The record-union., 1891-10-29
A DRAMATIC MEETING.
The Tragic Ending of the Man Wit
the Cataract Eye.

The Tragic Ending of the Man With
the Cataract Eye.
The stage from Virginia City to Gala
tin, Montana, had been "held up" so often
that the horses seemed to know just
where to halt and how long to wait. The
road agents worked in pairs, as rule,
but sometimes there were three or four
in bunch. There were five of us on the
trip L am telling about. -Four of us were
pretty well acquainted; the fifth man no
one knew. He was not only mean
looking man in a general way, but he
had cataract covering his entire left eye
and binding it and this gave him grue-
some appearance. We noticed the Cap
tain, who was stationed at fort Ellis,
looking sharply, and with a troubled ex-
preston of face, and when the oppor-
tunity offered he said to US:
Boys Pm satisfied that the stranger IS
a road agent, and when the proper time
arrives he'll show his hand. In case OF
attack leave him to me-"
So many road-agents had been killed
of that the survivors began to get a little
shy, and so sprung new tricks on the
stage. We had it figured out pretty
straight on the cataract man, though he
couldn't have had Il suspicion of 1t. tie
and the Captain sat opposite, and the two
never spoke to each other all that day
Along toward sundown l noticed that the
Captains face was pale, and now and
then he seemed to catch for breath, but L
laid it to his not being in rugged health.
It was about half an hour TO SundOWn
when we passed Bed Chalk Bluff" and
struck the toughest spot on the whole
route. Then the Captain coolly pulled
his revolver and covered the cataract
man, and said:
"If you stir finger Pll kill you! Boys,
leave him to me, and attend to the
O.hers.'
1t wasn't two minutes before there was
hail and the stage stopped. Then the
voice of q man who stood concealed be-
hind rock on the right hand side called
out:
Now, then, everybody come down and
hold up his hands! It's no use kicking,
gents, were too many for you"'
The Captain, whose face was as white
as a sheet, and whose eyes snapped with
excitement, still kept his man covered as
he called out to the other:
''If you fire a shot FL kill your part
ner! Driver, go on"
''Shoot the driver, Tom!' yelled the
cataract man, as he dropped to the floor
and reached for his gun.
There were two reports, one without
and one within. The Captain had killed
the cataract man stone dead, while the
outlaw had fired at the driver and missed.
he ran away as he leaped down, and the
whole thing was over in a minute. The
dead man was hauled out, and laid on his
back and searched.
Nothing of value was found except his
pistols and knife. We had completed the
search when it was noticed that the Cap
tain sat on Il rock ten feet away with his
face in his hands.
HE got worked up too high" OBJ
served one Of the men in explanation.
Here, Captain, have nip of this. THAT
cuss thought he had lodged you when he
tumbled, but you bored him beautifully.
Can't find anything with his name or. :"
Il know it !" whispered the Captain, as
he came and stood over the body.
You do! Why, who the devil was
he?"
MY own brotherw
It was a month later before I learned
all the particulars. That renegade was
truly the Captains brother, who had dis
appeared from home and the sight of rel
atives years before. Aye! that very cat
aract of the eye was caused by an injury
accidentally inflicted by the Captain him
self in boyhood days. do not think the
recognition was mutual. The outlaw
had grouped US all as strangers and he
had planned to be among us when the
stage was stopped and to be ready to kill
the first man who resisted. The Captain,
however, whose perception was keener,
knew for long hours who sat in front of
him, and when l remember how white
and stern his face grew as the day passed
away, and how he would sometimes
catch for breath, | realize what struggle
he must have had with himself, and mar
vel that he had the nerve to carry it to
the end. He walked away as we gave
the body a rough and hasty burial.
When we took our places in the coach
again he was crying like child.