Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-01-26
THE DESPERATE
BY Cy Warman.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

THE slanting shafts of the setting
sun glanced along the level pools,
and gilded the ripples and shimmering
shoals of the quiet river-the Green
liyer--that lay along the edge of the
Adobe desert, like Il band of braid at
the bottom of a woman's skirt. A mo-
ment later the red sun dropped behind
the Wahsatch mountains and the day
was snutfed out like candle.
Suddenly, now, a great black cloud
showed its shoulders up over the hills
behind which the sun sank. With ma
iestie swiftness it lifted its head, spread
out its dark wings, Swallowed the waste,
and filled the wild canyons with aw-
full gloom. Far out toward the foothills
the unshod feet of mountain cayuse
were beating the hard face of the des-
ert, urged on by the cruel spurs OF his
ptiless master. For more than SIX
hours the horse and rider had been sim
mering in the summer sun. and now
they welcomed the shadows, ducked
their heads, and dived in under the
cloud; the horse eager for the cool
and the rider for the cover of night.
Across the desert another rider is
urging his steed' of steel, his pilot point
ing into the storm-swept night. In
darkened day-coach, behind the LITTLE
locomotive, a United States marsha
and his deputies sit staring at the storm
into which the daring driver is abou
to plunge. Now the rain begins to bea
upon the windows. A moment later
is falling furiously, roaring upon thu
roof of the cab and blurring the head
light. The iron horse and the cayus'
are running neck and neck now. Botl
riders know that they are nearing thu
river, and so slacken their speed. "A
the cavuse comes to the waters edg
he braces his feet and stops short. Tn
riders first impulse is to dismoun
abandon his horse, and find'the railroad
bridge, which he knows must be nea
at hand, but CHANGING back he sees tn
LIGHT of the locomotive and change
his mind.
Just over the river stands Green Rive
station with it's ,water-tank, where tn
iron horse will stop to drink. If tn
lone rider can reach the station befor
the train leaves he can leave the cour
trv which he does not like. AS the loco
motive comes nosing cautiously up I
the bridge the horseman drives nj
spurs into the cayuse, and the foamin
animal plunges into the roaring rive
The swift current carries him dowr
stream. and the engineers headligh
shines full upon him as he is swept III
der the bridge.
Beyond the river the engine is stoppe
and the occupants of the dark car com
out to look for the man and horse
Long before they reach the river ban
below the bridge, however, the NIT
cayuse has touched land, leaped upo
! the level bank and galloped up to tn
| station.
While the men were still searching f6
him along the river, the weary traveit
learned from the agent that the regl
lar train had passed, that the tran
at the bridge was a special, that
would not be likely to stop at the TAM
and, if it did it would not take passel
gers.
And so, being weary and not wishin
to be seen, the traveller tethered h
tired horse at the rear of the hote
secured a room and retired.
Presently the key began calling II
accent at Green River, and when
hearkened it told him of tragedy th'
had occurred at Coyote on ths NOR
ing of that day. A lone desperate hf
taken the town, robbed the static
killed the operator (who was the agel
also). stolen horse, and escaped.
snecial with a United States marsh
had gone down the road to look fl
The murderer. The description tn
the new operator had gotten from II
frightened people led the agent
Green River to believe that the de
perado had been there but a momel
before. When the special pulled up
the station and stopped, the agent to
the marshal of the arrival of the stra
Fer.
"That's our man." said the marshi
and he Immediately surrounded the
tle wooden hotel, which was called t.
Palmer house, Then, having secur
the number of the strangers ROOM t
marshal and one Of his men went up
They tried the door; it was locke
They knocked, and the man sal
"Come in" The marshal said he cou
not. and asked the occupant OF
room TO come out; and the man a
swered: "Wait till I get my boots OF
for he loathed to die half dressed.
Suddenly the door flew open and I
hunted man leaped into the hall. l
fore the marshal or his deputy col
raise hand, the desperate man beg
unloading couple of rapid-tring $
shooters in the narrow hallway. l
two officers retreated, for the first 81
had Jared the hanging hall lamp
and left them in the dark. Covered
his own smoke, the desperate folio"
the men down the stairs, and bef'
: he had been missed he was already o
the back fence mounting his horse. 4
horse was shot down by one of
/ Old People Made Young.
c. Sherman, the veteran edl