Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-06-03
XI


front of his tent, leaning on his sword
and listening in silence to the confer
cuce going on between his commander
and the civil officers of the law. Close
had come home in high dudgeon, and
was. az usual, slow and cautious, but
more than usually reluctant and suspi-
cious. Fuming over the failure OF the
mission on which he had started so
confidently, believing himself "trlcked
by the enemy" and now offered ample
revenge and assured of success through
the information rendered him, ne never
theless faltered Lambert, returning
from the round of his scntries, was
taken unawares by the sudden question;
This gentleman says the old lady
knew just where we had gone and just
when we would get back. What do you
think of it?"
Its a matter 1 know nothing about,
sir" was the answer, except that she
did say she was writing letter to be
given you on your return this evening,
and instantly corrected herself by say
ing on your return"
"Yes. Here's the letter, by Iove. and
it's a worse puzzle than before. And
here's the deputy marshal back with
increased powers, new orders, search
warrants, and God knows what all.
I'm willing enough to back you in deal
ing with men, Mr.. Parmelee," said the
captain. turning again to the eager
civilian, "but the lieutenant has had
these sentries posted 40 minutes and
there hasn't been a sound. ! don't
want any searching of house that
holds nothing but women. because you
think some of your jail birds are
there"
81 tell you, captain, there's no room
for doubt. The negroes have seen
them. They told Mr.. Jarvis, here, and
told him the mules were to be there be-
fore ten o'clock to carry 'em off out OF
harms way. Your man Murphy admits
he saw one last night-one of the
Scroggses. sure, by the description, and
his brother is with him there, I'll bet
n hat
81 don't believe it," sturdily answered
Close. "Only last August she turned
Walton Scro~pS away from her door
with such tongue-lashng rs never
heard; an that's saying n good deal.
She forbade him ever setting foot with
in her gates again. ! heard her; so
did half the men in this company"
Il know all about that. He has been
in love with his cousin, the elder of the
Walton girls, as long as | can remem-
ber, and because of his shiftless habits
the old lady wouldn't listen to it. Then
they took to meeting by stealth, and
she found it out. She discharged old
Rasmus for no other reason than that
he carried letters for them. I've tried
to bribe him twice to tell where Wal
Scroggs was hiding but the old nigger's
n damn fool-with starving wife, too.
They tell me he was seen round here
a day or two since, asking for Riggs,
and he's been carrying letters again.
The old lady wouldn't have him there
before, perhaps, but she would shelter
him now, when the government de-
mands his surrender. But, even if she
wouldn't, Esther Walton would. tell
you they're there, captain, and they'll
be off and out of our reach this night if
you fall to take them now.
Close was pulling on a soldiers over
coat at the moment, and stopped to
listen to some sound down the dark re-
cesses of the "bottom" along the wind
ing stream.
''It's the mules now!" began Parme-
lee, excitedly, but Close held up warn
ing hand.
'If it is, my men will nab 'em, that's
all. Now you've been the means of my
talxin' the men on more'n one long Wild
goose chase afoot-that telegram of
yours was enough to give the whole
scheme away-and ofmy bein' invited to
be damn fool enough to fight two duels
this afternoon. Both Col. Scroggs and
Mr.. Barton Potts, by thunder, want me
to go out and be shot because l pre-
ferred to satisfy myself Mr.. Wal
Scroggs wasn't in the old Gibson place,
stead of taIxin' their word of honor for
it. There's q sick lady there who was
scared of Yankee uniforms; but I'd
rather search all Tugaloo and Qritman
and hell together than rout out old Mis-
Walton tonight. They can't get out
past my sentries. They're sure to be
nabbed il they try. Let 'em try, I say.
It's the easiest way to settle the whole
business. Then they can be arrested
without disturbin' anybody in the
house"
But Parmelee was dissatisfied. He
had been chaffed, jeered at, maddened
over the escape of his prisoners. Two
Of ha ,Vp,.ct pf tho LOT fuY a :
he could iudge-were here now, within
his grasp, if he could but persuade Close
to act. He had still n card to play, and
it was trump lead.
81 did send you a telegram steering
you to Gibson's, and 1 did 1t because
the marshal himself so directed; for it
was he who was sure that was where
they had taken refuge. Scroggs and
his precious linsman, Potts, probably
got warning in time to send their two
refugees away, and now they've had the
cheek to hide them here, right under
your nose Talk about the record
you've made as preserver of the peace
down here; how'll 1t read all over the
north that, after being released from
jail in the presence of Capt. Closes conf
pany, the worst Of the gang-men un-
der indictment for murderous assault
on United States officers in discharge of
their duties-came and took up their
residences across the road from Capt.
Closes camp and dared him to take
them. That's the way it'll read, by God,
II you don't act tonight"
For a moment Close simply stared Mt
the man. Parmelee was no fighter, man
to man, steel to steel; that the war vet
eran knew we'll; but the Yankee school
master Of ante-bellum days had learned
to use his wits and his tongue. He
could argue, If he couldn't face bullet.
The stalwart soldier who, single-hand-
ed, had captured a squad of astonished
trench defenders before Vicksburg and
had faced the blazing battle line with
dauntless front a score of times, looked
helplessly a moment into the face OF
this keen fencer, then turned appeal
ingly to the young West Pointer, as
though to ask: isn't there something
in your education to answer this?" But
Lambert was silent. From first to last
the lesson taught him at the national