Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1892-03-26

he saw fully dozen rough looking men
inside. They were seated about a table
in the center of the room upon which
were several black bottles, and were dis
cussing some matter of great import.
That they were not cattlemen was evil
dent by their dress, and Dan would have
had no hesitation in pronouncing them
to be settlers who had met on some mu-
tual business had not their words con-
vinced him to the contrary.
For several moments Dan stood there
listening to the conversation going on
within, from which he learned a most
startling fact. The men were nothing less
than band of the most desperate out
laws. and were at that moment plotting
to commit one of the most daring rob-
berries ever committed in the state.
No sooner had Dan learned the char
acter of the men than he turned about
for the purpose of leaving the place as
quickly as possible, but at that very in
slant one of the men inside said:
"Go out an keep guard, Lige-ye ortei
not leave yer post, fer some one might be
sneakin around"
The next instant the door opened and a
man, carrying heavy rifle in his hand,
emerged from the building. Dan had
barely time to sink down from sight in a
patch of bushes that grew close to the
wall when the guard passed within a
yard of him and took up his station not
ten feet away.
Dan knew it would be hazardous in the
extreme to attempt to leave his place of
concealment, since the slightest noise
might betray his presence to the armed
guard. There was nothing left for him
to do now but to remain perfectly quiet,
trusting that some chance of escape
would soon present itself.
From the conversation going on in the
cabin Dan had learned that an attempt
would be made to rob the army pay
master, who was to pass that way along
the Old Military road on his way to Forts
Gibson, Sill and Arbuckle, in the In
dian Territory. The plan was most
daring one, for it was customary for the
paymaster to be accompanied by a
heavy guard Of the military, and an at
tempt to rob him would doubtless re-
suit in desperate battle.
When Dan reflected on the daring
robbery which the inmates of the cabin
were planning, it was easy for him to
guess their desperate character.
From the conversation going on in the
building Dan made the discovery that
the paymaster was to pass along the Old
Military road on the evening of the next
day, and that the men inside were to be
REINFORCED by fifteen others of their
gang and the attack was to be made at
the Drywood ford.
The regular route of the paymaster
was from Fort Leavenworth to Fort
Scott; from there to Fort Gibson. Forts
Sill and Arbuckle. On leaving Fort
Scott the paymaster usually had in his
possession some twenty thousand dol
lars, all in greenbacks, which was about
the sum required to pay off the troops
garrisoned at the three last named forts
on his route.
In war times it had been customary
for guard of three companies of cavalry
to accompany the paymaster over this
route, but at the time of which write
the escort rarely consisted of over fifteen
or twenty men.
Crouching in the bushes by the cabin
wall Dan Riggsby now realized his dan
gerous situation, for should his presence
be discovered he would doubtless be
looked upon as spy and dealt with ac-
cordingly.
This thought served to impress him
with the necessity of using every pre-
caution against betraying his presence,
and he now waited for the first chance
to quit the place. That the men in the
cabin might come out at any moment he
now felt convinced, and should they do
so there was great danger of his being
discovered. This being the case it be-
hooved him to quit the place as soon as
he could possibly do so without attract
ing the notice of the guards.
Turning his eyes in the direction of
the guard he saw that he was standing
with his back to him some ten yards
away, and the youth at once resolved to
make the attempt to steal away unob-
served.
Keeping low among the bushes he be-
gan to crawl cautiously toward the bank
of the stream, but before he had travelled
a yard the door of the cabin suddenly
opened and a half dozen men came out
and walked toward the spot where Dan
was crouching in the bushes.
Realizing that discovery was now in
evitable Dan sprang to his feet and
darted away, but before he had taken
five steps his foot caught in mass of
vines and he was thrown violently to the
ground.
At the same instant exclamations of
astonishment, followed by the ominous
click. click Of pistols, came from the
men as they rushed forward upon the
prostrate youth.
ITO De CONTINUED.