The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1899-01-24

the spokesman said;
That's all right. You can goahea.
We were just fooling.'
II ted them that they could go ahE
ard / would follow when got good Q
ready. OF they drove swearing
themselves and at me, and as soon
they were out of hearing drove baQ!
picked up my keg and landed it safe,
'eThe government knew well encue
that there was smuggling going on III {,
here, and they sent along a specia
agent to spy it out. He was a smocth
one, and he nearly got me. This feI
low-his name was Dart-went dirse |
to Dumas place and said that he h
got into little trouble in the state |
and he wanted Dumas TO take care
him until it blew over. That hattered |
Dumas pride, and the old man took |
him in and made much Of him. Dart and |
Dumas became great chums. They
went duck hunting together, the,
fshed and drank together. As coon as
I saw Dart l suspected him, and h
wasn't slow in guessing what brought
me to see Dumas 80 regularly. Dart
tried to pump ne by being hail fellow
and by cursiEg the customs officers.
vas only boy, but ! wasn't SO easily
caught as all that. defended TIE Gus
toms men and condemned smugrsing.
Dart just winked his left eye in know
| ing sort of way. Fortunately, as II
turned cut, Dumas didn't give away his
tunnel He admitted to Dart that his
| place vas headquarters for mug
giers, but he didn't commit himself any
further.
Il had made three successful trips
while Dart was staying with Dumas,
ard I guess that my success had made
me a bit careless Ny fourth trip vas
the last smuggling expedition. that
ever engaged in, and it came 50 near be-
ing my finish in al ways that it
thoroughly frightened me. 1t was 4
cold. nasty night in October. ard I
reached Dumas place about eight
O'Clock. Dartwas sitting in the barroon.
and joined him. We drank more thai
the usual quantity of ale, and VIII
Madore came in whistling to indicate
that my key was strapped on the gig
said:
"'Wel, Dart, I'm going Just as soon
as Madore can hitch up
az think I'll take little horseback
ride myself he answered, and see Il 1
can't clear my head of this ale
, This disturbed me. for couldn't say
anything for fear he might get on to Ike
right track and suspect my gig. l have
since thought that Dart suspected thai
picked up my goods somewhere alcng
the road, and he expected to detect n
in the act. hurried out 10 the balr
E and drove out just as Dart cane out 81
the barroom to get his horse saGdled-
], Three miles down the road and just
after 1 had crossed the line 1 heard g
e horse gallopilg behind me. knew
q was Dart, and that he would overhaul
L me unless could reach fork q mile
0 ahead and confuse him as to which roaE
5 had taken. Whipped up my mare ans
7 we few. As looked over her head lat.
1 the darkness 1 saw a light that We
g evidently q lantern just about where L
forks of the road were Dart had cor
y nered me. knew it. As soon as say
that lantern l knew that revenue Of.
Is GERS were with it. l couldn't sip M
10 key because the straps were tangled up
In an instant had made up my nni,t
n what to do. There was fairly leve
IS fed on my left with no fence or Il.
q road. without stopping my marc
T speed turned into it. My gig bumpe.
L clean off the ground. 1t was rcugi
II riding. but realized that it was L.
:. only chance. The noise that l r1ade 90
'u ing across that field warned Dart aEi
Il the other officers what had happened
"a and they yelled 20 me to stop. l didn't
K and then followed dozen or more shot
Is from their revo,vers. The ball
a whistled over my head. 1 don't know
u how 1 got to the woods. found
n score CT old wood roads, and selsctini
d one of them. l walked my horse in Al
ie waited. l heard those fellows beatin
IS the bush around ne for two hours.
- had slipped the key out and coneeale'
it, but l didn't want to be captured
$ even though they had no eyideuc
= against me. The officers gave it up. an
l drove home at daylight minus the kes
Ny mare was used Up, and friend c
& mine tipped me off that the game wa
up. Dart was a special agent, and b
g was going to dog me until he got e.
= Hence enough to arrest me. though
& It all over, and 1 concluded that if
L stayed so near the Canadian line Il
D. temptation to smugg.e bit would /
y so strong that L should weaken. az
~ probably end by being captured. l he
u saved a snug little sum. and with il
eo went to New York. l have lived thei
Sc since. and l am heartily ashamed OF n
.e early smuggling.
; 'Dart is connected with the seer
q, service, and few years ago met hi
81 in the Hoffman house in New Yor
IN Dumas place had been closed, and Oar
CT after we had drink together in +
as membrane CT Dumas old ale. said:
n Were you smugg,in or net the Gigl
ca we chased you into the fields9'
IS "'That question is outlawed,' l a
Is swered. and you didn't catch me. Let
Is tax about something else
10 Coming over this railroad, where
al once drove with my struggled good
IT. has brought it all back TO ne. That
1 Z