The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-14
HIS LIFE OR NINE.

xfly 10 DfiuS SONS bdt 'AAAtoetCi' w J"'-
fice. A number Of them were hung, and
Others escaped unhung. carrying with
them a vivid memory of my features and
swearing death 10 me at sight.
After leaving California l went into
Texas. had been of to the western part
Of the state on business and was return
ing home in the saddle, when reached a
stream that was crossed by means OF a
ferry. The boat was on the opposite side
and by the faint light OF the moon, which
was behind the clouds, 1 distinguished
the signal trumpet hanging on the broken
branch Of an oak. This i blew with
will. and hearing the answer Of the ferry
man / led my horse 20 the brink of the
river and waited with some impatience
the moment when should see the silent
ferryboat move from the opposite shore.
shouted nc last: Come, hurry upi lam
behind time now"
AT last the boat moved into the stream.
and could hear the mutterings Of the fer
ryman, which sounded like those of sui
len bull. Ere long the punt--for it was
nothing else--grated on the sand, and
after getting my horse in as best could
followed and settled down on an empty
powder keg, which was the only seat
could find.
nance OF the ferryman was not prepossess-
ing. The nose appeared 10 be- broken, and
one eye was gone Then the jaws were
heavy, and n grizzly lnnstache. which he
constantly biting, lent most determined
expression 10 his face.
The revelation OF his countenance
warned me that there was work between
MS before we reached the shore. lt was the
face of Dick Thurston. whom arrested in
California and whose father was hung
for murder committed under such aggra-
waited circumstances that wc strung him
up before there could he any possibility Of
escape. Dick broke jail--not % difficult
performance in those days-and swore 90
shoot me at sight whenever or wherever he
might chance 60 meet me-
Here he was at last, aud there was r.
Had been the ierryman, and he the pas
senger, think my first sensation would
have been different but rs it was he was
at home in the punt, and l assumed tho
appearance of the aggrcSsor. ! was not
expecting 10 meet this Desperate in such
apace and under just such circumstances
and was taken entirely of my guard My
opinion was that he failed TO recognize
me at first, thinking, perhaps, that L was
still acting as sheriff In California, but
that he would attempt to carry out his
threat had no doubt.
Now, here was the way was situated.
My revolver was in my breast coatpocket,
and IL would require time TO get 1t ready
for service. A moment under suth cir
cumstances is an hour, and saw that any
precipitate motion on my part, revealing
to him my discovery and my intention,
would draw his fire before | could even
nnbutton my coat, for | well knew that he
had revolver ready at hand, as such char
acters always have, either 10 shoot vic
tim or resist an arrest.
l say that shuddered when the face
was revealed by the moonlight. This did
not last long, and / thought best 60 show
no feeling, but to appear TO be perfectly
unconcerned. So i turned my os down
TO the river and remarked c.nelessly:
IA fine sight. S'pose you've been in
these parts long enough to know all the
hooks and corners!'
Yes, and all the contemplate scoun-
drels that cross here too"
This was hitting pretty close, but / re-
manned imperturbable. 49, y
Ali SO you nab few of 'em now and
them"
turned sharply on him when 1 said
this. and as / did SO managed to unbut-
ton my coat with the left hand, which was
on the .'off side"
"You internal neck puller, dye think
TO fool me ngaini Ive got vel You know
me, and you'll know something more be-
fors you can say your prayers"
/ looked him calmly in the eye. which
blazed fiercely in the shadow of the moon.
Those who have had TO deal with such
characters know that their passions he
tray them into n species of madness, and
the only way to get time il to treat Them
as You would a madman. Assume an
appearance of uncopcern, look them stead
lily in the eye and calculate what you have
TO do 10 save yourself This was my pol
icy at the time, or | should not be here TO
tell you Of the whole affair.
"You are coward to kill woman"
said j, with voice Of sarcasm, and l
gazed at him as if the last thought i'm my
mind was Of danger to myself.
You should have seen his eye theni IL
seemed fairly bursting from his head, and
he was now growing blind with fury.
"You confounded body snatcher % he
yelled. "Ill show you that can kill two
women"
He glared at me with that one orb
charged with the spirit of murder, and
dropping the rope which was stretched
from shore 20 shore, and by which he was
pulling the punt, lac thrust his hand with
in his flannel shirt.
"Now. seize him % cried /, as II address
ing some one behind him.
Lost in his passion, he fell into the trap
and turned his head FOR an instant, as il
10 defend himself from one of my men.
He saw the trick at once, but IL was too
late. My pistol threw of tho CLEAN OF
the moonlight flash and a report-and
the body of the desperate pitched head
long into the river, the current carried it
out of sight, and pulled the punt ashore
and continued my journey. ey.--Exchange