Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-11-28

"Why, you said so yourself, ser
geant. Didn't you say that you and
;he ACCOUNTANT (Mr. Jones) would be-
ready in half an hours time. You
1idn't say nothing about no others"
Sergeant Fulton growled something
under his breath as he dropped his
huge frame into a chair and called
for drink.
"Whats happened to that fellow
Moonbeam, sergeant?" asked Charlie
Wilson, after pause. HE seems to
have left his district"
Cant say, sir" replied Fulton.
Hes a tough nut to crack, and devil
knows what he's up to now. I'd give
ten years of my life to get that scoun-
drel."
EYES," laughed Charlie, "he's given
you chaps rough time for the last
year or two. can't help admiring
the pluck of the fellow though he
is such a bad lot"
"A bad lot" growled the sergeant
SHE'S murderin' william, that's what
he is. He shot my mate, Dick Quin-
ton, without giving the poor chap a
dogs chance of a run for his money"
81 don't know anything about it,
and Pm talking a lot of rot, | sup
pose," said Landon, joining in, "but it
seems to mean outsider-to have
been his life or your friends. Troop
err QuintOn wouldn't have given him
much law, I expect, if he could have
drawn a bead on him."
"You think not" said the sergeant,
sharply. "Well, l think, as I've said,
that Moonbeam, as he is called, is
murderin' BLACKBOARD, and if L could
get a chance at him I'd plug him as
1 would a bandicoot."
"Wen, well, sergeant" laughed the
other, mo offense, and, as | say, l
haven't heard much about the chap
What's he like? Have you ever seen
him?"
"Only once" said the sergeant,
slowly, "but 1 think I'd know him
again"
"Well," laughed the other, 81 can
only hope for Moonbeam's sake, that
you won't happen to meet him."
At that moment tall young man,
clad in a heavy ulster, entered the
room. He carried black bag in his
hand. Good evening, gentlemen.
Mr.. Fane-Mr. Landon-may l intro
duce myself? I'm the bank account
, ant. We're to be fellow-travelers,
and I'm much obliged to you for your
courtesy in coming on tonight. The
coach is ready. Shall we start?
Five minutes later l had wrung
dear old Charles hand for the last
time for many a day and taken my
seat in the coach. 1t was a light
spring coach, with covering over it
and two parallel seats. In the front
one sat the driver, and by his side
Sergt. Fulton, with loaded rifle be-
tween his knees. In the back seat sat
Landon, Jones, and myself; Jones,
with his bag of gold on his knees, be-
ing in the center.
1t was q beautiful star-lit night,
and the air was dcliciously cool after
the broilng heat of the day We were
all in the best of spirits, despite our
continuous journey, Landon especial
ly being in a particularly facetious
frame of mind. AS a fellowtraveler,
it would have been difficult to sur
pass him, so we'll stocked was he with
/ lively Renaissance and amusing anec-
dote. What he was by trade or pro-
/ fessiOn he did not say, though fancy
that we all tacitly took him to be a
commercial traveller Certainly he
knew the road well, and even at that
hour of the night pointed out the va
rious landmarks of interest as we
Observation-Disclosures rendered historical
by association with bushranging and
gold mining incident.
That's the rock behind which the
Clarks hid to bail up the coach" he
exclaimed suddenly, as great bould-
er loomed out, white and ghostlike in
the flash of the coach lamps on our
right.
I peered with interest at the spot
pointed out by Landon. The story OF
that particular Clarke exploit of some
wears before was known to everyone.
"They were darned well sold that
time" growled' Sergt. Fulton as he
glanced over his shoulder at the his
torical rock.
Eyes, by gum," said Landon, land
serve 'em right, too-it was the worst
managed bit of business I've heard
of for many a day-leastways," he
added hurriedly, "that's what pal of
mine said when he read Of it, but
Lord a mercy, fancy man havin' the
grit to be bushranger, with death
starin' him in the face every hour OF
the day. It's awful to think of"
Its darned sight more awful" re-
piled the sergeant, "for an innocent
man comm quietly along the road to
have a hole put through him by a
murderin' skunk hidin' behind tree"
"Ouite true-quite true" answered
Landon, quickly, "but. don't talk of it,
sergeant. It's too much for chaps
nerves at this hour o the night"
After two hours driving we reached
the foot of the mountain, where we
all descended Except Jones, who sat
tight, hugging his bag), and walked in
front Of the coach. After half an
hours grind up the steep side OF the
mountain, we all began to feel some
what warm. Presently an incident
occurred that seemed to me trifing
enough at the time, but which l have
never recalled without an involuntary
shudder. had been walking for some
the with my cap in my hand, to al
low the soft breath of the faint even
ing breeze to play on my forehead,
when Landon, who had never once re-
moved his SLOUGH hat, or in any way
altered it's position on his head since
the first moment l saw him, suddenly
took it off. An instant afterwards
the sergeant struck match, ostensi-
bly, to light his pipe, and turned, so
: that the light, fell full on Landon
face.
II was but for q moment; but in