Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-04-06
THE SILVER BULLET.

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In 1869 Lawrence Nutting was a
United States Marshal in the southern
district of Virginia. The State was
at that time fairly oyerrun with out
laws Of all classes. Bushwhackers,
highwaYmen, cOunterfeiters and
mOOnshiners nestled in all the country
side among the mountains and upon
the lonely roads;while gamblers and
desperadOes swarmed in and about
the settlements. Crime was frequent.
and the life OF United States officer
was series of stirring adventures in
yolying great danger, and demanding
as great tact and personal bravery.
But Nutting proved himself worthy
and fit for the Office. A young man
OF temperate habits, quick wit,
splendid physique and dashing cour-
age, he was never at a loss how to
act, and the vermin that infested
that region soon learned to hate and
fear him intensely.
Many were the expeditions which
the officer had led, many his escapes,
and many the prisoners safely cap
tured and walled by his efforts; but
one man evaded him. The shrewd-
est and worst moonshiner of all was
still at large; despite all his efforts,
Nutting had not yet secured Rulo1
Allen.
This man was known throughout
the State. His career had been that
OF criminal from his birth. In the
fastness of Southwestern Virginia he
manufactured whisky on a grand
or more queer stills, and snapped his
fingers at the law.
Several times had Nutting sought
this quarry: twice he had actually
caught him, yet twice he had escaped,
and at the time of which we speak he
was still free.
Nutting sat at his office window
one evening musing, half dreaming.
when there fell light touch on his
shoulder. He started up quickly. a
stranger stood before him.
THE United States MARSHALL" said
he, intorogatiyely.
, Eyes, sir" said Lawrence, rising.
,''Be seated. What can 1 do for
your"
81 would speak with you alone, +"
he said, as he glanced around. 81
have matters OF Importance to com
municate."
"This Office is out of hearing Of the
street." said Nuttlng, land we are
by ourselves. You can speak freely" "
The other drew a couple of cigars
p 10 Of 70 "a
Marshal and lit the other one him
self Nutting followed his exam
pie; then the man drew his chair
nearer so that he sat between the
oficer and the desk whereon lay his
belt and pistols, threw open his coat
so that the butts of two heavy revol-
.yers might be seen, and blowing the
smoke from his cigar said in a quiet
tone to his companion:
"You are desirous of arresting a
noted mOonshiner, one Ruloff Allen,
are you not?"
"There is no doubt about that, "
said the Marshal, smiling.
II am the man."
Nutting's cigar never stirred in his
lips; his hand did not quiver nor his
breath come any the quicker. A
single sign showed how deeply he was
moved; his eyelids dilated, then he
laughed soft and low.
"You-you Ruloff Allen! My
friend, l know Allen. His hair is
red; yours is black. His face bears a
scar across the chin; yours a beard.
His teeth are broken, yours are per-
feet. The joke is good, but you are
not Allen"
3 The other hesitated a moment,
then striking a wig from his head, a
beard from his chin, and removing a
single false tooth, he turned again to
Gutting, red-haired and smiling.
"And now?"
'You are Allen"
For a full moment neither man
moved. 1t was as though two large
tigers gazed at each other. Then the
outlaw said:
'Listenl l am armed; you are not.
] am fully as desperate a man as the
report makes me- i am as strong as
you are Do not try to arrest me, for
l shall then be Obliged to kill you. /
am here for a private talk. but it was
necessary you should know who l am.
] will not molest you if you will do
the same by me, and give me fifteen
minutes to escape when we bavs
finished"
Nutting measured bis chances Un-
armed, in the presence OF man to
whom murder was not rew, he deemed
prudence the better part, and replied:
81 agree"
Good said Allen, removing his
own pistol belt; ''your word is equal
to mine. We shall be both unarmed.
And now 1 would tell you a story"
Then he drew his chair still nearer
the marshal, and as the twilight fell
and night descended he told of his
life-a wierd, strange history. every
line Intense with the throbbing
passion of lawlessness which made
.he man what he was.
The other listened breathlessly; the
darkness shrouded both, and the
cigars were finished long before the
story was ended.
At length, however, the visitor
paused, and then concluded as fol
lows:
$50 have lived. As a wild man
almost; and that life has for the past
five years been more a mania than
ever before, but with method. !
I'm and have been seeking money aud