The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-05


lookout for an attack from him, but as
time passed and the ruffian did not modest
! him he began to get careless, and finally
thought no more about it.
One night ne was detained at the quarry
until a late hour. When he set out for
home darkness had fallen, and there was
only feeble light from the moon, which
was then in its first quarter. In due time
he came to the forest and was soon MAX
ing his way along the top of the precipice
! Suddenly he heard noise behind him,
and the next moment received vigorous
blow in the back. He threw out his arms
as he fell forward, and managed to catch
hold of small bush as he pitched over the
top of the cliff. There he hung unable to
move, and moment later two men. whom
he easily recognized as Aaron Appleton
and Joe Bangs, stepped from the shadow
of tree behind which they had been con-
cealed
We've got you now, you cursed little
jackanapes, and you'll never leave the
place alive" was Appleton's fiendish salu-
tation. Come on, Joe; let's throw him
over"
They approached the bush and tried to
loosen the foreman's hold. Atwood felt
his grasp relaxing, and suddenly letting go
with one hand, he clasped Bangs tenacious
ly by his long beard This act was so sud-
den and unexpected that the ruffian only
saved himself from going over the precipice
by Selling the bush with both hands. The
struggle caused Atwood to lose hold on
the shrubbery with his other hand, and,
quick as lightning, he plunged it into
Bangs whiskers, from which he now
swung like huge pendulum.
Appleton tried to disengage him, but
this caused Bangs such agony that he
roared like an angry bovine.
"Helpr' he yelled; "helpl For heavens
sake pull him up. can't hold on much
longer, and we'll both fall over the cliffp
"Wait a minute; I'll fix him." cried
Aaron with fiendish oath, as he quickly
sprang up and seized a heavy stick.
Atwood saw his intention, and groaned
in despair Then an idea flashed into his
mind, and tightening his hold on Bangs
beard, with his left hand he reached around
and drew his revolver with his right AS
Appleton advanced with the club upIifted
Atwood raised the revolver and fired, and
with a groan the outlaw sank down on the
edge of the cliff.
snow, you Internal fend ;" cried Atwood
to Bangs, help me to climb up, or PHI
send a ball through your head, and we'll
go over the cliff together"
But there was no need to urge him. The
ruffian was nearly wild with terror, and,
despite the awful strain on his whiskers,
he worked with an energy almost super
human.
When the danger was past and both men
stood safe on the top of the precipice, tho
reaction was SO great that Bangs sank
down insensible. Atwood was conscious
of sickening giddiness stealing over him,
but knowing it would be dangerous to
faint now, he recovered himself by a
mighty effort and sat down on a stone to
rest.
With revolver in hand he waited for
Bangs to return to consciousness. When
at last the ruffian sat up all his bravado
had vanished and he proved himself what
he really was, an abject and arrant cow
ard.
For Gods sake, Mr.. Atwood" he said,
don't put the law on me. 1t was all APP
pleton's fault, curse him, and hope you've
killed him. He planned this attack and
persuaded me to help him; but l guess
you've fixed him. and Pm glad of it. If
you'll only promise not to put the law on
me I'll do anything you say. You won't
have me arrested, will you?''
"Pll make no promises" said Atwood,
rising. Help me drag this fellow home
now, and no treachery. mind, or Pll blow
your worthless head off -
Between them they got the wounded ruff
fan home, and a doctor was summoned
An examination proved the wound to be
a dangerous, though not fatal one, and
the physician declared that the man would
probably recover. He did get well in the
course of time, but he soon left that locali-
ty and was never again heard of.
Bangs begged the foreman to take him
back into the quarry, and as he promised
to behave himself and do all he could to
induce the others to obey orders Atwood
reinstated him. When he came back to
work it was noticed that he had shaved off
his beard, and though he remained at the
quarry for years afterward he was never
known to wear whiskers again.
After this the quarrymen behaved well.
Like all DULLES, they were towards at
heart, and, having had ample proof that
the little boss" was able to take care of
matters, made no further attempt to evade
his authority.-E. E. Youmans in Evening
World.