The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-10-23

word he said. She knew that he would 60.
and that it was best Tor her To let him 90
without resistance; buthe face was pale as
she raised IL To kiss HIM when he left her.
and she could not force her usual smile TO
her trent bling lips.
Don't look like ghost. old GIRL" he
said. giving her hearty hug. "Ili come
back all right"
But he was not quite so sure Of that as
be protested himself
The Four Aces was crowded that night
when Granger went in. 1t was generally
rather rough crowd there and not alwaysa
harmless one. The organs of combative-
ness and destructiyeness wero no more
highly developed in the men of Blue Lead
Bar than In the rest of their kind at that
time in that part of the country; and the
Four Aces was n well-conducted place of
it's class-there were no more shooting
scrapes' than its habitues deemed natural
and necessary; still. now and then 1t did
happen that the peace was broken by SIX
shooter var-dance. and somebody was car
RED ont on a shutter. When the men saw
Dan Granger enter. It occurred TO most of
them that it was likely somebody would
be- thus carried out this night
Dams eye fell ut once on the tall figure
and tawny head of his old enemy. The
crowd was thickest around Captain Phil.
but in curious and apparently accidental
way it thinned as he looked round and saw
Dan Granger coming down the room.
captain full was IameQ lOr his QulckUeSb
ION the draw and shoot" but Dan Granger
was known to be dead-eh0t too. Greek
met Greek when these two came face TO
face.
Those nearest to the Captain fell q step
back. There was break in the buzz of
talk: one man rho was telling q story broke
Oft before be got to the point. the men play
ing poker paused and looked around. cards
in hand; the bar-keeper and his boy pre-
pared 60 duck and drop behind the high
counter. safe out of shot-range. as Dan
Granger walked quietly toward Captain
Phil. nodding greetings TO this friend and
that by the way. The Captain was stand
ing by table on which his right hand
rested easily. but many of those present
were we'll aware that in spite of his
manned finger. he was as good shot with
his left hand as his right. A few PAGES
from him Dan Granger came to a halt,
the corner of the table interposed as sort
of q barrier. Captain Phil looked HIM
steadily eye to eye. Silence was an nm
Captain Pills word cut sharply into ST.
lence as he said in his easy level drawl:
Say. Granger, will you drink with met"
Dan had the usual Western GOODNESS and
impenetrability Of expression; and nothing
In his I'M passive face betrayed his surprise
at this non hostile greeting: he only paused
a moment before he replied:
Yes Captain, I'll drink with you"
Captain Phil turned sharply to the bar
with the order:
Drinks oil aroundw
The men crowded round the counter: the
barkeeper and assistant found their hands
full. All were ready and willing to drink
with Captain Phil. whose eyes were on
Dan Granger as he drained his glass with
And that was ell that the Four Acres saw
of the episode of the meeting of the old
time antagonists. which 1t had been fully
expected would end in some sangulnary en-
counter
But as Dan Granger went his way down
the lonely track through the gulch that
night he heard following footstep fall
quickly on the path behind him. 1t came
closer. quicker-was close upon him. He
wheeled round, and faced the man who
was his hand went quickly backward he
reached for his derrnger. cooked il. he'd 1t
ready.
Captain Phil heard the ominous click.
empty. and in the broad flood of moon
light, which here bathed rock and tree in
silvery light Dau could see there was q
curious smile upon his face.
YES" Captain Phil said coolly. II guess
you've got the drop on me-and you're
drop ON Phil Darrell! See here! I've
Just word to say to you that /
couldt say ont yonder. Pve spent an hour
under your roof this day. Eve seen your
L y
change my mind, but I've changed it to-
day, and tell you this--you and all yours
are safe from this day forth from me and
mineWot q-
grip on the deadly weapon he held.
There's my hand on it. if J ou'll take it,"
Dan took the hand. and grasped it freely,
and as he let IL 60 Captain Phil smiled
again.
That was the last Dan Granger ever saw
of Captain Phil. and not many months after
that thcv heard the last of him. He and
his men, probably encouraged by long i'm
punity. had embarked upon an unusually
daring venture They had made O kind of
border raid into the rising and prosperous,
if youthful. city of Tuttlestown. Armed
aud mounted, they had dashed into it.
clearing the streets with their revolvers.
burst into the City Bank. shot down the
cashier when he offered resistance, forced
and rifled the safe, dashed out of the city
as they had entered it, shooting right and
left. and beaten safe retreat into the
mountains with their ill gotten booty.
This was too much for the party of order.
which happened to be strong IN Tuttles-
town. u The free and easy far West code of
morality is Ienient to promiscuOus shoot
ing soionR as q man does not strike his
enemy IN the back. Captain Phil and bis
kind had thriven on long tolerance OF that
perverted public sentiment which exalts
mere animal courage TO heroism. But now
c1t1Z6n0
of Tuttlestown organized vigilance com.
mittee and retribution sharp ana stern was
on his track.
The committee traced the gang through
the mountain solitudes, and closed around
them in their retreat, where they turned
at bay. The fight was fierce but short
and short the shrift of Captain Phil and
his band. Vigilans Justice. rough and
ready, was melted to those of the gang who
were taken alive; but their leader was not
of these.
He was shot down early in the struggle,
and o cairn of stones in Red canyon marks
to this day the place where Captain Phil
fell fighting.