The National tribune., 1892-01-21

leave, or whenever they had gathered Suheient
proof TO convict him, which as yet seemed as
remote as ever, hattering themselves all the
while that he was unconscious Of their inten.
tions.
One day about two weeks after the investi-
cation Of the cause Of the disappearance OF
Jemuel Knaggs had been fairly inaugurated,
this Willow Gulch Jack. rs i shall have 10 call
him in the absence Of the knowledge OF his real
name, rode quietly into Whooping Hollow, dis
mounted, tied his mule 20 a stump in front Of
Tom Bradford's log cabin, walked up to the
door, gave il heavy kick, and waited until il
was opened-his cur. at n word from his master,
lying down close TO the mule.
Tom Bradford was a veteran miner, one OF
the best citizens Whooping Hollow possessed,
whose opinions on important matters were
generally regarded as conclusive such faith the
eariously assorted people Of the town placed in
his excellent Judgment, which fact Jack was
fully aware OF. Bradford himself came out on
the porch in response TO Jacks tremendous
knock, bat when he saw who his visitor was, a
shade OF evident displeasure passed over his
countenance, for be, too, although he knew
that not a scintilla of proof had been forthcOm-
ing after all these days Of investigation, be-
lieyed in this mans guilt Tom Bradford re-
garded Jack iutently for moment, as il woD-
dering what 10 say or do, so astOnished Was he
al his presence. hut Jack broke the painful
silence IN few words:
" / say, Tom Bradford, I" nobody was Mustered
out there in those days 81 hev kim ter talk
ter We. knows this hyar's nexpeeted. but
don't keer, an wat l hev ter tell / wants ter
tell ye whar no one kin har we-uns. Hev yer
sich place, whar we-uns kin converse ondis-
turbed?"
BRADFORD EYED JACK CLOSELY
for few seconds, not that he had any fear Of
the man, villsinous as he looked, and giant
IA he toll IN f,ll ha cd
the way through the cabin door. They passed
out Of one room into another at the rear
there were only two apartments in the build
ing-where be pushed a dilapidated rush
hottOmed chair toward Jack, himself taking
another, and throwing his feet upon rickety
table, the only other article OF furniture in the
rude log don, he pulled his pipe out Of his
pocket, filled it, lighted it, and handed another
10 Jack with the tobacco from box nailed
against the wall within easy reach. He gave
few vigorous pulls at his own, emitting a
cloud Of smoke that almost envoloped him,
then, fixing his eyes on his unwelcome visitor,
said:
Now then, I'm ready TO hear what you
have got 10 communicate"
Tom Bradford began Jack upon this in
vitatiOn, 81 knows thct hcy been 'spected Of
these hyar murders wat hev TUX place; an /
knows thet j hev been bounded an watched,
which you-uns he'd no dee / kn0wed, but ye
knows, Tom Bradford thar haint or shadder
kin be proved agin me"
=" am aware of that" said Bradford, hur-
redly; "and although you are and have been
the only man In the mines suspected, we folks
here arc determined that no innocent person
shall suffer upon mere suspicion and under the
excitement Of the moment; we arc also deter
mined that no guilty party, or parties IL there
should be more than one person implicated,
shall escape the swift, summary punishment
THE HELLIsH ACTS DESERVE.
We have no organized courts here. but organize
them as we need them ourselves No mere
technicality will save a rascal either as il does
sometimes in what are called civilized com
munities."
TON Bradford" continued Jack. "you nor
no one else heZ ever seen me a-loafin' roun'
saloons, nor gamblin' hels; an no one haint
never seen me drunk nuther--hev thcyg /
knows my looks ez sgin me; but looks baint
nothln', nor no Jedge ter go by. / haint no
harnsomo man-never sot emmy claim ter sich.
] onct TUX ther prize fer GRIMM through
hoas-collar, at er County fair way back en- ole
kaintuck, wen ! war young"
Az this admission a change that was evident
iy intended for a smile suddenly crept over
Jacks face as he opened his pOnderous jaws;
but the effect made his cavernOus mouth, which
literally stretched from ear 10 ear look as il il
bad been made by a brOad-ax az one blow.
Waal," he continued. as the paroxysm
caused by the remembrance OF his youth
passed OF, 81 hev been doin' some detective
work myself; an wat ] hey diskivered ez wat
hez brunged me hyar ter talk ter ye bout IL
war ali accident though; an ef ct hedn't
been fer thet thar ornery dorg o. mine, ]
wouldn't or fOun' ont nothin'. You-unsll all
be surprised ez ] WIZ, wen ye kims ter larn
who ther murdrcr for sartiu ez. Ia tber fust
place, knowed them folkscs ez war missin'
never rot pass my cabin -
Bradford looked Jack suddenly in the eye as
u 10 catch the true meaning Of his last asser-
ton; but Jack, seeing that be was misunder-
Stood became a little heated, aud in q most
emphatic manner said:
Never reached thar. Tom Bradford, eZ
wants yo ter understand! Now / wants Yer ter
tell me, be continued, getting more excited
how menny cahins-whar fOlkes lives
means course thars lots o 'bandoned ones
twlXt NhOOpin' HOler an miner"
Well" replied Bradford, in response 10
Jacks interrogatory, there are but tWo-CaI
JOncs's aud Ike POdgetts. WhyI
" Don't ye see, Tom Bradford. ef them ez eZ
Inissin' never got ter my cabin, they never got
by one O. them tothers2"
"What do you meant" asked Bradford.
looking up eXcitedly into Jacks face.
81 MEANS JESS Wat ] SAYS"
replied Jack, gazing as earnestly now into Brad
fOrd's. Fl or man leaves WhOOpin' Woller
fer Sandy Bar he kain't git often ther trail.
kin hep Thar haint but one trail, OF thar ?
An ef no dOn't kim back, an don't 20 ahead
be muss a-stopped somoRhar 'tWi1t ther two
places, mussu't her An Of he haint heerd of
fer long while, he muss heV stopped fer good,
ehf Now, do yer understan', Tom Bradford 70
and Jack emphasized his remarks by bringing
down bis huge fist like a siedge- hammer on top
OF the rickety old table right in front Of Brad
| ford.
Tom Bradford smiled at Jacks earnestness.
and looking him squarely in the eyes. said:
why, you must be insane, man! Cal Jones's
cabin is right on the highest point Of tue di.
vide. II yon were out on nay porch, you could
see 10 from there. You amt crazy enough 10
suppose that A murder could be committed at
| such an exposed place, aud everybody in town
1 not know IL in 10 minutes? And as for Ike
! Podgett "-Ha! ha a." Ike Podgett why,
man, Ike POdgstt is one Of our best citizens ;
one Of the most enterprisinR men in the place;
always has plenty of money, spends il freely,
/ too! To be sure he CANDLES some and drinks
/ Who dOn'tf They are mighty few, YOU know
/ thatl lie don't como 10 town very often :
| stays at home a good deal but, then, he's got
\ a fine paying claim, and works il for an there
is ia IL at least that is what he tells All of us
here in town. Ike Podgett-Hal ha ha -
that's good one. swear"
JACKS EYES SNAPPED
as Bradford laughed in his face. He was get
| ting mad at the manner in which his state
ments were being received; he grew very red,
and blurted Out: