Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-07

on our claim che answered
"But Wen 20 away"
II guess you won't. We never let any
one git away to tell on us!'
said nothing further, but l oy no
means looked upon myself As dead man.
II worst come 10 worst / would give
them "A fight. I could not move then,
with knife and bullet ready for me, and
deemed it wiser % settle back and bide
my time.
The man had been gone about half an
hour when the faint report OF rifle came
to us through the trees. The woman had
been listening for it, and as it came she
gave start and cried out:
'Phere goes one Of 'em."
~ / asked.
zone OF your partners. Dan has drop
ped nim Tor sure"
There was such a fiendish, bloOd-thirsty
lo06 on her face that / was appalled,, and
the same expression, 10 a certain degree,
rested on the faces Of the children. Like
dogs, they licked their chops in anticlpa-
ton OF bloody feast. In about balf an
hour the man appeared. He had bundle
OF clothing ia one hand and two rifles and
a revolver in the other
"Git Onet" the woman asked, az he
came aboard the ungalny craft.
''Yes.o
DIDN'T Kit the both p
mo. The other got away. I'll git him
tO-morrer" he replied.
Git mUch?'
"Lots.V
He had in mis- hand the suit OF clothes,
rife, and revolver belonging to one of my
men-Ge0rge Sheen of Mobile There We're
blood stains on the clothing, and as he I'M
rolled the bundle | saw a bullet hole
through the vest. lie Iad killed the man
and then stripped him stark naked. Yes,
be had boots, socks, bat, collar, every
t1ing. The other man was Robert Jack
son, Of Chicago, who Mad worked with me
for years. He had not "goV' him. Why?
Jackson was well armed and brave man.
If be mad been present at the shooting OF
Sheen he would not have run away.
Sheen had an Old-fas hi0ned rife; jackson
had a Winchester. He would in turn have
Killed the outlaw. The two men must
have been separated, and the outlaw must
have ambushed Sheen.
Leaving the children TO watch me, the
man and woman now cast the scOw loose
and poled her out about 300 feet from
shore. The sun was getting well down,
and our side OF the lake was in a deep
shadow. When the scow had been an
chOred by a stone, the pair inspected the
personal property and counted the
money taken from the victim. The out
law then washed the blood from his
hands.
When they entered the cabin, or house,
the woman produced some cold meat
and hoecake and threw hunks to each
one, including myself. It was only after
the provisions had disappeared, eating
mine with the rest, that the man address
ed me.
"see here, stranger" he said, 'what
brought YOU up we're P
Looking over lands" ! replied.
"Um! Who be your
told him.
Didn't count on seem Black Dan,
reckOnY he sneered.
mo"
(Which is unfortunit for you. Pve
killed every land hunter who ever sOt
tut on my claim, and I'll keep KILN,
sure"
1--WE didn't come here to disturb or an
nOy yOu," l said.
"lt's jist the same thing. Pm down on
the hull human race fur the way Pve bin
used, and I'll kill whenever kin git the
chance. Eve dropped one o. you're iellers.
TO-mOrrer In drop the other and then
take keer of you. Git over thar and lay
down."
cover thar" was the far corner, and en-
tirely out OF reach Of my Winchester.
W utn DuuhNu NONN II III NY COIutI tue
gun was removed entirely, and the family
law down in such a way as to hem me in.
For the first three or four hours they were
like cats. starting up at the slightest
move, but toward midnight / was salts
fed that all were asleep. | could not
reach the firearms without stepping over
the bodies, and they knew that any effort
on my part to loosen log would arouse
them.
About midnight, after long and eau
tiOus effort, sat up. 1t was starlight
night, and, as there was no door TO the
cabin, l could see out. l was fully de.
termined to make an effort TO escape, but
when l came TO canvass the chances,
mad to abandon the idea. The alligatOrs
were constantly about US, often rearing
up to paw at the logs, and unless | could
get hold Of the firearms and begin the
fight, | should be wiped out in any effort
] made. l think / slept for an hour or
two, and what aroused me / cannot tell.
vas still sitting, and, as l looked out
upon the night | saw a human figure
draw itself up on the bows of the boat.
at first supposed 10 was one Of the fami-
ly, but a moments observation convinced
me to the contrary. This figure moved
cautiously, as il desiring its presence I'M
known, and was long Tune IN reaching
the door. 1t then leaned against the logs
and made long survey OF the interior,
and finally sank out Of sight. My heart
was beating like a trlp-hammeT, and l
could not fathom the mystery. Was il an
Indian or another outlaw Moving so
cautiously, what object had he in viewl
Had once Thought Of jackson. l should
not have dared TO hope he had come to my
rescue through that water; and, too. !
could not have believed he knew OF my
whereabouts.
From the time first caught sight OF the
figure TO daylight was probably an hour
and half, but 1t seemed to Inc as II /
lived i've years. ! had no hopes that the
man was friend, and yet | could not
look for a new enemy. Perhaps, after all,
it was only one Of the refugee negroes.
of whom scores were hiding in the
swamps, who had made his way 20 the
scOw in hopes 20 lay hands on provisions
or clothing. kept my eyes on the spot
whore ! had last seen MIN, aud, as he did
not reappear, | began TO teel that he had
slipped back into the water, and returned
TO the shore.
Did you ever watch the coming Of day
light when you felt that with il might
come some lie or death transaction? The
first signs came from the birds. Then,
affair up the lake, came the cries OF water
fowl. A fox or some other animal stood
on the shore near where we had tied up
the night before and barked in an angry
voice. The stars paled and dritted out OF
sight, and the Interior or the cabin began
10 light up until could distinguish the
forms of the sleeperg.
Where WAS the strange mau-frinnd or