The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-30
Stories Which Have a Touch of Ro-
nance and Of the Super
natural.
The Most Trying Moment In the
Career OF q Deputy
Marshal.
A Spectral Engineer who II Said to Run
an Engine In tho Cascade
Mountains.

~ ~ WA6us III VIZ ANAtkA0um va AUNAsAa Ap
stands face to face with eternity. and real
ICES that he hasn't an even show for his
life. Such q moment occurred once In the
career of q former deputy marshal in
Alder gulch. He il now a resident Of Hell
ena. and a. he told the story the other day
in his quaint style, it brought back to the
memory of many Of his hearers the exoit-
ing days Of the viRilantes Of Montana.
ut was down on the Snake river" he
said. lin those days we paid nc attention
to dividing lines, and Idaho was in Mon
tana for all the purposes OF the vigilantes.
I had been out on q hunt after a man
named Holly and his companion. who had
been ordered to leave the country. but who
were known to DO still around. One day
about dusk, when both myself and horse
were about played out, ran
across 4 party of the vigilantes
near an old hut. They all knew me and
insisted in my stopping and taking some
thing to eat and resting my horse. ! hadn't
had a bite since the day before, and was
only too glad to accept. They told mo to
go into the hut and I went. At the door
was sitting ono Of the gan with a double
barrelled shot gun. II didn't strike me a.
curious at the time. but later on it occur
red to me that it ought to. The inside Of
the place was somewhat dark, so / sat
down to the table, lay both my guns along
side each other in front of me and began
eating. Suddenly a voice o the opposite
side OF the table exclaimed: That's o very
fine gun OF yours, partner I looked up
and there stood Kelly with one of my pistols
,,1ir%ol f~11 81 N on1 Oa1u,1v Cnokinn md
unlocking it. It's all up with me- was the
first idea that came to my mind. The fact
that I had noticed one Of tho men outside
making a hanRman's moose at the
end of a lariat, the presence
of the guard at the door, all went through
my brain in an instant. I was right in line
between Kelly and the guard, and the lat
ter could not shoot without hitting me, nor
make a move without the prisoners
knowledge. ! looked at my other gun On
the table, but dared not reach for it. Dark
as it was / could plainly see every line of
Kelly now. and of his partner, too, for they
were both there. The fellow stood there
holding that Colts as if it didn't hold
death for a half-dozen men, or as if he
just wanted to see how long my nerve
WONlu uOlu QUIZ Iobs vuhv . q pIoUby Auo
gun. Kelly said !, and took another wish
full look at the other on the table. How
long that play kept up it is hard to rsmem-
Der, but it was long enough to make n
wish the fellow would shoot and end 1t. I
got fidgety and moved several inches to one
side almost unconsciously, still not daring
to make a move toward that other pistol.
Suddenly the strain was broken by
the sharp command drop that My NOV
ing had given the guard a chance and he
had Kelly covered with the shotgun. Now
it's coming thought !. But it wasn't. To
my surprise Kelly laid down the gun with
the remark that he was only fooling.' Ten
minutes later he and his partner wers
hanged just outside the cabin.
"Why he didn't shoot me l have never
been able to figure out. He hated me and
knew I was hunting him. He could have
killed me and had an even chance with the
man at the door. With the other cartridges
and the other gun he would, in that little
place. nave stood the rest Of the crowd off,
for a time anyhow. And if he got the worst
of it, shooting was better than hanging.
Still, he didn't do it," sa