finished.
Nutting measured his chances. I'm
armed in the presence of a man to whom
murder was not new, he deemed prudence
the better part, and replied:
IT agree"
"Good," said Allen, removing his own
pistol belt "your word is equal to mine.
We shall both be unarmed. And now
would ted yeu 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 intense with the
throbbing passion Of a lawlessness which
made the man what he was.
The other listened breathlessly the
darkness shredded both, and the cigars
were finished long before the story was
ended.
At length, however, the visitor paused,
and then concluded as follows:
$50 have | lived. As q wild man., al
most; and that life has for the past five
years been more a mania than ever before,
but with q method. l 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. ! am rich. l have enough, and
now l desire to return to civilization. You
can permit it-yOu can prevent it. l am
an outlaw. Very well! will cease out
lawry, viii turn over my stills to the gov
eminent, wild swear a great oath, and keep
it, too-for my own interests demand it
to become o worthy citizen; and if you
will accept the prodigal son, and kill for
me the fatted calf of pardon, all will be
well. / came here to ask you to intercede
for me. Will you do SOP"
Nuttfng hesitated q moment.
This man was o veritable Robin Hood
Could he trust him?
The other spoke again.
"Sueh assistance from an official is what
1 need, and ! can pay for 1t. If you will
get q free pardon for me, l will give you
tive thousand"
Aliens face paled, and his hand crept
toward his hip; then restraining him
self with a scofing laugh, he said:
"Be it so. Then we are enemies. ], to
you and the law; you to me. Remember
my fifteen minutes, and beware when next
We meet ~