Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-10-14

fore, one midnight, when miner burst
in upon the crowd at the Palace with
the startling announcement: "We've
caught the varmint, boys, right in the
act! !" every man was on his feet, and
ready to follow wherever he might
lead.
"It's over to Mogg's tent" he ex-
planned. eye see, Sandy an me wor
comm up from the river, whar we'd
been for a dip, and we seed q streak O
light, an KNOWN full well Mogg wor
here, we crept up soft an caught
him"
Mogg gave a start when his name
was mentioned, and broke into q run
which brought him among the first to
his own tent. Sandy was there keep
ing guard, and in the prisoner pressed
against the wall with his arms folded,
the spectators recognized Billy Bunt-
ling.
A barrel which did duty as table
had been moved aside, and on the
spot where it habitually stood, hole
had been dug and q small box I'M
earthed, the lid of which was still
closed.
Mogg made for it instantly, but
Sandy's hand fell on the shoulder and
held him back.
eyed best let somebody else open
it. Billy tells a story | don't take
much stock in, but I've promised to
see that he gets fair play"
Bunting spoke up immediately.
81 accuse Hank Mogg of bank rob-
berry and murder, and the evidence to
convict him lies there in that box. I
tracked him here, but Ididn't have the
proof. I've been waiting and watch
ing for it, but he came near bluffing me
off by taking the honest dodge. Pity
for him he couldn't hold to it, as I'll
show ye, by-and-by."
eye cowardly meddlerI" gritted
Mogg. ''Take that l reckon, boys,
my words as good as his any day;
sides, I've yer promise to stand by
me-"
Sandy promptly knocked the smok-
ing revolver out of his hand, and pre-
sented his own weapon at the ruffian's
head.
Bunting had lodged the shot di-
rected at him, and now gave a brief
order:
"Open the box, men!
1t was done, disclosing some pack
ages of bank paper and rolls of gold
coin, together with three or four buck
skin bags, such as miners use for their
dust.
Suddenly a voice made itself heard
in the babel, which had arisen.
"It's mine-it's mine! Look, boys
it's my dust as was stole from me!
Thar's my name on the bag"
"And mine, too! I know it by the
string" chimed in another.
81 had jest ten ounces in mine. and
that looks like it. Now, which of 'em
did it ?" demanded third, excitedly.
(Which of us?" in Buntling's sar-
castle tones. tSandy thar and Briggsll
tell We was jest getting to the box
when they come. 1t hadn't been
opened, and We see what it holds. It
was through his robbing you, and
digging to hide the dust, that [ found
his cache"
There was an o1ninous murmur,
and the next instant the covering
ruffian was in the hands Of the angry
mob.
But Bunting sprang forward to
make himself heard:
Hold on, men! | want you to give
Hark Mogg to me. [ claim him as
my prisoner, in the name of the law"
'Thar's such thing as lynch
law"
(Which We won't call into effect
here!" asserted Bunting, with flash
in his pale eyes which not one there
cared to brave. Glands up, every one
OF We, an clear the way for the pris-
oner"
Was that the man they had jeered
for cowardice, standing up single
handed and defying them all?
Every muscle in the thin, 1.-THE body
had hardened like steel, and there
was a. hint of danger in the swelling
nostrils, the firm lips, which caused
the dark looks to fall away from him.
A path was opened up and Mogg
was led to the calaboose, Sandy Balm
and a few others of the better dis
posed miners following.
'Look a-here, Buntling," said the
former, "the boys don't mean any
offense, but they want to know what
authority We hev for all this. Who
air We, anyway"
With quiet smile the other showed
a shield which was pinned to the in
side of his coat
1t bore the letters, "R. M. D. Az
Rocky Mountain Detective Associa-
ton beneath device of two uplifted
hands; and one man, with sharp eyes,
took in the finely engraved characters
above.
"Dave Rock, by thunder" he ejacu-
lated. "Well, I'll be fabbergasted!"
And then recalling the meek part
played by the detective in the camp,
he gave vent to one more disguised Ut
terance:
'Boys, we're sold!'
It was a name famous i'll those parts
as terror to evil-doers, and the bear
er was an officer whose reckless daring
and utter fearlessness in the face of
overpowering odds had passed into a
proverb.
To be "as brave as Dave Rock" was
the highest encomium an average
Western man could wish, and the