The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-09-05
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him that l could MOI

brother failed to advance rest of
the money to complete the ode. Inn
patient at my caution, Bill Ut angry
and threatened to leave me out and
take in one of his friends. l saw the
chance l was longing for, and told him
holly that he might do SO as quick as
he pleased; that l didn't believe we
should agree anyway. Dropping his
tools with an oath, he strobe down the
hill to Pete's.
Scowls greeted me on all sides when
| came in to dinner. | was afraid
was in for fuss, after all; and think
ing | might as well have it first as
last, came down with my carpet-bag,
packed in time for the afternoon train
east laid a greenback on the bar.
asked Pete to take my bill out of it
and hand me my wallet out of his
safe
Coin to leave, be you?" he grunted.
"Well, l guess nobody's sorry"
He took up the bill, turned it over
and held it up to the light scrutiniz-
ingly. l never saw more hate and re-
venge concentrated in look than in
the one he turned on me-
$50 that's your game, is it, young
fellow?" he sneered well, you'll
find it won't work on me. Heres
Brown he call to man in the
farther end of the room, and whom
knew to be Pay Dirt's cons Bile
"here's just the man you're looking
for. Some ones been shown the
| queer all over these parts lately, and
if this isn't the chap, I'm nightly mis-
taken. Look at that bill"
Brown did 50.
Did you pass this?" he asked me.
"Of course l did" said l, but I
didn't know it was bad"
Likely enough" sneered Pete.
Here" he continued, taking my wal
let out of his safe, hes got roll in
there; better take a look at EN-
Brown opened the wallet 1t looked
as it did when l gave it to Pete, and
the exact amount was there, but, alasl
every one of the bills was spurious. l
could see it myself. was speechless
with dismay at the villainy of the
trick and my own helplessress. l
could not say word in defense, and
| ~SAS ~ wv NC uSClCSS IL L Qltl
Pete leered like fiend and the crowd
grinned, while the officer pocketed the
money and hustled ne back to my
room, locking me in. There was no
| Jail within forty miles, and Pete said
I'd be safe there until Brown could
send word to the United States mar
shall at Denver to come and get me. l
threw myself on the bed and suffered
world of agony and chagrin during
that afternoon. The consta BILE brought
my supper at nightfall, bat could not
eat morsel.
Say, young fellow" said he. sitting
down on the bed beside me, you're in
a mighty bad fix and I'm sorry for you,
hanged if l amt. With all that stuff
and what Pete and his crowd'll swear
against you, you'll go to state prison
sure as fate. For my part, l don't
more'n half believe you're guilty, and
if you'll agree not to squeal on me, for
five hundred dollars I'll get you out of
| this"
l wanted to fly at the rascal and
throttle him. l had suspected it be-
fore, now l knew that, though an
officer of the law. he was but another
confederate of Pete's But | caught
suddenly at an idea his proposition
suggested, and quickly accepted it,
| telling him l would telegraph home
for the money at once if he would take
me to the station. The agent was busy
when we came in, and, taking a tablet
of blanks, began penciling the dis
oh FThnrfrh llI- c,xif+
feigned awkwardness, and after much
fumbling of the paper and many eras-
sures, l wrote this on the top Sheet
DEAR BROTHER: am in a bad fix, and I'M
less you send me five hundred dollars, will be
sent to prison. Am innocent but can't prove
it. Telegraph money to Denver bank to be
expressed to me here -
While on the sheet underneath | had
swiftly scratched, when my captor was
off his guard:
| u. S. MARSHAL, DENVER: Send men enough
| here by next train to arrest the biggest gang
| OF crooks out of Jail. Find them at Silver
Pete's."
How'll that do?" 1 asked, holding
up the tablet.
"All rightr' answered Brown, as he
read the words in sight.
| tore off the two sheets together,
crumpling the top one in my hand as
did so, and handed the other to the
agent. He started, and gave me
sharp, swift glance as he read it. |
tossed him the dollar the message cost
He tipped it mechanically on the desk
1t was bad; l knew by his face; but he
caught my imploring look, and said
nothing. The rascals had piled me SO
thoroughly with their counterfeits that
l hadn't enough honest money in my
pocket to pay for meal of victuals.
Brown took me back and locked me
up for the night. was so excited
! could hardly hold myself until heard
the whistle of the midnight train, and
could scarcely believe my eyes when L
saw, from my window, file of men
come marching quietly but swiftly
down from the station. Not once in a
thousand times would such wild, des-
perate throw amount to anything but
the merest folly, but it happened that
the federal authorities had been work.
ing for months to locate this very band
of counterfeiters. Pete and his crowd
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