The National tribune., 1902-07-17
A FRIEND WITH THE
COUNTERSIGN.
Continued from first pageJ

Every two hours. sir"
DO you have corporai!'
| mo. SIR
"What was your gang going TO do with
| my friend here?'
Capt. Owen was demanding ransom,
sir
So Scranton was now Owen.
where are your horseST l asked.
"About mile off, sir, in the woods"
Under guard?'
"Yes, sir
"How many men?'
1.-Two men, sir; only one is a member of
the gang"
"Who is the other?"
Hes n Frenchman. | think. sir"
"And he is not member of the gang"'
"He may be, sir. but | don't think so.
He is not made to do duty like the rest.
rs he armed?'
"Yes, sir, with pistols"
/ had taken the rifle from Showaltcr
Not able to see the dwelling from the
inside of the hut, l went ont and walked
up and down before the door, watching
and listening intentIy. The moon had
gone down: it would soon be day.
y shuffling of feet was heard, and l
looked round the corner. A man was
coming. He turned the corner of the hut,
collapsed. He was almost scared TO
death. l marched him into the hut.
Showalter took his carbine and accouter-
ments. and l securely bound his hands be-
hind his back.
We could expect no other gOdsend like
| this. We marched our captives into the
wood in front and tied them TO trees. be-
yond any view from the dwelling. Show
alter heartily supported me.
Berwick said he, I'VE must not let
| those scoundrels get away from my house.
I'll burn it first"
l gave him choice of positions, and he
took the front. j went back and took
Iost behind n tree in the rear. The house
with its garrison of five was now be-
siesed by two men. l hoped that the
garrison wculd sleep late.
A man appeared at the back door. He
was rubbing his eyes. He came down the
steps. l could have shot him Head.
What was he going to do? 1t was not
half time yet for the relIef. had it: the
garrison was alarmed because the last
guard had not returned. This man had
been sent out to see what was The matter.
let him approach the hut. | was fight
ing myself hard; l could easily kill him;
l could less easily capture him. What
should l do? Yet. either acr would at
once put the renegades thoroughly on their
guard. They would rush from the house,
and make for their horses. Should | shoot
that man? Should l take him? Yes.
would take him, but at the last moment.
| must make no noise now. | must let
him get to the hut and examine it; before
he raised an outcry | must take him.
Every moment of delay was precious.
The man came on and turned the corner
of the hut. His back was toward me.
stole through the woods, and as he en-
tered the hut l was at the door and had
him.
Now it was light, and l feared to re-
treat from the hut with my prisoner. This
mans failure to return would strike the
garrison with astonishment and terror.
They would conjecture many things
amongst them the truth If they could
know the truth, would they not sally out
and capture me in the hut? My prisoner
was an encumbrance. could not tie
him. | uncapped his gun, and threw his
cartridge-bOX into a corner; | must stand
guard over him until ThrOOp should come.
There was no view of the dwelling. At
any moment men might come in On me. l
wanted to work a peephole between two
logs, but in doing so should have been at
the mercy of my captive. | ordered him
to remain in the hut; / took my stand out
side, the hut between me and the dwell
ing; but he was a bold villain-with q
spring he had cleared the door and was
around the corner. sprang to the corner,
and fired at him running. He fell, but
picked himself up again, and staggered
into the house. / ran back into the hut
and got his gun and cartridges.
But it would not do to remain in the
hut. l backed away, keeping it between
me and the dwelling, and it was well for
me that the ground sloped so.lewhat
downward until the forest was reached;
only one bullet came at me.
1t was between daybreak and sunrise
The house was astr. / could hear the
upper windows thrown open in front;
then / could see them thrown open in the
rear. Five men were in that house, but
one of them was useless-worse than use
less-to the defenders. They counted but
four. l had an extra gun and was strong
ly tempted to go to Showalter's post and
release our first prisoner. Perhaps
ought to have done so, but feared treach
cry. believed that success was sure, and
would not imperil it. l loaded.
Now / must watch in every direction
Would not the sound Of the firing cause
Scherzer and his man to come to the
house? / hoped not; they were mile
away. Besides, il they should hear the
shots, their fears might keep them where
they were. Then, too, they must guard
their horses.
No doubt the wounded man had told
his comrades that there was but one enc
III Lutll ltdl. "ouiu iHts DclleFe IL !.
He had seen but one, yet they knew that
Showalter and York were free, and that
two of their own comrades were missing.
They would infer that both York and Sho-
walter had armed themselves with the
captured rifles. | tried to put myself in
Scranton's place that might reason what
he ought to do. OF course if he knew the
conditions fully, the whole party would
sally out through the rear door. But he
would examine the ground first He
might think that Showalter and York had
both gone off in haste for help. The gang
had felt the vengeance of the me-guards
in Barton's death. They would fear to
wait. They were in trap and must get
out, and get out quick. The only question
was whether they would try the rear or
the front. l kept my two guns ready.
Now l heard a shot from the woods in
front of the house, and was almost over
come through momentary fear that Sho-
walters prisoners had been too loosely
bound and would turn the tables on him
before he could reload. Three or four
shots were fired from the upper windows
| in the front. Now / knew that n little
more time had been gained, for the vii
| lains would not issue out with unloaded
! guns in their hands.
| And another thought: if Scranton knew
the conditions, could not he and his gang
escape from the end windows. which
neither / nor Showalter could see? l ran
rapidly through the woods until / could
see the windows in the west end, and at
| once fired a shot into one of them. Then
| | ran to the east end, and fired another
shot from that direction.
| Showalter fired again, and was greatly