The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1895-07-13

the men on guard. two Spencer repeating
,arbine> and cartridge belts. two revolveTs.
two fine Spanish saddles. having on them
the only saddle-bags in the outfit. with
lariats and rations for several days; finish
ing of by going through the pockets of
all the garments removed by the sleepers.
and abstracting money tobacco. and other
valuable~,
The affair had evidently been managed
very skillfully, aud had only miscarned in
regard to the two horses. They were
obliged To take the tive which. although
little inferior to the first were picketed 4
little further away.
How all this was accomplished without
aronSius any of the men created consider
able surprise. Is they must have taken
several trips between the camp and the
timber on the creek
Coffey and Taylor were the last TIVE to
come in, having stayed with the herd until
the second relief had arrived and a, soon
a. they learned the particular the latter
exclaimed, 1t Is just as ! expected: they
bclong to the Austin gang. and this ac-
caant> for the heavy los Of cattle ON that
stormy night.
The Austin gang was a band Of rut
6aas who had established themselves near
tha. eity >,on after the war and made
speciality Of pluuder.ug Northern men who
came into the State To buy cattle, relying
upon Confederate sympathy for immunity
when detected Onc Of their methods
Wa, based upon knowledge Of the fact
tina, cattle, when separated irom the herd
during = drive, viii -oonev or later return
IT, their old ranges. even when several
hundred miles away
Tao Or thrce Of the gang would hire
aul a. cowboys and trust Ia luck for favor
al,it npTartunitje, to oocur g" run oui the
cattle At night as thay had done in this
ease II successful. they stayed long
( enough In avert suspicion, and then. de
+ ,.r,inc. would return to the ranges and
gather al of that brand they could find
and either nan them into Mexico OF dis
. t...,. Il them to hSal butchers Ii circum-
,,sacs= failed te render this programme
available. they generally deserted the out
. fl with what b,uty they could secure be-
. f,,re the State hnc wa rr,o~ed. Il i but
D.. iu-,igc to say that there were few. Il any,
+ Texans in the gang
The excitement in camp At these dis
+ elssar,s ran very high. Nariou> plans for
/ recovering the property vrr being Dis
Z g,s-zs-l. when Taylor and Cpfey came 10
he ir1us and rIrrei to start ia pursuit AZ
aaee
" ug,s knew b,ticr than they the peril
+ ag- assurc 81 the undertaking foT which
+ .he4 prJa1ed II, yaolly Il for>hadoWsd
4u etenly matched coaaict with two mem
. l.sr. ,G the meet dsspieabl, band 81 reue
-l,iss, th4t ever infested the Southwest ~
uien she If warned in time would ne, he-
F tate fs le in ambush and shu,s down q
{ pasysier siih she S4usc delight with wh'sb
ass 4tashy murders d, bone pr~fsctvr.
Tsylar AMI Co.Ecy were uo; even .ac,n~
+ atej rs she hopc u pccuniary reward
The ssain &c had inflicted upoa the fair
aarse af lheir native State and che injury
l.s@ e. ibc enterprise Ri,h whlch they
acfe - prominently iden,ihrj appeared e.
E D. DE lsrincipal iusvntive> aided BY that
+ bose iu adgeuture which made g" -, many
81 thelr sla-s the u,-i fascinating feature
f Il border hir
q vs.. beautiful nigh, the manu f,sie
IaH aud .l1risus iu q anudls-s ,ky aud
,hrrs i,- meli5s bgh, over the landscape
r.tcslia-s the follius Issirie ior mike around
shea she lWa nsen y1ullei inie iheig sad
dl.-s rcsds o. dsfar, upDu iheir dangerous
sas--l..u l.,,, than an hoyT after midnight
The ,rsil VS.. taken up ahcrr the stolen
herss. tsd ievu siakej Through the
timber Ai.d dovn an. b.-i III The yrrck they
E had hern lea. until garu lrDund a snall
knaH hil the camp fr,m yiew and vl'a.
tl,.l shrm "a come put ga the prairie with
oui lz-sue ssrn by the hsrier There
5hey hal evidently stopped bong cn"ush 80
adiu-s their pack, AMI prspAre foe the lpug
nle ere they struck oug iog the ncar'~'
settlement which ~, 81 i,a>g 2ab mile-
saa4
Two houry later. ous q that >ame thick
ci r,.le the ayrnger~- the leader mounted
uIan pale hurse who's. -aeaeity ,ubse
gueutly proved m,s fatal a. the outlaws
lssgible a, the page, q a printed tsok
ily the trail before the eye- II these expe-
rirnoei men, the tall grass heavy with
dew sill prstraie from the tread 81 Tying
h.at,. aud feckc1 with dust For miles
- L e.. 4 IL h..r-s..
90 a hope Buuglrr. in the matter Of
trail hiding were the fugitlyes. and had II
NOT bcen for the >erpentine course they
pursued crossing and Tecr~Slng the cattle
trail. bat never keeping 1t for any con>id
cradle distance. Il would have seemed a.
# they we've deiying pursuit. Now and
again they descended into the creek bot
toms. where the pale moonbeams filtered
through the leaves If the tall cotton -wossi'
IN dim. uncertain light; but the track
II the edge of the ford were still wet. and
the Auping banks revealed the fresh earth
torn away in the ascent.
Up they went over the plateau and
through a dog village, miles IN length,
where the little yellow eyed owls bowed
and teetercd. OF a dissipated rodent gave =
yelp Of alright and disappeared in somer.
,ault down the nearest burrow. Now and
then a band Of antelope dashed acrDsS then
pathway and huddled together upon some
distant knoll where they stamped and
snogted their disapprobation at this un-
wouted intrusion of their domain. or a
gauus gray wolf. startled in his predatory
excursion, ,prsng from the long grass and
SUNK away in 4 long galloP over the plain.
Bat the riders drew rein only at the de
mand Of faulty trail or 4 slackened cineh.
Naturally retieent, and made still more 81
by long familiarity with border life, they
said little. \ word, a gesture. or even q
Glance usually answered every purpose.
The ewes of both were fixed upon the trail
which Law between them; or eagerly they
scanned the country beyond.
1t was evident that they were gaining
in the chase as the outlaws, not dreaming
of pursuit before morning, Il at all, had
slowed down to quite leisure y galt after
the first few miles, aud it appeared very
possible tbat daylight would bring them
into view, There was also another impor-
tant factor that forced itself into notice as