Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1886-06-17
NOTCH NUMBER 4.

said that another notch was cut in the bi
poplar that guards the entrance to Sleep
cove, the retreat of the outlaws, maxim
five in all, each significant of the death, 6
the hands of the illicit whisky makers, of
revenue officer, and think can say will
out fear OF contradiction that no one is be-
ter acquainted with Sleepy cove and tha
big poplar than myself. knew we'll thre
OF the poor fellows whose epitaphs stan
gaping there, silent but awful warning t
all who would disturb the lawless men Q
that lonely cove; the fifth notch is for Ke
lett, but for whom the fourth was cut seem
still to be a mystery to the surroundin
neighborhood. Moonshiners seldom max
mistakes in their matters of murder. but il
this instance think they have lost thei
reckoning. That fourth notch was cut 70
me- saw it done with death staring m
in the face. Is it possible that the outlaw
still believe that my bones are bleaching OF
the damp grouad in Smoky hole.
When notch No was cut there was ,
great stir in north Georgia. Country peo
pie were wild with excitement Revenu
men riding through the mountains had {
sort OF itching in the back, and were in
clined often to turn in the saddle We laiC
AAC luuI ucI vi w - dU lu6 QOOr OF CQt
notorious Cap Hawkins, the daring leader
OF a fearless band of outlaws in the Cohutts
mountains, and as soon as possible we were
on his trail with a good pack of blood
hounds The scent was cold, and when we
had penetrated some eight miles into the
range the dogs became disheartened After
circllng round and round us time and again
in search Of the trail they gave it up, and
we were forced to retreat without having
accomplished anything
1t was dusk when we got out of the deep
woods, and we began to look about for a
place to stay for the night. A log cabin of
two rooms was not inviting, but the old
crone who came to the door said that she
could provide for one of the party, and
that the others might find accommodations
at another cabin mile down the road. In
some way it was arranged that L should
stay at her house, and join the party next
morning. She made me as comfortable as
possible. For supper had pure corn bread
and molasses, with great tin cup of some
thing hot called coffee. While l ate she
smoked clay pipe, sitting in the chimney
corner, with her legs crossed and her foot
swinging incessantly. When she spoke to
me, which she did oftener than l liked
could not help feeling that she was trying
to pump me. She wanted to know entirely
too much about the moonshiners and the
revenue men, and before l finished my meal
she made me look upon her with suspicion.
Once or twice l alluded to her family, for
thought it strange that she should live
alone, and even went so far as to inquire
about her husband, and ask when he would
be at home. But she replied evasively, and
all l learned was that her old man and
three grown sons were up on the mountain,
tending crops. 1t did not require much ex-
arcise of my imagination to determine what
kind of crops they were tending, In think
ing of them my hand went instinctively to
my trusty revolver, and the touch of the
cold steel braced me up l wondered how
The men were getting on down at the other
cabin, and if they could hear a pistol-shot
that far off.
When the Old woman had shown me to my
room, she returned to her chimney corner
md her pipe and her foot-swinging. Ny
bed was an old dfashioned one, with ropes for
springs and bear-skins for mattress and
,over l didn't undfess, but crawled just
Is | was between the skins, and, lying on
ny back, thought should not do much
leeping. When my eyes grew accustomed
o the darkness and wandered aimlessly over
he open ceiling, | saw something about the
ize OF the bed hanging directly over me.
t seemed to swing slowly back and forth.
stood up and touched it, examined it as
ninutely as possible, and again lay down
t was nothing but three or four bed-quilts
tretched across two boards supported at the
nds by short ropes If it grew colder in
he night would reach up to them for more
over.
l intended to stay awake, but must have
een nearly asleep when creaking noise
reused me. The next moment it was re-
eated, and the quilts above me descended
apidly. 1t flashed upon me that was in
trap. Drawing my weapon, / attempted
0 spring out of bed, determined to sell my
fe dearly, but as l Strengthened up the
uilts covered me. and before could throw
hem off strong hands were at the corners.
seemed as if ton weight had fallen upon
1e and doubled me up My head was bent
D close upon my breast that thought my
eek would break. My breath came short
nd fast.
With frantic struggle cooked my
istol, and, placing the muzzle close against
he quilt. pulled the trigger. l fired at
LIuSLlHR ldt0 ku1uo Iuo
all into the heart or head OF some one of
~ cowardly assailants. The conclusion
'as awful in that narrow space. The
noke filled my eyes, nose. and ears, the
lot rang through my brain; felt that my
Ist hour had come. Ny God, how l suf-
,red! l remember a derisive laugh that |
,emed to come from another world, then |
heavy struck me on the head.
When recovered consciousness / was ly- |
n my back in jolting wagon, with my
ands and feet securely bound. The pale
lue of the sky above me and the hazy out
mes of the tops reaching overhead told
70 that day was breaking.
"Wal, kurnel, air ye come roun' all rightl'
i'd deep voice at my head. Raising my
res saw leaning over me the grizzly face
the outlaw, Cap Hawkins He broke
to a wild laugh at my look of astonish-
ent.
"Didn't 'spect ter see me this mornin', did
,, kurnels" he said, tauntingly. "Whar
r yer dogsa-ha ha,-an' yer horsesa-he!
,l-an' yer-haw! haw! ho?-an' yer
pytationl Aw, Lordy. Say, kurnel
har air ye a-takin' me this mornings Air
sr a-goin' ter lock old Cap Hawkins up
,in'p
His laughter echoed through the woods
i'd sounded fiendish as it came back from
70 mountain side knew Cap Hawkins
ell Lawless as he was, there was in
s composition a certain wild chivalry pe-
liar to these men Of the mountains Brave
a lion, be had an unbounded admiration
r courage in others; cunning as a fox, he
spected man who could outdo him in
aftiness Knowing this, determined to
sumo bold air, and affect q supreme in
ference to my fate, whatever that was
be.
20, Cap, dry up" began, winking slyly
him. Don't frighten the revenue men;
ey'n be after you again"