Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-07-14

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leUel ground.
rest, they had accidentally hit upon the
best that could have been selected.
Both of the men had had experience
in dealing with criminals, and both,
therefore, knew it was indispensable
that whatever they did should be in the
nature of surprise. If the desperadoes
suspected what was on foot, the whole
scheme must come to naught
This will explain what occurred
within the following few minutes
The two walked beside each other in
the middle Of the road, as the three
tramps had done q short time before. In
the bright but uncertain moonlight
they were looking sharply for the oak
with the gnarled limb.
Some minutes later the marshal whis-
pered:
"This will do. Comap'
They left the road and entered the
wood on their left, turning squarely
about and retracing the direction whence
they came.
Their intention was to approach the
sentinel undetected if possible and make
him prisoner.
Thus the two officers reasoned:
The fellow against whom they had al
most brushed was one of the criminals
He was stationed near the highway,
since all danger was likely to come from
that point.
Itwould be comparatively easy to cir
Gle around in the wood and come upon
the stone house from the rear, and in
doing so they were quite sure to catch
the other rogue or rogues at fault, but
the man by the highway would take the
alarm and escape.
The true course, therefore, was first to
capture him, doing it with sudden
energy that would allow him no time to
warn his confederates.
To do this he must be approached
with the stealth of an Apache-a task
that was almost insurmountably diff
cult, since he was evidently on his guard
against such movement.
The officers held no doubt that their
simple ruse had deceived him. Since
they had gone a long way beyond they
now retraced their steps with consider
able speed until quite near where they
believed him to be standing. Then they
paused for whispered conference.
"You pass around to the right" said
the marshal, "while approach him
from this side. The one that reaches
him first scoops him in.
"All right" replied his assistant,
Immediately vanishing from sight
Let US follow the movements of Mar
shal Yelling.
He was among the trees, but within
ten feet of the highway, and intended to
maintain that distance until he caught
his man.
1t was necessary to keep in shadow in
order to hide his approach. At the same
time it seemed almost impossible to get
within striking distance of the fellow
without being detected. But no other
course presented itself.
Providence takes care of his own. "
This exultant thought was caused by
the rattle of heavy wagon coming from
Englewood and going toward the Pal
isades.
The officer stood motionless until the
rattling of the heavy vehicle was close
Then, protected by the noise, he took a
number of steps forward, only halting
when afraid Of running upon the senti-
mel.
At the moment the marshal was stand
ing motionless and listening for some
sound that would make known the exact
location of his man he heard stealthy
movement, not in front, but behind him.
His first thought was that by an ex-
traordinary turn he had passed the SEN
tinel without either being aware of it.
1t was clear, at any rate, that some
one was stealing upon the officer him
self. 1t was case of the tiger hunting
the hunter when the latter supposed
himself to be hunting the tiger.
Who could this stranger be but the
criminal the marshal had set out to ar
rest? Despite the extreme caution of the
latter, his approach must have been de-
tected, and now his man was seeking to
gain the drop Oh him.