The Portland daily press., 1891-06-27
THE SILVER BULLET.
Boston True Flag.l


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.
iyroads, 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. T
ButNutting 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 a 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. M. ia
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 dozen or more ''quee1
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.
BE started up quickly. A stranger stood
before him.
"The United States marshall" said he,
interrogatively. XIII ..p
"Yes, sir," said Lawrence, rising. 'sBe
seated. What can ! do for your"
81 would speak with you alone" he
said, glancing around. az 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 drewa 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 wherein 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
companion: .-..-.
You are DESTROYS of arresting noted
moonshiner, one Rulotf Allen, are you
not?"
"There's no doubt about that, said the
marshal, smiling.
81 am the man."
Nutting's cigar never stirred in bis
lips; his hand did not CULVER 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 Allenl My friend, 1
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 a moment, then
striking a wig from his head, a beard
from his chin, and removing a 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 l am armed; you are not.
am fully as desperate a man as the re-
port makes me. l am as strong as you.
Do not try to arrest me, for shall then
be 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. I'm
armed in the presence of man to whom
murder was not new, he deemed pru-
dence the better part, and replied:
81 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 a
llawlessness which made the man what
he was.
The other listened breathlessly, the
darkness shrouded 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 l ived-as wild man al
most; and that life has the past five years
been more a mania than ever before, but
with a method. l am and have been
scckIng money, ana money only. Not
so widely different, you will say, from
all the world, except that my search was
without the pale of the law. And now
the end has come. / am rich. l have
enough, and now desire to return to
civilization. You can permit it-you
can prevent it. am an outlaw. Very
well. Twill cease outlawry, will turn
over my stills to the government, will
swear great oath-and will keep it, too,
for my own interests demand ito be-
come a worthy citizen, and if you will
accept the prodigal son and kill for me
the fatted calf of pardon, all will bewell.
came here to ask you to intercede for
me: Will you do SOP
Nutting hesitated moment. This
man was veritable Robin Hood! Could
he trust himP
The other spoke again.
Sucn assistance from an official is
what need, and I can pay for it. If
you will get free pardon for me 7 will
give you five thousand
81 cannot do it. "---
Aliens face paled, and his hand crent
toward his hip; then restraining himself.
with scoffing laugh, he said:
''Be it so. Then we are enemies. 1
to you and the law; you to me. Re-
member my fifteen minutes, and beware
when next we meet"
He threw his cloak about him, buckled
his pistols at his waist and disappeared,
but as ne left the room little piece of
metal fell from his person and rolled I'M
noticed upon the floor. A minute later
the ring of his horses hoofs sounded
through the night as he rode toward the