The Opelousas courier., 1891-03-14
Dillon smiled.

SASo VIC Cdu u uEIN.'
said he, looking toward the lowered face
OF the speaker.
You are in the jaws of DEATH" con-
l1nucd the same voice. "You are in the
government employ, and that is enough
10 seal your doom in these parts.n
"Where amI?" ventured Dillon.
"Never mind that. I have told YOU
the truth. The men have gone away, but
they won't be gone long. When thew
come back you will be taken out and
killed like a dog, and your fate win be,
come one of the mysteries of these
mountains"
The young man, despite his courage,
teit a shudder creep to his heart.
u have been taught to hate all United
states marshals and t'e like" went on
the unseen, who was a woman, and still
young, as Dillon guessed from the tones.
Il think we people have a right to make
o little money without paying all the
pronts into the treasury of the Govern
tnent. We don't hurt that treasury very
much; but here you come to hunt us
down and drag III to Jail like a pack of
deep dyed criminals. It amt right from
tho point we look at it,"
Dillon did not interrupt the speaker:
but the moment she finished, he said:
"Then suppose you are going to let
them commit another crime?"
There was DO answer. If he had not
been blindfolded he could have seen the
woman, who stood at the little window
OF the room looking out into the night
and listening attentively.
She was young and the possessor of a
large frame. Strength was observable
everywhere; but at the same time her
movements were full of grace, and there
was sympathy in the face framed in rich.
dark hair.
After awhile, Dillon heard the cabin
door open and shut, and felt that he
was alone before the fire.
Five minutes later the door opened
once more and footsteps approached him.
They're coming back, =" said the voice
that had addressed him before. "You
have but a few minutes to i've"
The young deputy marshal rose and
stood erect.
"They won't find a drop of coward
blood in my veins, spoke Dillon, firmly.
II have dealt with scoundrels before,
and know their nature too we'll to quail
before them"
"Don't say thatl" cried the unseen.
s'Don't, for Gods sake! You don't
know who | am; but l can't help it. All,
here they are-at the door! Take calmly
what ever comes. Be a brave man."
and the voice grew still.
Dillon now heard mems voices, and
the door, opening, let a puff of cold
mountain air into the hut.
"You've got him yet, I see, Katel"
exclaimed a rough voice. "We weren't
gone long. eh?"
shot very long" answered the oman
Dillon was now approached, and a
hand closed on one OF his arms.
guess you don't deny being one of
Uncle Sans oficersl" said some one.
"You know what I am" replied the
prisoner.
HYou came into the deestrict to ferret
us out, eh2"
sI did. II was my sworn duty"
"Yer duty to hunt your fellow-men
down like a passed. of wolvess Well,
the wolves have turned on the hunter.
Mr.. Dillon. We are going to show our
teeth"
These words were greeted with a
coarse laugh, and Dillon was led from
the shanty. There was no longer any
doubt into whose hands he had fallen.
He believed that he had crossed Dick
Winslow's threshold and talked to his
daughter Kate, the young giantess Of the
range, and q woman suspected OF being
as deep in the violation of the law as her
father.
He thought Of these things while he
was conducted over the mountain trail to
the place set apart for his execution, and
bis mind was still busy when a halt was
called.
tsTake off the bandage!"
AT the command the dirty handker-
chief fell from billions eyes, and he
found himself in the middle OF a ring of
masked men armed to the teeth, the
whole scene revealed by a torch stuck
into q knot-ho1e Of a tree near by.
Never before had Dillon found himself
In such a tight place as that.
He knew the desperateuess of The men
who had caught him, aud he did not ex-
pect d particle of mercy.
The motto of the secret distillers OF
the mountain was death to Government
officers Y and young Dillon had seen the
dead body of his predecessor with q
bullet-hole in the breast.
stMight make right in these parts"
suddenly spoke the head of the band.
1--WE are going to leave you in the dee
strict YOU have invaded. Paul Dillon,
you have ten minutes to live. Don't
bother us with words. After tonight
you will be a missing man, and your
place will be vacant. Draw the let,
DAHL"
A man stepped forward and took of
his rough hat. Into it he cast ten leaves,
which be picked from the ground.
Dillon, who had noticed every move,
saw that two of the leaves were OF dark
red while the rest were yellow.
Having done this the holder Of the hat
nassed from man to man, and hand after
hand was put into the hat and o leaf taken
out.
The doomed man noticed that the
r,oonshiners looked ~covertly at the
$500 <hav8drou and he understood that