Los Angeles herald., 1891-08-06
THE SILVER BULLET.

In 1860 Lawrence Nutting was United
States marshal in the southern district
of Virginia The state was at that time
fairly overrun with outlaws of all classes.
Bushwhackers, highwaymen, counter
feiters and 'moonshiners" nestled in all
the countryside among the mountains,
and far from towns and cities upon lone
lyroads, while gamblers and desperadoes
swarmed in and about the settlements
Crime was frequent, and the life of a
United States officer was series of stir
ring adventures involving great danger,
and demanding as great tact and per-
sonal bravery.
But Nutting proved himself worthy and
fit for the Office. A young man of tenn
perate habits. quick wits, splendid phys
ique and dashing courage, he was never
at loss how to act; and the vermin that
infested that region soon learned to hate
and to fear him intensely.
Many were the expeditions which the
officer had led, many his escapes, and
many the prisoners safely captured and
walled by his efforts; but one man
evaded him. The shrewdest and worst
''moonshiner" of all was still at large.
Despite all his efforts, Nutting has not
yet secured Ruloff Allen.
This man was known throughout the
state. His career had been that of a
criminal from his birth. In the fastness
of southwestern Virginia he manufact-
ured whisky on grand scale, and was
the owner of a dozen or more queer
stills" and snapped his fingers at the
law.
Several times had Nutting sought this
quarry; twice he had actually caught
him, yet twice he had escaped, and at
the time Of which we speak he was still
free.
Nutting sat at his Office window one
evening musing, half dreaming, when
there fell light touch on his shoulder.
He started up quickly. A stranger stood
before him.
1.-THE United States marshalp' said he,
interrogatively.
eyes, sir, - said Lawrence, rising. "Be
seated. What can do for your
II would speak with you alone" he
said, glancing around II have matters
of Importance to communicate.
"This Office is out of hearing from the
street." replied Nutting, "and we are by
ourselves. You can speak freely"
The other drew couple of cigars from
his pocket, offered one to the marshal
and lit the other himself. Nutting fol-
lowed his example. Then the man drew
his chair nearer, SO that he sat between
the officer and the desk whereon lay his
belt and pistols, threw open his coat SO
that the butts of two heavy revolvers
might be seen, and blowing the smoke
from his cigar said in quiet tone to his
companions:
"You are desirous of arresting noted
moonshiner, one Rulof Allen, are you
not?'
There's no doubt about that, said the
marshal, smiling.
II am the man."
Nutting's cigar never stirred in his
lips; his hand did not quiver nor his
breath come the quicker. A single sign
showed how deeply he was moved; his
eyelids dilated, then he laughed, soft
and low
"You-you Ruloff Allen! My friend,
know Allen. His hair is red; yours is
black. His face bears scar across the
chin; yours beard. His teeth are
broken; yours are perfect. The joke is
good, but you are not Allen"
The other hesitated moment, then
striking wig from his head, beard
from his chin, and removing single
false tooth, he turned again to Nutting,
red haired and smiling.
"And now?"
"You are Allen"
For full moment neither man moved.
1t was as though two large tigers gazed
at each other. Then the outlaw said:
'Listenl am armed; you are not. ]
am fully as desperate a man as the re-
port makes me. am as strong as you.
Do not try to arrest me, for shall then
he obliged to kill you. came here to
have private talk, but it was necessary
you should know who / am. will not
modest you if you will do the same by
me, and give me fifteen minutes to
escape when we have finished"
Nutting measured his chances. Un-
armed in the presence of a man to whom
murder was not new, he deemed pru-
dence the better part, and replied:
II agree
"Good," said Allen, removing his own
pistol belt; "your word is equal to mine.
We shall both be unarmed. And now
would tell you story"
Then he drew his chair still nearer the
marshal, and as the twilight fell and as
the night came down he told of his life
"a weird, strange history, every line in
tense with the throbbing passion of q
lawlessness which made the man what
he was.
The other listened breathlessly, the
darkness shronded both, and the cigars
! were finished long before the story was
ended.
At length, however, the visitor paused
and then concluded as follows:
$50 have lived-as wild man al
uost; and that life has the past five years
10. "a more mania than ever before, but
18th | method. am and have beer
saar;no " money. and money only. Mo-
20 widely q. ..'aerent, you will say, from
al, al the world Except that my search wa'
w;thout the pale c% the law. And nov
+ha "a has come. am rich. have
n