The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-03
'TRn coLONzL's STORY.
&c Tells OF a Man Whose Coolness
Made Others Nervous.
FROM he Nei0 Y0rt Tri5une.

favorite table in bis chosen restaurant ia so
long a time that - hen three OF four friends
came IN by turns the next evening AMI
noticed his handsome face smiling there they
all came up aud greeted him warmly. or
course they sat down at his table. In the
pleasure OF nesting again the diners did not
get to the coffee for some time and then
two or three more bottles Of wine than
usual had been poured, and needless to say
IL was all drunk. 4 dinner with the colonel
which did not end with story would be no
dinner at all. and every ole knew from the
light in the cOlonel's eve that he was waiting
only for the cigars. Never tell a story
until you are through eating" is his rule.
This is the way he began his opening one OF
the seas N:
This is a little bit Of a world, and you
are always meeting some one you know
wherever you go. | ran across a man on
my steamer going over whom had not seen
In great many years. l don't know
whether you ever felt your heart really
stop beating. but 1t is a wonderful ssusa-
tion-as if all the world were melting away
from you. That is the way 1 felt when /
saw that mans pale face aud his dar K
eyes and white teeth. 1t wasn't that
WAS afraid he would do me any
harm. Is wasn't that l feared him as
an enemy; but a sCene which don't like to
recall came back to me with "A rush that
AhAA1 lAo 4iLAys ITO tliNA uOG EbCOknlAe me.
and we never came close together, but that
first night l could not sleep to save my life.
l don't know where he came from don't
know what he does, / don't know-but let
me cell you a story.
I'VE were a pretty rough lot that fall
and winter. don't know just why it WAS.
Most OF us were steady-golng men usually,
but there was an element among us that
Kept the whole town in ferment and YOU
know that A "a ont s,,f
days. There was too much fighting and
too much lawleSsne6s to suit some OF us. and
30 we got together one day and talked il
over. Our verdict was that the next time
man named Drake a gambler he was. got
| into a shooting scrape we should take him
out and hang him. for we had como to the
! conclusion that Drake was at tho bottom of
every fight. We also resolved to inform
Drake Of our decision. This Drake was "a
wonderfully cool fellow. When we told
him of our verdict no shrugged his shout
ders and smiled dryly. AN right he said
easily, I'd better DO careful, then
Now 1t happened that for several days,
perhaps two weeks, the camp was as orderly
as church nesting and our vigilance
| committee was cOngratul0ting itself an the
| success or its action. But one nighU-it had
got we'll into the winter nowhere was a
terrible fight In the Diamond saloon. Sporty,
a cripple, and two half-breeds were killed
outright, and half dozen men got bullet
or two in them. One OF the wounded men
was Drake. lie had been playing in the
| game and had undoubtedly drawn his re-
volver and fired, for all the chambers we're
| empty. When we went to get Drake he
made no resistance. He was a little paler
than usual, but not muscle of his face
| twitched- remember how we marched out
OF town up to the hillside. A light snow
had fallen that night and the moon was out
nearly rounded. We went out in single
file. leaving narrow, blank path behind
us on the white-covorod ground. No one
said anything. Up on the slope the first
man stopped and we came up and formed a
| circle, Drake in the center.
Drake, said tho chairman of the com
mittee, you have made hell out OF this
camp. We gave you fair warning. Now,
have you any message which you want &C
send TO any oneP Il have no MESSAGE said
Drake firmly. is there anything that you
would like to saYP Yes answered Drake
looking the chairman in the eye. 4 want &c
| say this: I've no doubt that deserve 20 be
killed. I've made a lot of trouble here.
knew what it would cost me TO shoot to-
| night, and did it deliberately. But Idou't
| want you to hang me. All ask il that yoU
shoot me. lgtve you my word Of honor gen
tlemen,' and he smiled as il lie expected us
10 doubt him. that the shooting tonight
was not my fault. l was not In that hand
at all. l had thrown down my cards
| Spotty caught one Of the half breeds hold
ing out cards, and before he could get the
| yellow DEVILS wrist the other one had his
| 6-shoOter out / saw that IL was all M
with Spotty. and l fired, knocking the half
| breed out of his chair. But the other on,
had got the drop on Sporty, and he killed
him just as pulled and shot him through
the head. Then two or three turned on me
| Ia a 4 T. A.
couldn't help it. IL was two to one agains;
Spotty-a cripple, and so fred
Every one thought that it was a lie, bui
we held "A whispered consultation. Then
sone one remem oered that he had heard
after the fight that Drake did not begin the
trouble. We decided not to hang him, bu
| to shoot him. One of the men came for.
ward with the rope. JUST then the moon
which had been hanging behind the snow,
covered branches Of a tree, came out ant
shone full on Brakes face. He turnet
deathly white when he saw the rope, but be
| stood without making a motion. Don't
hang me-" hs said steadily. Il promis,
| you, gentlemen. thaT l haven't lied about
this scrape.' we are not going to hans
| you said the chairman, in @ low tone
We only want to pinion your arms TO this
tree
"Drake did not say word. No ont
spoke as the rope was twined around hin
and the tree. Finally it was knotted. Tn,
moon was shining clearly. and some Of us
| looking at brakes face began to breathe
| hard. His eyes looked straight before him
| Then he made a slight effort to move witt
| his bonds. Gentlemen he said, slowly
| 'pleace unite that rope; it hurts my arms
| No one answered him or moved. Pm moi
afraid of bullets he said with a smile that
was almost a sneer. Please unfasten the
rope won't stir
''It was fearful moment for us. He was
so cool and calm that some of US, looking
into one another's eyes, began to doubt il
we ought to 60 on. And yet no one would
say the word. Drawing our revolvers we
stood out in line. Drake did not vince
he did not close his eyes, but looked stead
! lastly at US. My arm was shaking | know
that all our arms must have trembled, for a
moment later we go5 the count and our re-
volvers rang loudly along the hillside,
| but when we ran up to Drake
his eyes were open and he was breathing
between clinched teeth. Finish it up,' be
said, with gasp. you haven't killed me.
| but some one cried: Cut him loose; this il
and carried him down TO the town. He had
seven bullet wounds"
The little group around the table was
silent. Some one lifted a glass to his lips
and every one else followed him. well
| you see.n said the colonel, zone doesn't
like TO meet a man at whom he has shot
under such circumstances. l propose q
nightcsp."
The Wrong Beast.
a 0r,iat family oDCacbo,tubt ~ 4ba IoA