San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-06-24
TWENTY YEARS AFTER.
Early Life in Texas.
IBY EDITH AIKEN. ]

run IhN h-iNh1
Lift the cover Cole;" we will leave
the boots in the vault for the present
We have some hard riding, and quick
work waiting us over in town. l
will tell you the particulars, also the
history of the boots as we 60 on, but
we must of course take the timber
road"
1t was shutdown when the mail coach
ratified up to the Southern hotel with
its raving and demoralized passenger,
and very little time elapsed before
the news of Nighthawk's last and
greatest outrage was going like wild
fire through the town, and the men
most nearly effected by the robbery
cursing with important rage, and ready
TO help on the murder of the helpless
boy unless he should consent to lead
the way to the hiding-place of this
formidable band of men who took
when, and from whom they pleased
with inpunity. What made it so bad
mind of the ordinary citizen all the
horse thieveing rpbberies, outrages of
every kind were imputed to them,
and it could not be helped until the
work for which they were organized
was accomplished.
With the dark a crowd of armed
and masked men with lighted torches
gathered at the Jail and presently a
fair faced slender youth was led out,
and the silent crowd moved away
with him towards the southern out
skirts of the town. This silent COM
pany enlarged every moment by men
of every grade and hue, but who, by
the expression of their faces, were
not bent in rescue. A large mulberry
tree standing alone was soon reached
and beneath this Dick Gould was
placed.
The moose on the end of a strong
rope was put around his neck, the
other end thrown over the limb of
the tree and grasped by two men
The torches roard and flared, lighting
up the fair resolute face of the boy,
and the near crowd of masks. He
looked eagerly beyond these to the
dim lighted crowd, hoping to see a
friendly face, but evidently in vain.
The preliminaries arranged, one
who seemed to be leader said:
Look here young Teller, let me tell
you something: 1t is well known that
yOu'er been for the last three months
q known all about Nighthawk's
men! Now we honest citizens of Las
Casas are bound to wipe out them
vermin sooner or later. What we
want of YOU, and what you refused
over in over, is tercover yerself with
glory in the respect of this city, by
leadin ther way to ther hole in ther
hills where they hide. You're ther
one last chance youngster, an eff you
don't take it up you 60 like a dogw
"Then up 1 shall go'' flashed the
boy pale, and no doubt frightened,
but resolute, L would put bullet in
my own brain before l would do the
dastardly act"
up with him men," but Dick
threw ont his hand, and the rope
Stacked again. He spoke clearly and
every word was understood by the
outmost of the crowd.
"Let me say just few words be-
fore you do me, for the day is coming
when every true man among you
would give finger from his hand to
undo this night work! Many of you
know me, and you know that when
1 lived among you my life was blame
less. But / was unable 10 keep
place, and finally could get no work,
and so / was starved into sickness,
Why? 1 will tell you! l was kept
out of work by the very men who are
bound to hang me, the tools of Mar
tin Gould!
"Up with him! up with him" shou-
ted the interested ones, but at the
same moment the crowd on the out
skirts came surging forward, then
parted, shrieking and cursing to the
right and left, and though the path
way thus forced fifty or more black
bearded horsemen all in white coats
and hats, rushed like cyclone, scat
tering the would be murderers tramp
ling them under foot as might be.
One half passed on, and then the rope
was severed, and the boy dragged
upon horse led by his father, and
away the whole cavalcade swept to-
wards the hills, and were out of sight
before the bruised and groaning null
titude realized what had happened.
Twenty-four hours later happy
groupe of people where assembled on
the wide veranda of the Summit
House, and not the least honored and
petted among them was the sweet
girl Isobel Stokely, the brave daugh-
ter of the sheriff Of Las Casas. Mrs.
Gilbraith took her to her heart at
once, and could not pet and praise
her enough; nor was she jealous of
her handsome boy whose adoring
chances sought the pretty blushing
face continually.
A proud and happy boy he was
when he fully understood his