Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15

y
soon as ever the lawyers have done up
my business, you shall both come down
to my place in Essex and see me. Jolly
good welcome and deuced good shoot
ing. You shoot? 'course?" turning to
my American friend.
''Sheute? Wal. a small piece. l
was Lieutenant in General Sherman
army for three yeeres. and very pretty
sheutin' we had. Conclude yeu mean
rifle sheutin'?'
''Oh. no; shooting game" Mr..
Church explained.
"Yeu don't du rifle sheutin', them"
"Bay Jove. no. 1 only shoot pleas
ants aud cartridges and all that sort OF
thing"
Reckon yu're a good shot, per-
haps?'
mo, nothing uncommon"
oval, how many times d'yu con-
| cleude you'd hit the bulls eye out OF
twenty with rifle?'
"Oh, aw. suppose SIXTEEN" said
Mr.. Church.
'Bet yeu ten dollars yeu don't hit it
fourteen"
dome"
Every good, sir. Ny friend mere
shall be umpire" This was l.
ooh. no; hang it! He's friend Of
yours-that's not fair. Have the land
lord" This MIR. Church.
The American explained that the
landlord could not leave his business,
and that was only an acquaintance of
half an hour. and could not be preju-
diced either way. So, with some APP
parent reluctance, Mr.. Church con-
scented.
The next thing was. where should we
go Ito sheute off the affair." as my
American friend put it. Il know
there a place, Westminster way" he
said. Il know there is, cause the vol
unteers sheute there
l told him no; the volunteers did
not shoot at Westminster, but only
paraded.
Il mean 4 gallery" he said. II
know had sheute there with one or
tew volunteers last week; but l
couldn't find the place again.
Call cab. suggested Church.
'.Cabby'll be sure to know"
where to, sir?' the cabman asked
! Church.
Westminster Palace HOTEL" he re-
piled.
was in cab with two men whose
object was to rob me, and was being
driven whittier they directed. How
| ever, was not going to be cOwed at
riding alone with two thieves through
the crowded London streets in broad
day, and l was bent on disappointing
them As we rode on, they pretended
Ignorance of the various buildings we
passed. l pointed out Somerset House,
the Charing Cross Hotel, National Gal
lery, Whitehall, etc. Arrived at West
minister, Mr.. Church dismissed the cab
We could walk the rest of the way, he
said, and the cabman had told him
where the shooting gallery was. The
two walked one on either side of me.
We came to dirty back street imme-
diately behind the Westminster Palace
Hotel, down that, and to the right-a
dirtier street still. l said this was Il
strange situation for a shooting gal
lery. ut was all right when you got
there. Mr.. Church said; lit was kept
very snug"
At the lower end of this street. was
not at all ill-pleased to see policeman
talking to a woman. tried my utmost
to catch his eye As We passed, but with
out success. We turned down third
street of Shiny houses with here and
there filthy red curtain of low pub
lie house. Sharp round the corner into
blind alley. \ dark greasy brick
wall blocked the other end of the place,
so l knew we had reached our destina-
ton. Scarcely more than one of the
dilapidated wooden houses in the alley
showed outward signs of being ten
anted; decayed shutters We're nailed up
TO the windows; the whole frontage
was smothered in filth and CRIME. The
most Misunderstanding public house l
ever set my eyes on was the last house
but one, nearest the wall.
That's the gallery" said Church.
RECKON it is" said my American
friend. That's the identical crib
where l made some fine sheutin' last
week. Come along"
followed them to the door. go
and fetch-and-," two names l
could not catch, l overheard Church
whisper. The men went in first, fol-
lowing. The beer-shop was filthy
room, about six feet square, on the
right as we entered, with only a win
dow to serve beer through. The pas
sage was long. About three yards
down it was partition with half
door, very strong. l saw, too. that it
had a strong hasp or catch to it, with
out handle, so that, once past that, a
victim was shut in like mouse in q
trap. stopped there.
Come along. and look sharp" said
my American friend. with less twang
than before; there's the gallery" and
he opened a door on the left.
looked in at that open door. saw
a strong room or cell. seven feet
square, as near as could judge-noth-
ing but bare brick walls, no window
Git was lighted for the moment from
the passage). and deep sawdust on
TIE floor. Both the men were beside
the door, standing half in light half in
shadow
Harry the Maid. and Churcher,"
said, Il know you both. 1t won't do,
and YOU have lost some valuable time!'
/ slammed the half door to gain mo-