The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-08-26

I
and determined to order the rascal to b
shot If he refused to obey my commands
surrender in the Queens name!"
shouted.
There was no response; but the click o
the lock OF Williams rifle, as he placed tE
hammer at full cock, must have been dis
tInctly audible to the runaway.
4 ''lf You don't come, out before coun
five, you are a dead man. One-two-
three"
''Stopl For mercy's sake, give me
chance!' now pleaded the wretch in
husky whisper.
"First throw your knife this way anC
| then come out.''
The villain tossed his knife to Williams
| who threw it behind him to the other ex
| tremity OF the attic; then leaving his re
| treat, he crawied toward Us, and | was sur
prised TO see by the dim light of the candle
that he was attired IN plain clothes. Wher
he got near Us we were astoniShed beyont
measure to find that he was not the MAJ
| of whom we had been in search, but Scales
compa nior, the deserter who had beer
suspected of ritling the officers room!
| Il own took the things" confessed thu
man doggedly, seemingly anxious to max:
a clean breast of it; but Scales helpel
me, and old Nathan put US both on the
| job'-
Scales has been here" l interrupted
| You may as well tell me what you know
! about him; it will be the better for you"
| Yes, replied the deserter, when he drop
! got off his handouts, and here they are :
scattering heap of bones and displaying
''bracelets,n each receptacle fOr the wrist:
being filed in two.
| Now l continued, ''if you can give ms
any information that will enable me tC
catch Scales, I'll report in your favor at
! headquarters. Perhaps 1t Will save you
| W
| he now!'
well, sergeant, Nathan gave him a suit
plains, and he went out. l don't know
where he has gone. But / don't mind
rounding on him, and I'll tell you this
! He's to be back here tonight at twelve
| Nathan's to let him in by the little window
| that looks into the yard
| We then descended the stair with our
| prisoner; aud the man perceiving the jew,
| broke away from US. exclain1ing: You
old villain! if it hadn't been for you
wouldn't have got into thisn and before
we could prevent him, struck the miserable
Israelite terrible blow. This act of cas-
| tigation, under the circumstances, how
| ever, rather pleased me than otherwise.
Two additional policemen having bean
summoned, the deserter and Nathan were
| taken away in custody. When they had
gone, | was rather amused when
Williams informed me that despite
the jews extreme trepidation while L
was examining his upper story, his COM
mercial proclivities did not for a moment
desert him, as be attempted TO open nego-
tiatiOns with the private regarding the
purchase of his war medals. Two de-
tectives now arrived to search the prem
ises: but of course this investigation did
not lie within my province. No article OF
a eliminating nature was found, however,
except Scales uniform, which was con-
cealed beneath the Jews filthy mattress.
| lost no time in dispatching my companion
to an adjacent blacksmiths shop, i'll order
to have the divided parts of the handouts
welded together, and this operation was
completed within an hour.
1t was now dark; the Jews house had
been locked up by the police; so my COM
paniOn and l turned into the back yard, III
order to await the expected return OF
Scales. We first made sure that he was
not concealed about the dilapidated out
houses, which consisted of a diSused coal
cellar and shed. In the latter place we set
a couple of boxes, and seating ourselves
upon them, with our loaded rifles within
reach, patiently awaited the return OF the
runaway-prepared, If need be, to give
him a very warm reception. As the night
wore on, the sky became clouded, while
the oppressive heat was apparently the
precursor of q thunderstorm. Suddenly,
we were startled by a loud clap, fol
lowed almost Immediately by binding
flash of lightning, which. as we
could see from our place of vantage,
vividly lighted up the towering chalk cliffs
that oyerhung the town. Then rain began
to fall in torrents, and the decayed roof of
the shed proving most Indifferent shelter,
we were compelled to put on our great
coats. To add to our misery, the floor be-
came regular pool, occasioned by the
overflow of huge water-butt.
After awhile the storm ceased as suddenly
as it had begun; and being perfectly over
powered with fatigue and the days excite
ment, fell fast asleep, and slumbered
until Williams shook me up and informed
me that the town clocks had struck twelve.
Being stiff and chilled with the drenching
l had received. l got on my feet and took
turn about the shed, keeping at the same
time a wary eye on the wall, every minute
expecting to see the form of the fugitive in
the act of scaling it. The monotony of our
vigil was now a little relieved by the ap-
pearance Of the jews cat, Il large brindled
animal, which came purring and rubbing
against us. Williams took puss in his
arms and careSsed her for some time; and
when he got tired of this amusement, he
stepped over to the water-butt and, acting
on sudden miSchievCuS impulse, tossed
the animal inside. To our surprise, howl
of pain proceeded from the interior of the
cask; and upon investigation there stood
our prisoner up to the neck in water
Williams had thrown the frightened cat
with outstretched claws plump on his face.
The poor wretch was stiff and numb with
cramp and was perfectly unable to get out
of the butt. We then, with heavy plank
stove it in near the bottom, and when it
was empty, assisted Scales to the shed,
where | made him at once strip off his wet
clothes-with which Nathan had provided
him-and assume his uniform. When the
shivering wretch was able to speak,
he informed US, that having returned
tIov, al,
arrest of the Jew and the deserter, he was
SO overcome with fright, that he took ref
uge in the water-butt, as no other place of
cOncealment was available. At dusk he
was thinking of getting out of his uncom-
Portable hiding place, when he was deferred
by seeing us take up position in the yard.
He had, he asserted, been nearly drowned
by the volumes of water that poured on his
head during the thunderstorm, and con-
fessed to having been terribly scared by the
llghtning-a circumstance, considering his
situation, perhaps not to be wondered at.
Also, he admitted, he had actually been
concealed in an empty barrel on the draw
mans cart, and that the driver had further
facilitated his escape by arranging with
fellOwwagoner to have him transferred to
MS vehicle and driven to the alley in which
the Jews shop was situated.
In consid Grafton of the trouble Scales
had given US, Ihad but little sympathy with
his sufferiugs, aud put slender faith in his
prOfuse promises to go with us quietly
Having replaced on his wrists the repaired
handcnffs, of which the previous day he
had mana red TO get relieved so speedily,
decided also, by way of making assurance
doubly sure. TO strap his arm to that of
Williams. We then set out in the direction
of our destination; but Scales, even sup
posing he intended mischief, was too much
played out TO give any further trouble At
last, TO my intense relief, we reached the
prison at daybreak, and l handed Mr..
Scales over to the custody of warden NY
comrade and l, after partaking of much
needed refreshment kindly offered us by
one of the prison officials, returned to
headquarters, where l lost no time in re-
porting the whole circumstance of the case
10 the AdiUtant