The Jennings daily record., 1902-05-29

eHe Wooueu Naliey 10 winch tHey naQ
! He'd forced them toward Sageville. and
by 10 O'Clock in the morning every
available citizen in the county seat
had been added to Mudge's 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 a frank challenge in
| his blue eyes. being the 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 if 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 the 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 grey
hound coursing a jack The sheriff gal
looping along the margin could scarce
ly keep up with him. All but ten
of the mounted posse had been dis
tanced. and when ut 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 srapdpa's"' Nudge
gained as they climbed the hill. and
as he stopped it and the Watson home
came in sight he paused and waited to
instruct his few remaining adherents.
The rest We're scattered in different
II lal ', ,,Ai,
Stra ggling footprints.
Nudge. being a coward and sure of
his belief thar the fugitiveS would
hardly venture into the Watson house,
bade his men surround the place.
which was on a hilltop. while he alone
approa ched 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
a Gordon az Il respectful distance so as
to prevent escape. Nudge diSmounted
1T 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 EN- settin in Il row against
the wall The fust shot you feLers
fire We'll kill 'em all. an then we'lI
so after you
Then Nudge was pushed out with
the rifle at his back He. 100. appealed
to his posse TO give in He said he
didn't care for his own life. hut he
didn't want to bring death on ,Ihis
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
they saw tit. 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 sberiff's rife and the other
with his pistols at the back of Mudge's
head. followed. They paused while
one shouted:
First move you feIlers make. first
shot you fire. Nudge dies
Then they hastened 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 sta Bile. leaped into the
saddle. sat still a moment and cried
out:
oh. grandpa
The old man came out at The front
door. his frightened old wife after
him. both handcuffed.
I'll turn you loose in a minuter'
Max shouted. and dashed for the road !
Now 1 will run for sheriff" he NUT
tered as he laid away into the dark
ness with his magazine gun across the
saddle bow. Half mile down the
road he saw in the gloaming shadows |
by the road. plodding back toward |
town. the detected form of Nudge. |
But he did not stop.
1t was 9 O'Clock that night when the |
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. I'm
afraid to chance it." !
where's the other one?" demanded |
Nudge, plucking 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 n shutter