The suburban citizen., 1902-04-19

telephoping TO the sheriff. The pur-
SUIT from TruXton and the direction of
the wooded valley to which they had
fled forced them toward Sageville. and
by 10 o'clock in the morning every
available citizen in the county seat
had been added to Mudges posse and
was sent forth to chase and capture
the jail breakers. Max was one Of
the first to volunteer, and coming to
the sheriff with frank challenge IN
his blue eyes, being tho best armed
man in town and knowing the outlying
region better than any hunter present,
Hoke Nudge could not refuse his SER
vices.
Max led the chase afoot, Nudge fol-
lowing him with jealous assiduity on
horseback as IL he feared the boy
would snatch from him the glory of
the only notable deed his official career
had offered. 1t was noon when the
boys eyes discovered tho trail in the
muddy bottom land. Two pairs Of
footprints pointing south were all the
signs he needed, and away he ran
through the tangled brake like q grey
hound coursing jack. The sheriff gal.
Looping along the margin could scarce
ly Keep up with him. All but tea
| Of the mounted posse had been dis.
tanced, and when at last Max emerged
from the thicket, and pointed up the
hill toward his grandfather's house he
could hardly gasp out the WORDS,
Headed for grandpa'sw Nudge
gained nc they climbed the hill, and
as hc>stoppcd 1t and the Watson home
came in sight he paused and waited to
instruct his few remaining adherents.
The rest were scattered in different
directions, led astray by their own
struggling footprints.
Nudge, being q coward and sure OF
his belief that the fugltives would
hardly venture into the Watson house,
badc his men surround the place,
which was on hilltop, while he alone
approached the residence to ask old
Watson If he or his wife had seen
the runaways Max ran round to the
rear Of the barn and the others made
Gordon at a respectful distance so as
to prevent escape. Nudge dismounted
at the fence and entered by the front
door. His men waited ten, fifteen,
twenty minutes, then drew nearer,
scared wondering, alert. In an hour
they ventured into the yard fearing
their sheriff had met foul play.
Suddenly an ill-visaged stranger,
bearing a cooked Winchester, stepped
out on the porch, shouting:
"We've got your sheriff foul and
We'll kill him and this old couple the
minute you open fire on us. My part
ner has 'em settin' in a row against
the wall. The fust shot you fellers
fire we'll kill 'em all, an then Wen
go after you"
Then Nudge was pushed out with
the rife at his back. He, too, appealed
to his posse to give in" He said he
didn't care for his own life, but he
didn't want to bring death on "this
poor ole couple" His eye rested on
Max as he pleaded with his men to
help him save the WatsOns by with
drawing. When he went back into the
house Max bade them withdraw to
respectable distance or go home as
they saw fit. Five sneaked for Sage
vile. The others fingered beyond
range. Max slipped back into the
barn. Just before dusk Nudge, hand
cuffed and in his stocking feet, was
thrust out. The two fugitives, one
bearing the sheriffs rifle and the other
with his pistols at the back OF Mudge's
head, followed. They paused while
one shouted:
First move you fellers make, first
shot you fire, Nudge dies"
Then they fastened at a quickstep
in Indian file across the yard and
down the road into the night. The
warning was repeated at intervals as
they ran, till at last, Max, leading his
horse out Of the stable, leaped into the
saddle, sat still a moment and cried
out:
"Oh, grandpar
The old man came out at the front
door, his frightened old wife after
| him, both handcuffed.
"I'll turn you loose in a minute"
Max shouted, and dashed for the road.
Now l will run for sheriff." he NUT.
tered as he laid away into the dark
ness with his magazine gun across the
saddle bow. Half a mile down the
road he saw in the cleaning shadows
by the road, ploddlng back toward
town, the detected form of Nudge.
But he did not stop.
1t was 8 o'clock that night when tho
reassured sheriff and his defeated
posse returned to rescue Max. They
met him driving sullen prisoner
slowly along in the dark.
"Go up and cut grandpa and grand.
ma loose" he shouted hoarsely, "Tm
afraid to change it."
where's the other oneT demanded
Nudge, pluclSing up courage when he
saw the poise Of Max's gun.
Hes down in Creep Hollow" roared
the triumphant Watson. "You can
fetch him in on q shutter"
The Sageville Banner gave its front
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