The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-11-19

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81 amt in sech an ALFRED hurry to
git jailed" said the other sulkily, s'but
what mus be mus / s'pcse.".
&sHan' over yer weapons, then, an
we'll start"
With manifest reluctance s~ix-shoot.
er and knife were passed over; the
crowd meanwhile standing by and
passing comments on the proceedings
according to the of crowds.
AS the sheriff and his prisoner moved
away together Burleson turned and
directed q quick look and significant
gesture of head and hand to two men
who were standing near by and who
immediately withdrew from the throng
and walked away together. They
were the uncle and brother of thepris-
oner, and would probably not have
submitted SO quietly to his arrest had
they not been overawed by the mum.
Der present who would be sure to side
with the sheriff should a rescue be at
tempted.
Its gittin' late" remarked Joe
Thomas, as he. his prisoner, and his
posse, consisting OF one man, ST Haw-
kins, rode out of town. Eve shan't git
ter Laredo ter night"
"Why not?" asked the prisoner;
1--WE kin git thar if we ride all night"
II thought yer warn't hankerin' ter
be iailed?" remarked Joe, dryly.
81 amt, but / might we'll be in jail.
ez ridin' long here with you when !
want ter be somewheres else, dod burn
it all! WhereU yer stop, then2 camp
out?"
"Ruther airish fur tibet. No, / reck-
on we'll git to ole Mis- Hawkins Sis
mothers, bout dark, an we'll stop
thar fur ther night. / reckin she'll gin
us er shake-down an er bite er sum.
pun t'eat."
"Course," said ST. Hospitality; IAN
glad er Their chance"
1t was d desolate spot where they
drew rein shortly after dark. A de-
lapidated hacal standing in the weed
grown soddened margin OF a little
lonely lake, its slanting walls and
grass-covered roof giving the only in
dication of human habitation in that
wilderness. Mesquite and cactus grew
close up to the shutterless door, and
the chirping of night insects in the
trees, the melancholy croaking offrogs
in the pond, were the only sounds in
vading the silence.
Inside, however, things looked
more cheerful. A bright fire was blaz-
ing in the cavernous fireplace-mes-
quite, if fit for nothing else, makes
capital fuel-and g. hot supper soon
smoked on the table. After they had
done full Justice to it, the men drew
their hide-bottomed chairs round the
fire, and became, to all appearance,
as coy and comfortable as if they
had been three friends in q camp
hunt instead of officers of the law
and their prisoner, arrested on a
charge of murder.
"Ez it air Christmas eve, Joe," said
ST Hawkins, II recKin yer won't say
nuthin' agin er leetle Ticker, an know
Ed won't. Local option don't hender
er man none from hevin' his jug an
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 clas
off when yer brought fore Their court."
Whiz! bangl the glass fell in frag-
ments at his feet, and blood, mixed
with the whisky, running down his
arm.
.Hal a rescued" cried the sheriff and
his aver ready pistol covered Burle-
son. I'm er dead man, / s'pose,' he
added, quietly, ''but I'll hold my pris-
oner."
With the last word the pistol went
off, simultaneously with a volley from
without, and officer and prisoner
fell together; one dead, the other
dying. The next moment the res
cuers rushed into the room where
they found nothing but the dead bod
les and the terrified old woman ST
Hawkins at the first shot made for
the back door, jumped into the AXE,
and swan to the other shore. Great
was the CONSERVATION of the rescuers
to find their attempted deliverance
had resulted so disastrously. The
failure was attributed to the precip-
itancy of Bob Burleson, who fired be-
fore the signal for a general fusilade
was given, and in his furry failed to
infict death. 1t was some consola-
ton to the friends of the unfortunate
boy-he was but nineteen-that his
sudden and violent death perhaps
saved him from q more shameful
doom. Much more widespread
regret was felt at the death of Joe
Thomas, and it was long ere thecoun-
ty owned another sheriff such as he.
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