The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-24


''That is q rough town, full of Okla
homa boomers. We came through i
three days ago."
"And Alfoway spoke OF the chance
that an ApahoQue mob might lynch hi
captives, because some Of the bogus bill
have been passed there. He talked t,
Wiams about this danger, and Wiam
offered to provide half dozen men 70,
posse. Hushr'
The admondfion was caused by Deuce
incauti0us CRY of alarm Don't yor
see" she said, Chat If Wia1ns has made
two men scapegosts for himself he vii
get them lynohed instead Of saving
them2 They'll be murdered.
1--WE viii muster a force to defend
them"
s'Better release them tonight"
How"
"EWell, somehow-anyhow."
The girl was emboldened with her pur-
pose, and her companion caught from
her an ardor Of spirit uncommon to his
calmer temperament.
Let me think" he meditated. tNThe
guards can't be expecting an attack from
the outside. They're only watching the
wagon to see that its inmates don't break
out. Mightn't l take one unawares
when the others were not too close by,
silence and down him by throwing a
blanket over his head and SO give you a
chance TO slit the canvas with knifei
If we had four horses ready we might
Iofo Oh, &c oil
be raised"
Gould you fight a stronger man than
yourself? 1t would be better to let me
help you"
1.-The fellow might be stronger than I,
but probably not SO quick or dexterous.
for l am something of a wrestler. Be-
sides, he would be caught at disad-
vantage. And your part would require
all your time and presence Of mind"
They discussed the details Of the plan
freely yet rapidly. Then VIII went out
to get the horses ready. He found
where the two mustangs were tethered.
These and two other horses he saddled
and left at point few rods along the
road. Then he reconnoitered the prison
unalert, The rest Of the camp seemed
TO be fast asleep. He returned to the
tent. Deuce was pacing to and fro like
young tigress IN a cage. A knife
CLEANED in her hand.
81 found it here" she said, "and
seems sharp enough to cut canvas quick
ly. Here's a strong and not very heavy
blanket for you to muffle the man with.
Can we do it right off,
Yes" VIII replied.
They emerged cautiously into the
darkness, which had become as heavy as
rain laden clouds could make it, and
passed a dozen tents and wagons in
which no signs of wakefulness were
given by the occupants. Suddenly WI,
who was ahead, drew Deuce back behind
a wheel He had heard the approach Of
footsteps, and there was barely time to
ensconce themselves before Aleck Wiams
passed by so closely that they could have
touched him. VIII left Deuce where she
was and stole after the man until he en-
tered his Own tent. 1t was a small one,
exclusive to Wiams' own use, and stu
ated near by the makeshift jail a light
soon glimmered within, and then the
watcher saw him fasten the opening to-
gether. inclosing himself with remark
able care
VIII dropped on his hands and knees,
crept slowly to the back side Of the tent
and lay fat on the ground. The canvas
showed no hole through which he could
look in. lie crawled all the way around
the tight structure without discovering
a lesion in the cloth. He heard Wiams
astir within, and the position of the
lighted lamp was changed several times.
At length, despairing of a less risky de-
vice, VIII took out nis penknife and made
a tiny slit, With one eye at the aperture
he looked in.
Aleck Wiams sat astride trunk, on
which stood the lamp, while in his hands
he held package of treasury notes of
the same fraudulent manufacture that
had been taken from his two scapegoats.
He was irresolutely lingering them, as
though making up his mind with diff
Guilty what to do with them. When a
determination was reached he had to
summon all his resolution to carry it
out. He held handful of the notes
over the glass funnel of the lamp, but
before the heat ignited the paper he
drew it away.
Wiams was compelling himself to re-
iuotantly burn the remainder of his stock
Of spurious money for fear that il might
be discovered. He had obtained it to
mix with cash to pay TO his employees. A
little had been used in that way, and
Detective AllOway had followed the
trail by means of these cautious outputs.
1t seemed the part of common sense to
make his safety sure by destroying all
the evidence Of guilt rather than keep it
at his peril Again he held the pack
age over the lamp and a charring corner
broke into fame.
Stop, you scoundrel% VIII Brown
yelled lmpulsiVely.
WiRlns action was equally inconsider-
ate and instructive He dashed the lamp
to the ground. But instead of putting
out the hight he created vastly greater
one. The glass broke with an explosion,
and the oil was thrown over the mans
clothes. The tent and its occupant were
instantly ablaze.
A screech of fright and agony re-
sounded through the camp. The tent
famed high, and was gone like fash
of fireworks, leaving Wisms burning like
a great torch. The oil had saturated his
garments and be was enveloped in fire.
The four temporary jailers ran hastily
10 the spot. Deuce Low was next. She