Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-24
n Enough her ami face laclked exc

~. though her dull face lacked ex-
came out to meet US as we
neared the pine-pole cabin in which
the moonshiner lived. She wore q
''linsey-woolsey" gown and faded
calico sun-bonnet. Her red lips were
closed tightly about snuff-brush.
which she removed when she greeted
her husband.
so they'un hev trapped ye ct last,
Dock?" she said. in very matter-of-
fact tone. Reckon thar hev been spy
work in this settlement" and she
darted a swift, suspicious glance at
me.
mo. Mrs. Davis" said the marshal,
'.you are wrong. We had no informa-
ton. / located the still this morning
by watching for smoke signs from the
top of a big pine on Wildcat Ridge"
''Oh. l beg parding." she said. and
inclined her head toward me. as though
apologizing for a natural suspicion.
1.-The ma'shal's plumb rite" corrob-
GRATED the prisoner. 1.-The captur'
waire far an squar'. Elmiry. Saddle
the mare. I'll ride her to town an ye
kin hoof hit in tO-morrer an bring her
back"
Thus directed Mrs. Davis started
toward the shelter in the rear of the
cabin. where the mare was stabbed.
One of the marshars assistants had
saddled the animal. and Mrs. Davis
thanked him CURLY for the service.
Dock asked for a clean shirt to put on
in the '.jaii-house." and she made up
a little bundle of clothing for him.
Husband and wife held short whis-
pered conversation inaudible to us.
and finally Elmiry clasped her arms
about Docks neck and they kissed. ]
had stepped to the rear of the house
to get a drink of water. and as ]
walked through the cabin Mrs. Davis
came swiftly toward me. We met in
the middle of the floor.
''Dock say you'n air his fren." she
whispered. IAN air a mitey clever
man. Eff you'n low. to ride to town
with the ma'shal. stop thar to-nite an
keep the saddle on Docks mare"
She pressed my hand, her dull face
lit up eagerly. and when I nodded q
promise to do as she requested. an ex-
preston of joyous triumph for a mo-
ment flashed in her eyes.
''We're ready, Colonel" cried the
marshal, and I hurried out and mount
ed my horse. We made the ride to
Dahlonega at swinging gallop. Once
1 found myself beside the prisoner.
''Did Elmiry tell YEP" he whispered.
/ nodded, and a smile of grim pleas
ure swept across his face. He found
no occasion to refer to the matter
again. but there was something mys-
teriously significant in the expression
of his face when he babe me goodbye
at the Jail door.
The marshal searched him, but the
bundle of clothes put up by Elmiry
was not molested. The Dahlonegs
Jail. like the majority of mountain
prisons, is hardly ''burgular proof.
and its heavy air of solidity is very
deceptive. I was tossing upon my
bed at the hotel thinking over the
events of the day and wondering what
meaning to take out of Elmiry's re
quest to keep Docks mare saddled,
when 1 heard the quick tread of {
horses hoofs gradually receding and
finally ceasing altogether. A clock
somewhere about the building struck
twelve, and. then I fell asleep. The
noise of the deputy marshal awoke me-
eve had hard luck last night" he
said. s'Our prisoner cut out of Jail
and it's doubtful if we ever recapture
him. His wife must have secreted g
saw and some flies in those clean
clothes that she bundled up for him.
Stupid of me not to have examined the
bundle, but she looked so guilelessly
innocent and Dock was so good nat
ured."
Idressed and walked with him around
to the Jail. There was little crowd
of curious villagers gathered about
the structure, and they were all sym
pathizers with the escaped man. He
had cut away two heavy iron bars thai
protected the single window of the
Jail dungeon, and he must have worked
systematically and with considerable
industry, for now l knew why Elmiry
wanted the mare left saddled. It was
galloped out of town just before the
clock struck twelve.
Several weeks elapsed before agar
visited Lonesome. was not far from
the dismantled still-house when a ia
miliar voice hailed me from the brush
and when I refined up Dock Davis
with pair of Colt revolvers tucked
in his belt and his long rife thrown
over his shoulder. stepped into thu
road and held out his hand.
I'm obleeged to you'n for the favol
We did me-" he said, IAN you'n made
a shure enuff friend O. Elmiry. E
you'n aim to go up the crick stop of
ct the cabin. She'll be monstr'us
glad to see you'n, an thar's jug O
moonshine under the floor tibet his
from them cussed ma'shals."
care you not afraid of recapture?'
I asked. ''The marshal came up il
this neighborhood yesterday with I
large posse.
81 seed they'uns an eff I'd been 81
minded ru'd' "a dropped every one u,