The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-09

and the precautions taken for many years
10 conceal his past history made II plain
that John Hartman. the dead man. was
none other than Sebastian Corvello. coun-
t~erfeiter and desperate.
The jury Of grim ranchmen deliberated
but a few minutes. When they filed back
into the courtroom there prevailed a deep
silence. broken only by the whinny of an
inpatient horse tied In the wagon yard
across the street. The verdict held Barron
Wilkes. alias Carlos Hartman, guilty of
the murder OF Sebastian C~orvello. otherwise
John Hartman. and a sentence of fifty
years imprisonment was pronounced
against him.
| The old Judges solemn words had scarce,
, ly ceased to echo IN the room when DoIlie
threw her arms around the condemned
mans neck.
He sprang from his seat and dealt the
heartbroken girl a singing blow in the face.
In an instant Wilkes's breast was the tar
get Of twenty revolvers. and but for the
quick work of a Government officer, who
sat beside him. the law would have been
cheated of its prey.
The prisoner was put in a dismal cell Of
the rude Jail TO await his removal to the
penitentiary at Salem. The throng of curl
Gus ranchmen went their ways, and that
night "Zeb' Little had to deputize Doc
sHN ~ oc-ssN IA 't-Pth.AAB nCSPildllly "
the crowd OF men who came to discuss the
drama in which they had been actors.
The unchrtstian toast proposed by Mis-
souri, Hawkins was drunk from deep tum-
bIers.
MAY Old Nick. who knows his brand,
make a speedy roundup Of all his cussed
cattle"
Dollie. from the day of wilkes's sentence,
was a changed girl. and old ABE Holden.
with tears In his eyes at the thought, would
sometimes say:
I'm afeared I'm goin' to lose my DoIlie,"
His fears soon were realized. One day the
reapers on the side hills were silent, and
Tight Ridges one street was quiet. Hank"
Tucker brought the news to the Forty
Mile House"
"Dollie Holden's gone" was all he said,
but his hearers understood.
Next Sunday a blackboard" on which
lay a white coffin. went slowly toward the
little graveyard on the top Of Aliens butte.
A reverent concourse FOLLOWED the white
coffin. with heads bowed low. and as the
June sun sank behind the snow-clad. form
OF Mount Hood. they laid her to rest.
Abe" Holden stood weeping by the
grave. the object of all the pity in the
rugged. but honest. souls Of his neighbors.
Doc" Tyner was chosen to speak some
words Of consolation to the stricken IA
Their. There were tears in his eyes and .
auaver in his voice. as he took "Abe's'
rough hand and said:
ABE all our hearts are sore. and We
know the fullness of your grief. but I be-
leve the preacher was right when he said:
'The Good Shepherd knows his lambs and
will gather them safely into his fold for.
ever"
ABE" grasped the hands Of his condoling
friends and said:
Boys. she has took my heart and happi-
ness with her"
One afternoon. not long after the death
Of DolIie. and before the gloom that fol-
lowed II had risen from Tighe Ridge. old
Hank" Tucker drove his creaking wagon
up to the "Forty-Miie House." and. rushing
into the barroom. yelled at the top Of his
voice:
Boys. Missouri Hawkins's prayer has
been heard. The devil has his stranele-bit
on the wust varmint that ever walked the
, earth. Barron Wilkes. or Carlos Hartman.
the slayer Of his own Partner and the muir
derer Of little Dollie Holden, Is dead. and,
I'm glad to say. buried"
Hank" was right. Confinement and the
severe wound inflicted by "Hank's' bullet
had ended the career Of Barron wiIkea Be
fore he died he confessed to the murder
Of Sebastian Corvello and q number Of
other crimes perpetrated In California.
In the course Of years the Canyon City
trail was abandoned for the big ROAD
through Rail Canyon. and Hank Tucker
was driven into retirement by the Central
Oregon Stage Lint. but . visitor to Tigho
Ridge may yet ind In some lounger In tho
"Forty-Mile House. . willing guide to tho
GHOSTS bridge" and the grave Of little
Dollie Holden. J