Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-05-31
IN COYOTE GULCH.

| circumstances Certainly pOlllttu
to the fact that John Logan was {
thief. The horse had been found
in his possession, and he had been
unable to satisfactorily explain
how he came by it. Everybody in
Coyote Gulch knew the horse,
How was it possible to mistake
that white nose and evil eye? The
owner was willing to swear to the
animal, and the owner was an hon.
est man. What further evidence
could be desired?
John Logan protested his inno-
cence, but so would the most hard
ened of criminals. No, no! The
jury were quite correct in their YER
dict of Guilty" and the Judge inn
provised for the occasion stood up
and solemnly pronounced the death
sentence.
John Logan heard it unmoved
He was not afraid to die. He had
been a citizen of Coyote Gulch for
three years, and had not made a
single friend. He was the most
unsociable man alive. During the
day he worked at his claim; when
night fell he sought his lonely
cabin and kept it. Three times he
had saved little money, and three
times he had been robbed of it all.
Some people hardly blamed him for
his universal condemnation of man.
kind; but no one liked him, and
when he was sentenced to be hung
for horse stealing there was little
regret manifested.
1t was clear, calm day when
John Logan was led out to his doom
He walked bravely to his station
beneath the giant arm of an oak
tree, but he was resolved not tC
die an ignominious death by hang
ing; he would force his execution.
ers to shoot him; so when his
hands were unbound just before the
moose was put around his neck, he
sprang away and ran.
If he had taken the open road he
would have been riddled with bul.
lets before he had gone three steps
He was too sensible to make such
an error. Instead of striking of
Oh the level he turned and bounded
directly up the steep mountain side
A number of shots were fired after
him, but the bullets flew wild. The
underbrush was very thick and hid
him from view. He could hardly
hope to escape, however; and there
is little doubt but that he would
have been quickly captured if pur-
suit had been promptly given.
Fortunately there was slight
delay. The very audacity of the
act paralyzed the beholders; and
when finally Jack Hurley, the
sheriff, followed by bowling mob
of a dozen or more men, sprang
away to recover the prisoner, John
Logan had gained a start of several
hundred yards. And he kept his
vantage. He was acquainted with
every inch of the mountain. He was
strong-limbed and long-winded.
Besides, with him it was matter
of life and death, while with his
pursuers it was merely a question
of sport.
On, on he tore; his eyes were
wild and glowing; in short time
the bushes had torn his clothing
to shreds; his breath came in great
gasps; the sweat stood in drops
upon his brow; each look, each
movement denoted agony of mind
and body, but still he struggled on.
Just as the sun was setting he
came over the brow of the noun
tain and looked back at the coun-
try spread out like panorama be-
low. 1t was very beautiful, but he
had no eye just then for the charms
of nature. He sat down to rest.
His thoughts turned back to the
years when he was boy. He had
been brought up on farm in an
Eastern State. When the gold
fever swept all before it he was
among the first to desert the prosaic
pillow and hurry to wider fields of
labor. But luck had been against
him from the first, and the fortune
that had seemed within his grasp
so many times was now as far re-
moved as ever.
IF | get away" thought Logan,
I'll quit the West and return to
the old farm. | will, by Heavenw
Strengthened and cheered by the
thought of such happiness he
sprang to his feet and, though weak
with hunger and fatigue, was on
the point of hurrying away when
a sound, proceeding from a clump
of bushes on the right, struck his
ear.
whats that?" he exclaimed in
alarm.
Again the sound-unmistakably
groan. Logan drew a pistol and
waited. A third time it came-a
low, wailing moan.
There's some one in distress. "
he thought.
Hesitatingly he approached the
bushes, and drawing them aside
gave start of surprise. There.
lying at full length, his face pale
and emaciated, his eyes staring and
delirious, was a boy eighteen or
twenty years Of age. He seemed
feyerish and i'll. Logan wondered