The midland journal., 1894-03-23

| do with him at first, but then one of
Alabama's special chums put them up
to it. Joe's gone he said; 'nothin'
amt surer than that; an there lies the
man as killed him. Some on you knows
as Joe went on business to the gulch
last night. He never came back That
ere Britisher passed through after he'd
gone They'd row-screams is heard
'mong the great hytraps. Isay again. he
has played poor Joe some O. his
sneakin' tricks, an thrown him into
the swamp. 1t amt no wonder as the
body is gone. But air we to stan by
and see English murderin our own
chums? guess not. Let Judge Lynch
try him; that's what Isav.' Lynch him!'
shouted a hundred angry voices-for
all the rag-tag an bobtail o. the settle
ment was round us by this time. Here,
boys, fetch rope. an swing him upl
Up with him over,Simpson's doorl See
here, though says another coming
forrards; let's hang him by the great
fytrap in the gulch. Let Joe see as
he's revenged, If SO be as he's buried
bout therer There was a shout for
this. an away they went, with Scott
tied on his mustang in the middle, and
mounted guard, with cooked re-
volvers, round him; for we knew as
there was score or so Britishers about
as didn't seem to know any jedge of
that particular name.
IT went out with them, my heart
bleedin' for Scott, though he didn't
seem cent put out, he didn't. He
were game to the backbone. Seems
kinder queer, sirs, hangin' a man to a
fytrap; but our'n were reg'lar tree
and the leaves like brace Of boats
with a hinge between 'em and thorns
at the bottom.
eve passed down the gulch to the
place where the great one grows, and
there we seed it, with the leaves, some
open, some shut. But we seed some
thing worse nor that. Standin' round
the tree was some twenty men-Brit-
ishers all, an armed to the teeth. They
were waiting for us, evidently, an had
business-like look and meant to have
it. There was the raw about 'em, as if
they'd come for something material
there for about as warm scrimmage
as ever ! seed.
VAS we rode up, q great red.bearded
Scotchman-Cameron were his name
stood out afore the rest, his revolver
cooked in his hand. See here, boys,
he says, you've got no call to hurt a
hair of that mans head. You hain't
proved as Joe is dead yet; and if you
had, you hain't proved that Scott killed
him. Anyhow, it were In self-defense,
for you all know as he was lying in wait
for Scott to shoot him on sight. So say
agin, you hain't got no call to hurt
that man; and, what's more, I've got
twenty six-barreled arguments against
your doin' it It's an interesting
pint and worth arguin' out said the
| man as was Alabama Joe's special
chum. There was clickin' O. pistols
| and q loosenin' Of knives, and the two
parties began to draw up to one an
other, an it looked like rise in the
mortality of ARIZONA. Scott was stand
ing behind with pistol at his ear II he
stirred, loolin' quiet and composed as
having no money on the table, when
| suddenly he gives a start and shout,
as rang in our ears like a trumpet
joel he cried, Joel Look at himl-in
the fytrap!' We all turned an looked
where he was pointin'. Jerusaleml I
think we won't get that picter out of
our minds agin, One OF the great leaves
of the fytrap, that had been shut and
touchin' the ground as it lay, was slow
ly rolling back upon its hinges. There,
lying like an oyster in its shell, was
Alabama Joe, in the hollow of the leafl
The great thorns had been slowly
driven through his heart as it closed
upon himl We could see as he'd tried
to cut his way out. for there was a
slit in the thick feshy leaf, an his
bowie was in his hand; but it had
smothered him first He'd lain down
on it, likely to keep the damp off while
he were awaitin' for Scott, and it had
closed on him as you've seen your lit
tie hothouse ones do on fly; and there
he were, as we found him, torn and
smashed, and crushed into pulp by the
great jagged teeth of the man eatin'
plant. There, sirs, think you'll own
that as curious story"
| "And what became of Scott?" asked
Jack Sinclair.
"..Why, we carried him back on our
shoulders, we did, to Simpsons bar.
and he stood US liquors round. Made a
speech, too,-a darned fine speech
from the counterl Somethin' about the
British lion an the sMerican eagle
walkin' arn=in=arm for ever an day.
And now, hirs, that yarn was long. and
my cheroot's out. so reckon I'll make
tracks afore it's later" and with a
"Good night" he left the rooms
"a most extraordinary narrative"
said Dawson. "Who would have
thought Dianoea had such powerl'
"Deuced rum yarnl' said young Sin-
clair.
"Eyidently matter.offact, truthful
man, said the doctor
:'Or the most original liar that ever
livedl" said !.
wonder which he was?-A. Co.
nan Doyle, in Pittsburgh Chronicle.
Summarizing His Patients' Condition.
At night the weary old doctor sat
down and noted, as usual, the condition
of his patients: The ragman, picking