The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-11-05
"From that day I never went into

had given me a little rife to use in
hunting squirrels and wild turkeys.
Ny thoughts dwelt constantly upon
the mysterious eagle, and l was always
on the lockout for the great bird.
"Weeks passed. Excitement was
running higher than ever over the un-
canny bandit of the woods, for holder
and more frequent assaults were con-
stantly reported. Quite a number of
settlers had moved away from sheer
error and apprehension. The state
had taken up the matter and increased
the reward for the villains capture by
another $500. 1t was just after this
had been done that my odd adventure
befell me.
Il had been cut after Wild turEeys-
ostenSibly, at any rate-aEd was com
ing home with an old gobbler slung
over my back. AS 1 approached the
road l heard the thud of a horses
hoofs. ana. as had been customary with
me, hurried forward to see the rider
pass, with a vague hope that the mys-
FERROUS eagle might choose that very
moment to swoop down upon another
victim.
a familiar proverb says it is the lin,
expected that happens But every
rule has its exceptions and every
proyerb as well. This time it was the
expected that happened. 1 had a pre-
sentimen. that l vas about to behold
something wonderful and strange
and l did. Hardly had l come in sight
of the horseman (and there was still!
a thin, concealing veil of foliage be-
tween me and the open road when a
great waving shadow came drifting
along the highway. 1 glanced up
and with my heart in my mouth,
saw a huge bird descending with
set and motionless wings. But l
saw something more, something that
almost froze the blood in my veins. \
| miniature man sat astride of the
| eagles neck, his fierce little face set
with vindictive purpose. To this day
I can see the baneful CLEAN of his
small. blazing eyes. In one hand he
carried Il g!ittering. naked knife. The
other hand was extended as if to grasp
in anticipation his victims hair.
"When the eagle was almost direct
ly over the u~nsuspecting horseman.
the pygmy bandit threw one leg over
the birds neck, sat sidewise and poised
himself ready t drop upon his victims
shoulders. Instinctively and with a
motion as quick as thought my rife
| sprang to my shoulder. Just as the
dwarflet go his hold and dropped there
was a ringing report, and the eagle.
pierced through the heart by my bull
let. fell simultaneously with his pigmy
master. Both struck the TANKS of the
frightened horse. and the animal
| sprang forward in a wild snorting
gallon. so sudden and so endangering
to the rider that he did not even ven
ture to turn his head 20 see what o.
casioned it. IN a minute more horse
and rider were out of sight around a
bend in the road.
"The eagle rolled into the dust and
after a few spasmodic futterings lay
still. The pigmy bandit. s%pringing to
his feet, glared about him fer a mo-
ment with mingled rage and terror in
his weakened and ~c0ntorted face.
Then. with 4 cry. whose utter despair
and piercing anger 1 shall never for
get, he darteG into the bushes on the
opposite side of the road and disap-
peared.
Hardy knowing what 1 did, I
bounded after his disappearing form,
hut +ba ely craa+ura UyaS too uuicE for
me. In the tangled unGerbrush it was
useless to pursue a being who could
dart unobstructed along a rabbit path,
and I soon gave up the chase as vain.
Leaving my wild turkey concealed
in the bushes, 1 carried the dead eagle
to the village and told my story. AT
first there were none who would be-
lieve me, but when 1 led the way to
the spot where the tragedy had &C.
Cured, and the Indian-fighter had *
amined the small footsteps in the dust,
and in the soft mud of n spring-hole in
the woods, where the dwarf had crossed
in his flight, doubt and cavil gave way
to wonder ard congratulation, and |
became at once the hero of the com.
munity.
although 1 had not captured the
pygmy bandit. l had solved the mys-
terry that surrounded him and de-
stroyed the unique means by which he
approached and surprised his victims.
From that day the terrible little man
disappeared utterly. The last of his
strange crimes had beer recorded.
81 received one thousand dollars for
my amateur detective work. Half of
it / offered to the mar who had puz-
lied out the necessary clew. But he
would not touch n cent. No, my boy
he said, you deserve all you have
earned and more. whether you actual
~ captured the pygmy bandit or not,
for You fixed him so that he is better
than dead to the world. He has ceased
from his crimes and r~etributive jus
tice has been spared the unnatural
job of disposing of such a human frek.
You are a born detective. lad, and nv
advice to you is to go into that profess
sion for all you are worth And ]
have"
Good advice!" 1 cried, as Sandhurst
oo,ea5 E.oDd IN Some raSnept the mOSt