Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-02-25

[ went over and sat down on the bed.
1t was not the corner in which my rifle
stood, but the weapon was not more
than ten feet away. The woman then
said something to the children in their
own mongrel dialect, and both of them
sat down facing me and only three or
four feet away. Then man and wife
cast off the rope, seized long poles, and
presently the boat slowly moved down
the lake to the north. The lake APP
peared to be about three miles wide by
five long, and was shut in by dense
forest.
The views | had through the open
door and the chinks between the logs
showed me that the craft was kept near
the shore. While the people seemed in
no great hurry to get down the lake,
they kept the scow moving at a fair
pace until we -were about three miles
from the place where we had en-
barked. A landing was then made in
the mouth of a creek, and the scow was
entirely hidden from sight of any one
on the lake. Hunters and tourists, and
even small pleasure steamers came up
from the main river as far as the lakes.
Itwas mid-afternoon when the boat
was made fast. The pain and swelling
had now entirely departed from my
hand and arm, and the helpless feeling
which had come over me when first
captured had given way to a determn-
alton to help myself out of the scrape
If / could get hold of my rifle | would
be match for the whole four of them.
| counted them as four, because the
boy and girl had hunting knives, and
would surely take part in any scrim-
mage brought on Their looks and, ac-
tions proved this. They maintained
their places directly in front of me, and
their eyes never left me for second.
They held their knives as if they ex-
pected an attempt TO escape, and meant
to thrust and cut if tried it. aa
! While the boat was moving there was
no show for me- A score of alligators,
some of monstrous size, followed us in
procession, and'I had but to look out
upon the lake to realize that it was
alive with these fierce reptiles. One
who jumped or fell overheard would be
seized as soon as he struck the water.
Not asword was addressed to me
until the boat had been tied up. Then
the man came in, took q sing le-bar
relied rifle from under the other bed
and, after few hurried words with tht
woman outside, jumped ashore and dis
appeared. When he had gone thu
woman entered, lighted a pipe and
sending the boy outside to watch, sh'
sat down in his place with the cooked
revolver on her lap. She had FACE
which betrayed the mind of beast.
"Well, what are you going to d,
with me?n / asked, after while. o
Feed you to the alligators," she re
piled.
"Where has your husband gomez"
ITO kill the other two men,"
"What do you want to murder Il
forp We have in no way injured you.
ave was whipped and druv out o
the settlements, and we want revenge,
she growled.
''But we had nothing to do with it,
| protested, in firm tone.
Cant help that. You came poach
ing on our claim" she answered.
4 "But we'll 60 away"
81 guess you won't. We never lie
any one git away to tell on us!'
l said nothing further, but l by n
means looked upon myself as dea
man. If worst came to worst l woul
give them fight. | could not NOV
then, with knife and bullet ready fo
me, and deemed it wiser to settle bac
and bide my time.
The man had been gone about ha
an hour when the faint report of riff
came to us through the trees. TIL
woman had been listening for it, an
|, as it came she gave a start and erie
out:
, "There goes one of EN-"
"WhoP" | asked
, Zone of your partners. Dan hs
dropped him for sure"
, There was such o fendish, bloot
thirsty look ON her face that was al
p palled, and the same expression, to
o certain degree, rested on the faces
} the children, Like dogs, they licke
/ their chops in anticipation of blood
feast. In about half an hour the ma
:. appeared He had bundle of clothir
in one hand and two rifles and L
volver in the other.
o "Git oneP" the woman asked, as
o came aboard the ungainly craft
YES
IL A.
d "No, The other got away. I'll 9
@ him to-morrer," he replied.
: "Git muchP"
n Lots"
9 He had in his hand the suit of clothe
# rifle and revolver belonging to one
4 my men--George Sheen, of MobiI
!. There were blood-stains on the clot
d ing, and as he unrolled the bundle
: saw a bullet-hole through the vest.
had killed the man and then strip
him stark naked. Yes, he had boo
II socks, hat, collar, everything. I
v other man was Robert jackson, of CT
cago, who had worked with me
o years. He had not ''got" him. VIII
jackson was well armed and bra
= man. If he had been present at
/. shooting of Sheen he would not ha
|. run away. Sheen had an old-fashion
q rifle; Jackson had Winchester.
d would in turn have killed the outla
r The two men must have been separ
ed, and the outlaw must have ambush
q Sheen.
o Leaving the children to watch II
the man and woman now cast the SC,
II loose and poled her out about thu
d hundred feet from shore. The sun W
Il getting well down, and our side of [
IS lake was in deep shadow. When [
e scow had been anchored by stone, I
l. pair inspected the personal proper
e and counted the money taken from I
victim. The outlaw then washed (
a blood from his hands.
Q. When they entered the cabin,
a house, the woman produced some CT
a meat and hoecake and threw hunks
Il. IL