Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-11-27
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shadow er proof agin ma"
"Girl's turned up" said Thomas dgnid-
cantly. Bprleson's bronsed cheek blanched.
He opened his lips to speak, but Thomas
stopped him.
@Best say nuthin' bout IL ter me, he ad-
vised. Least said 3 soonest mendsd, yer
know. 'Tain't my business to say il yer
inherent er guilty. An I he'd ter do was
ter rest yer, an thet's done"
II s'pose yer'l carry me ter LaredoF
asked Burleson
"Course. Thar amt no Jail ner lookup
here ell hold yer, q n yer've too many
frien's in these digginAs. An it's high time
we was off; so jess hustle her bones er little,
will yers an less he movin'. I got yer hoS
ready here with mine, an, Their sooner we
start Their sooner We'll git thar"
II amt in sech an ALFRED hurry ter git
jailed" said the other, sulkily, "but what
mus be mus, I s'pose." 800
"Han' over yer weapons, then, an well
start"
With manifest reluctance ~sixshooter and
knife were passed over; the crowd meanwhile
standing by and passing comments ON the
proceedings according to the manner OF
crowds. As the sheriff and his prisoner
moved away together Burleson turned and
directed a quick look and significant gesture
of head and hand to two men who were stand
ing near by and who Immediately withdrew
from the throng and walked away together.
They were the uncle and brother Of the pris-
oner, and would probably not have submitted
SO quietly to his arrest had they not been
overawed by the number present who would
he sure to side with the sheriff should a rescue
be attempted.
ats gittin' late" remarked Joe Thomas, as
he, his prisoner, and his posse, consisting OF
one man, 81 Hawkins, rode out of town I'VE
shan't git to Laredo ter night"
"Why not?' asked the prisoner: I'VE kin git
thar if we ride all night"
II thought yer warn't hankerin' ter b
jailed.' remarked Joe, dryly.
II amt, but / nights well be In Jail ez
ridin'. long here with you when I want ter be
somewhere else, dod burn It all! Whereu
yer stop, then9 camp ont"
@Ruther airish fur thet. No, I reckin wen
git to old Mis- Hawkins. Sis mothers, bout
dark, an well stop thar fur Their night. I
reckin she'll gin us er shake down an or bite
er sumpun t'eat."
"Course," said 81, Hospitality; "an' glad er
Their chance"
It was a desolate spot where they drew rein
shortly after dark. A dilapidated hacal,
standing in the weed grown, soddened margin
of a little lonely lake, its slanting walls and
grass covered roof giving the only indication
of human habitation in that wilderness. Mes
quite and cactus grew close up to the shutter
less door, and the chirping of night insects in
the trees, the melancholy croaking Of frogs
in the pond, were the only sounds invading
the silence.
Inside, however, things looked more cheer
full. A bright fire was blazing In the cavern
GUS freplace-mesquite, If ft for nothing
else, makes capital fuel-and a hot supper
soon smoked on the table. After they had
done full justice to 1t, the men drew their
hide bottomed chairs round the fire, and be-
came, to all appearance, as cosy and com
Portable as il they had been three friends in
a camp hunt, instead of officers of the law
and their prisoner, arrested on q charge of
murder.
"Ez it air Christmas eve, Joe," said 81
Hawkins, II reckon yer won't say nuthin'
agin er leetle ticker, an I know Ed won't.
Local option don't bender er man none from
hevin' his jug IN treatin' his friends"
The jug was accordingly handed out from
under the bed, and a cracked tumbler and
two cups being produced they were speedily
filled.
Here's yer health, Ed" said 81, politely,
"an' wishin' yer may git clar off when yer
brought fore ther court"
Whiz! bang! the glass fell in fragments at
his feet, and blood, mixed with the whisky,
running down his ARM.
"Ha! q rescued" cried the sheriff, and his
ever ready pistol covered Burleson. "I'm
er dead man, I s'pose," he added. quietly,
"but I'll hold my prisoner"
With the last word the pistol went off, SIM
ultaneously with a volley from without, and
officer and prisoner fell together, one dead,
the other dying. The next moment tho ror
cuers rushed into the room, where they found
nothing but the dead bodies and the terrified
old woman. 81 Hawkins at the first shot
made for the back door, jumped into the lake
and swan to the other shore. Great was the
CONSERVATION Of the escuers to find their at
tempted deliverance had resulted so disas.
trously. The failure was attributed to the
precipitancy of Bob Burleson, who fired be-
fore the signal for a general fusilade was
given, and in his furry failed to inflict death.
1t was some consolation to the friends Of the
boyle was but 19-that his
sudden and violent death perhaps saved him
from a more shameful doom. Much more
widely spread regret was felt at the death of
Joe Thomas, and it was long ere the county
owned another sheriff such as he.-A. G.
Garfield in New Orleans Times Democrat.