Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-10-02

| fllley S10ulu nave retuIucu- Dut NO
came not. Still they fingered. alter
nately drinking and sleeping the after
noon hours away. Night came and
with II the certainty that something
had miscarried or that they were
duped.
With black rage In their hearts they
ordered their horses and as soon a.
darkness fell took the trail on the re-
turn to Bone gulch from their bootless
errand. AL that night they rode. Dawn
was Just breaking when they approach
ed the vicinity Of the robbers retreat
| All unconscious of danger. they were
riding carelessly. their horses perforce
proceeding at walk. when out OF the
gloom ahead came the sharp challenge:
Halt! Who goes there| accompa-
MED by the rattle Of carblnes.
"who the blank are your was the
defiant response. and this betrayed
| them, to which came the quick retort:
Throw up your hands or you're dead
men, emphasized by q series OF omi.
nous clicks-sounds too well known by
the marauders to need any repetition.
Letting fall the reins on their horses
heads. they elevated their hands on q
level with their ears and In this pos
| ture made out squad OF dismounted
cavalrymen drawn up across the trail.
"DIsmountw came the command
from Lieutenant Crosby, and, covered
by the weapons Of the troop, the crest
| fallen villains slid out Of their saddles
as best they could. whereupon they
were speedily searched, their pistols
confiscated and their arms securely
pinioned.
Games up. boysr' was the ironical
salutation Of the lieutenant.
"well, you needn't be so blamed chip
per about It." growled Leather Jack.
s"Tain't our fault Jim just bit on
more'n he cud chew, that's ALI"
"See what comes o. trustin tender.
foot" remarked Bill Root, expectorat-
Ing savagely.
Lieutenant Crosby stood by, regard
ing their dismay and disgust with grim
amusement.
II suppose you know what you've
got to expectY' he inquired dryly.
-This means 20 years at least. We've
got Jim Dallon and the whole lot OF
you Just where We want you. and by
this time tomorrow you'll all be In
Arapahoe county jail"
"Will weY sneeringly remarked
Leather Jack. truculent to the last.
eyes, and you are going to help"
was the iieutenant's confident re-
sponse.
"As howr inquired Leather Jack In
the same skeptical tone.
by showing Us the nearest way to
that cave Of yours and thereby earning
q commutation Of sentence for your.
selves"
This cast q new light on the subject,
and the two rascals looked inquiringly
at each other. They realized that the
game was up. as Lieutenant Crosby
had said. Better make the best terms
they could while the chance offered. A
few minutes reflection determined
their choice.
"All right, lieutenant. We're with
you," said Jack nonchalantly. Then:
Better leave them horses here.
They're no good on this trail"
So the troop horses and Mr.. William
Root were left behind with two Of the
cavalrymen as guards, and at the order
to march the men formed In single dle,
Leather Jack In front. followed by
Lieutenant Crosby, pistol In hand,
ready to shoot at the hrst sign OF
treachery. Then came Ben Gallup and
Chester Ives, followed by the rest Of
the troop. In single fle they proceed
ed noiselessly down q rocky and tortu-
GUS ravine. It was not yet bright day
light even on the heights above. Here
In the hollows q slight mist added to
the obscurity caused by the faint light
4 more favorable moment for surprise
and attack could not have been found.
In the cave at this hour all was 81
lent. Worn out by the long vigil Of the
night before. during which the return
Of Filley and his escort was momenta-
rily looked and listened for, both pris-
oners and jailers were asleep. True,
there was some pretsnse Of keeping
guard, but even those on watch were
Dosing. Dallon himself was sunk In
siumber.
Suddenly the bright mouth Of the
cave, which faced the east, was dark.
ened by q number Of stalwart forms.
The troopers had crept silently down
the hidden approach and ranged them
selves In line across the entrance. Cnce
again rang out the frontier challenge
to surrender:
throw up your handsT
Il was q complete surprise. Dallon
himself was scarcely awake when hs
was pounced on by couple Of soldiers
and dragged kicking, struggling and
cursfng INTO the daylight Not . shot
had been fred and hardly blow
struck, yet there was the notorious
Dallon gang In the tolls Of Uncle Sam!
Chester Ives was among the first to
rush into the interior, and In 4 few
strides he was among his friends, with
Miss Madge In his arms, her head on
bis shoulder and shaking hands with
all the others. A great deal may be
taken for granted at such time.
II knew you'd do It." she sobbed In
coherently. A
However did you manage It. M.
1vesr inquired Mrs. Hurst who trem-
ulously beamed on the young man.
you'd never guess, my dear Hrs.
Hurst" he replied. @but twas easy
enough, though rather wet. But let me
introduce Lieutenant Crosby" he con-
tinued a. the gallant oflcer approached.
the erstwhile captors having in turn b.