St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1892-12-31
CHAPTER .XXVI.

The ocean has its thrilling mysteries
and awful tragedies, and the plains an6
| prairies have theirs as we'll
One of the outlaws walked off in the
| darkness to stand sentry for the next
| two hours, and the other four men laid
down to sleep again, each taking his
place as before. In two minutes the
camp was as silent as the grave. and the
specter of murder which came out of
the gloom and hovered over the recum-
bent forms was seen by no mortal eye.
At the end of five minutes VOLTS
long drawn, faraway howl was heard,
and q shiver passed over the listening
sentinel as the lonesome sounds reached
his ears. There was warning in that
howl-a menace, wail-which whis.
pered Of tragedy.
Taylor heard it as well, and he grew
pale and held his breath. He had braced
himself to carry out part, but he was
fearful that his nerve might give way
before the end was reached.
Ten minutes passed -twelve-ffteen-
twenty.
1t was time the powerful poison should
begin to act.
Taylor was watching and listening.
One Of the men moved and groaned.
"Say! Are any of you awake?" called
Taylor as he sat up. GIVE got terrible
pains, and can't keep still any longer"
$50 have l." replied one of the men as
he sat up.
Three minutes later the others were
aroused, groaning and c11rsing, and the
sentinel came staggering in to gasp OUT
s'Do something for me or I'm dead
mani"
From the way he acted one would have
thought Taylor the worst off of all. He
groaned, gasped, writned, twisted, but he
had company. The outlaws rolled about
on the earth like wounded dogs, and, curl.
ously enough, none of them suspected
the cause of their illness. The jug was
brought and each drank again, hoping
the fiery whisky would ease the pains
of what they believed to be collie. It was
only after one of the men had fallen in
spasms, foaming at the mouth and tear,
ing at the earth with his fingers, that
Bob suddenly shouted:
'tBy heavens, menl but believe we
have all been poisoned"
"How-who by?" shrieked one of his
companions.
"By-by this internal cur, if anybody,
and I'll have his lifel''
Bob pointed at Taylor, who was ap
parently in convulsions, and then
stopped for one of the rifles. AS he did
SO he fell forward upon the earth with
terrible curse, and Taylor sprang up and
ran away into the darkness. He did not
dare go far, and yet it was horrible fon
him to linger within hearing.
Strong men who die by poison die
hard. It is an awful end. The crouch,
ing, hiding, trembling murderer heard
them rise and stagger and fall; they
raved and wept; they prayed and cursed;
in their awful agonies they attacked
each other and struggled in death. The
night bird was driven away by the cries
and shrieks, and the wolf who sat lis.
tening and wondering was finally forced
to flight by the walls and curses.
The Big Cheyenne, winding it's way
through prairie and plain. has seen the
sun rise on many scenes of horror, but
On none worse than that portrayed in
Bhecamp of the outlaws. Four men lay
lead and stiff beside the little heap Of /,
ashes and blacLened brands marking the
site of the campfire. Some lay on thf df
backs, their open eyes gazing into ,the
blue vaults of heaven; others wer face
lown, their limbs drawn up ar Z their
ingers dug into the soil
And as the t1rst beam of the golden
Jun touched the dead, Taylor crept down
o gaze upon his work. He came trem-
bling and afraid. His face was ghastly
,ale, his teeth clicked together and his
limbs could hardly support him as he
walked His own brother could not
AVE identified him, SO great was the
aeial change. He did not want to ap-
,roach-he dreaded the sight which
would meet his gaze, but some mys-
erious power forced him along.
Revenge is mine and / will repay
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