New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-03-07
nI5 reminds me, said one, nof how
he looked the day he hung Seth Jones.

1t reminds me, said one, stof how
he looked the day he hung Seth Jones.
| the niger"
The sheriff evidently regarded Brady
as dead man, man under sentence,
whose life. ease was shorter by weeks
than his late companions Ii a poll
OF the five hundred heads then as
sembled could have been taken, there
were probably none who would not
have concurred In the opinion that
the person Of many aliases, in his des-
/ perate grasp at liberty, had signed
his own death warrant. And he
knew 1t. You might read it in every
line OF his blanched face, in his shrink
ing figure, as he chung TO the law he
had batt!ed against all his life. per.
sonified in the quiet officer who could.
give him no protection. When the
deputies passed with Wilkinson in
custody, the condemned glanced only
once at his betrayer, but in the look
| there was a world OF malice and ex-
ultation. He passed out; the heavy
doors shut behind him, and as the
last straggler left the room, Brady
| turned to the sheriff and said huskily:
My boss is hitched back O. the
courth'us sheriff. / must be ridin' !.
| I wanter pnt fifty miles betwix55 me
| an this place by sun-up.'
"Ride last, my boy said the officer,
"and keep your eyes skinned"
Together the two men descended the
steps and walked to the south side OF
the plaza, where a powerful black
horse idly chamDed the bit and moved
his head up and down in recognition
OF their coming.
:He's a,good un,' said Brady, stop
ping even then to stroke the tangled
name and purposelessly adjust the
stirrups. "He's' bout all Pvegot left"
His face was very pale and his lips
trembled as he climbed, stiffly, into
the saddle. He turned. as he gathered
up the reins, and held out an awk-
ward hand.
Il did it to save my lie, john" he
said. won't yer shake han's?'
The sheriff stood a moment with
folded arms peering up into the dark
face above him.
1--WE shook hands with a murderer
afore he went through the trap" he
rejoined slowly, IAN I've clasped a
many a hand as were red with crime,
but the man as [ hung were a brave
man, though he were niger, an he
never went back on his frien's. No, I
won't shake
With a muttered oath Brady stoop-
ed in the saddle and shot out into the
darkness. The sheriff watched him
musingly moment. then, shaking bis
head, walked slowly away.
1t was a cloudy night and there was
no moon to cast shadows. On the
wide, white road that led away from
the town there was only dusky still
ness. The sand glimmered family,
and the ragged fringe of bushes
stood q dwarfed and silent
spectator OF the race against death.
A slow wind went abroad that
murmured softly over the lonely
stretches, as if grooming whispered
warning. Sitting low in the saddle,
every pound Of him disposed to the
best advantages; crouched so as to at
ford the least possible mark for a bull
let; with slouched hat pulled over his
eyes; with quick chances roaming to
and fro, ahead on either side; starting
at the slightest rustic, glarlng appre-
hensively at the black stumps OF de-
cayed trees; praying that the dark
might last and no starlight come;
stealing a hand down now and then
to feel the Winchester Rugged closely
under his knee, States Evidence
sped along. The perspiration rolled
from his freckled forehead and fell on
the wetter withers OF the horse. The
saddle creaked under the rapid mo-
ton, and it seemed to the fugitive
that the roll Of the hoofs might be
heard for miles. The cactus sped
past him in grotesque shapes, and the
thorny overhanging limbs clutched at
HIM with murderous, OBTAINING fin
gers.
"When l reach the Matte de- Osa,"
he whispered, s'I'm safe.''
The thickets has grown denser and
the road harder and DINNER. He
could almost number the miles behind
him by the increasing wildness and
desolateness Of the land through
which he was passing. His horse, as
he had said, was a good one, but it
was flesh and blood and was failing
under the strain. There was no longer
the buoyant feel beneath the saddle.
The gallant neck dropped; the ea1s
We're rigid and pointed forward. There
was labor in the heavy breath and
fast coming exhaustion in the weak
ened stride. Ahead was an elevation,
just a gentle rise, and clothed with
tangled chapparal to the summit.
Il will walk him to the top" said
Brady.
He checked the sobbing brute, and
plodded slowly upward. He reached
the ridge, glanced hurriedly around,
hung outlined for a moment against
the dark sky and dropped from the
saddle dead.
Two spiteful snaps Of fire preceded,
two sharp reports we're simultaneous
with the passing. A horse in terror
Numbered down the road. So sudden
was it that man and beast seemed to
have melted into air. There was a
rustic in the underground. and the
wind that blew softly was all that
moved. No form approached the
dead thing. Far on the breeze came