The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-06-08

l was at this time at Bowling Green,
Kentucky, after counterfeiter. / got
a false clue, which led me down to
Franklin, and when l started to return
| took an accommodation train. 1t
was at night. and there was but one
coach on the train, and that contained
only five passengers beside myself
Three of these were natives, sure
enough, while the other two talked
about coal mine in Tennessee, and
seemed to own land in that State. l
gave them little attention, being three
seats in the rear, and was talking with
tho conductor on general matters,
when the two men suddenly became in
terested in something ono of them held
in his hand. Their heads were tn
gother, and they were evidently deeply
interested, when the report of pistol
was heard. followed by a cry of agony
and yell of alarm. The object OF
their curiosity was derringer, and it
had accidentally been discharged, the
bullet entering the leg of one Of the
1lOu JClob 6tDONO bllO III LILO pom
and fright the wounded man sprang
up, and turned fiercely on tho othor
with the exclamation:
Curse you, but you did that on
purpose! You wanted all the swag to
yourself"
The conductor and Il were beside
them in q minute. The wounded man
fell back on the seat, and he evidently
regretted the break he had made
few seconds before, for he said, as we
came up:
Tom, old fellow. l had my own
finger on the trigger, and pulled it off.
Y ou are not bit to blame"
''But what about the 'swag" de-
manded, as | stood over them.
HE meant our coal mine" replied
the one called Tom.
Eyes; we are partners in coal
NINE" added the wounded man.
80, that's it. Well let's 500 what
can be done for yOu?"
1t was bad wound-so bad that l
knew his leg would have to come of,
as the big bullot had shattered the
bone, and suggested to the conductor
that he make as fast time as he dared
to Bowling Green, where medical at
tendance could be had. TO my sur
prise the men asked to be put off at
some highway crossing, near q farm
house, saying that % country doctor
could manage the case well enough,
and that the quietness of the country
would be best for the patient. This
satisfied me that they were suspicious
characters, and | assumed the author
ity to remove the one and handcuff
him to seat at tire rear of the coach,
and to search both. The ono had re-
volver and the other the derringer,
and before | was through searching l
brought to light all the stolen bonds
and jewelry. 1t was sheer luck again.
-Four OF our men were out on their
trail. but on false scents. They were
supposed to have gone East while |
picked them up in the South. The
fellow who was shot not only lost his
leg but his life. The other was returned
to Chicago, and he received a long sem
tence for his crime. There was a great
deal. of newspaper talk about my
shrowdness, but l didn't deserve q
word Of praise. The case simply came
to me. The ripe fruit dropped into my
hands. Things fall that way to u lucky
man, no matter what business he is en-
gagged in.
One of the bits OF luck which fell to
me several years ago, and which was
much talked about at the time, came
about in q very singular way. l had
been sent down to Augusta, Ark, to
identify man who had been arrested
there, and was supposed to be arobber
wanted in Chicago. He did not prove
to be the man we hoped he was. and l
was making ready to return when a
resident of the town, who was an old
acquaintance OF mine, put forward
"a speculation. He had just purchased
river, and he beloved there was big
money to be made in buying u large
tract of timber contiguous to the mill.
This tract was for sale at low figure,
but my friend could not raise the cash.
The result of our talk was that we took
a boat next morning and were left at
the mill landing. While he was over
seeing some change OF machinery
| started out to get some idea Of the
value OF the timber. The first thing |
knew / was lost in tho forest, and l did
just what all other people do under the
circumstaaces-hea the wrong way.
Instead of going toward the river. 1
went away from it. TWAS in July, and
although the mosquitoes nearly de-
voured me, there was no danger OF suf-
fering from the inclemency of the
weather.
1t was about ton o'clock in the morn
ing when started out, and by mid-aft-
ernoon had walked at least ten miles,
and knew that 1 was entirely bewil-
dered. ,Icouldn't keep straight course
for the creeks and swamps, and the day
was so cloudy and the forest so dense
that there was no sighting the sun to