The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1889-05-23
BILL Y THE KID.


0AASNo ~ - oCiShJ NINA VA Nlay WY
common in the far West), whose
long shadow heightened out upon
the dark and treeless plain, as the
waning crescent of the moon sank
towards the west? the chill air of ap-
preaching morn crept up to the 81
lent hut, bearing with it dull sound
as of the stamping of horses, with
now and then the clink of a metal
spur. Lower sank the moon; nearer
came the faint sounds, till finally any
living and vigilant eye could have
easily discerned from the house a
group of quiet shadows which re-
sembled horsemen. With caution
they halt at a distance; they seem to
have dismounted now, and one dus-
ky figure steals slowly towards the
silent hut. Reaching the low door
way, he stops, waves hand as some
token to the others, and enters.
The adobe dwelling was the resi-
dence of a half breed who had often
been "fence" for the illegal pro-
ceeds of some of Billy's raids and
crimes, man who, while he served
the outlaw, yet feared him; a man
upon whom the outlaw had threat
ened the direst vengeance, should
there be even thought of betrayal
in his mind, and who, in consequence
of these two opposing forces of fear
and hate, had wavered for many
months between an intention to give
Billy up to the law, and fearful
looking forward to what would hap
pen to himself, should be turn
traitor.
But one or two weeks before this
moonlit night, Billy had told the
half breed that he was going on
some raid for the commission of
some crime, and that he would be
back and stop over night at the hut
at a given time. And perhaps feel
ing some premonition of his hosts
subsequent action, he added threat
eningly, II believe you would like to
betray me, and I've a notion to kill
you, but I'll wait till return: you're
as good as dead man." The out
law uttered this, no doubt half in
sport and from the pleasure he felt
in seeing his "fence" show signs Of
fear. But if jest, it was one that
cost the outlaw dear. A straw turns
the balance; the "fence" sent word
by trusty messenger to Billy's re-
lentless enemy that his "quarry' was
to lie "perdu" at the hut on GER
tain night. Now, the gentle reader
can better understand the outlines of
the scene just sketched: the horses
whose tramplings were heard by the
watcher in the silent house, were
those of a small and picked "posse"
of our sheriff, with ''muf1ed' hoofs:
the single shadow moving SO quietly
towards the entrance was the man
who had sworn to kill or capture
Billy, or "die with his boots on"
himself. The denouement of our
drama is evidently about to take
place; let US unseen enter with the
sheriff and witness the "finale."
There are but two rooms below
stairs, respectively to the right and
to the left, divided by narrow hall.
The one to the right will be the
scene of what follows
His feet IN mOCaslnS, his best long
navy revolver lying ready to his
hand in it's leathern sheath, strapped
along his thigh, with what emotions
in his heart-stern, rugged of nature
though he is-we may imagine, the
sheriff, his ears keenly attent and
every nerve braced to its fullest ten
sion, enters the right hand sleeping
room. A darkened square room, an
open window with shutter thrown
back, an oblong patch of silver
moonlight on the ebony floor, low
"settle," with a human form extend
ed along it,-these are what meets
his eager eye Who is its it the
sleeping outlaw, now an easy mark
for his bullet? No; even the slight
sound of foot clad in deerskin up
on the clay floor, aroused the light
sleeper; for with a"Hist-silence"-
the half breed motioned the intruder