Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-04-29

IF it had not been for the gray eyes
| that looked you in the face from
the big SLOUGH hat you might have said
that the sheriff's deputy was the pro-
verbal square peg in the round hole.
Every one in PUTNAM Creek had Won
dered when Jack Farley, standing but
five feet two in his feathers, with
voice like a woman's, countenance
apparently hewn out of wood and
known as the most modest and retiring
man throughout four counties, had
been appointed deputy to Sheriff Hart,
a giant in stature and a genius at
bluffing, who boosted that he was the
terror of evil doors all over the state.
Since the deputy's election now some
three months cold. his duties had main
ly consisted in interfering in a few
cock fights, forbidden sport now, save
in precincts out of reach of the law;
in the keeping of an eye on the sa-
looms along the river front, and in
guiding convivial and belated wander
ers gently toward the lookup at the
farther end of town. But this morn
ing the town was astir. Big Pete, who
made his home in the pine-covered
mountains, descending only at long in
tervals to secure the needed supplies
for his cleverly concealed cabin far
up some mountain trail, was wanted
and the sheriff had set out to secure
him.
He had ridden into town the night
before; had become involved in a hasty
quarrel with a man whom he had never
seen till that moment had drawn his
revolver and shot, once-twice-and a
man stretched at horrible length lay
prone in the dusk, while miles away,
heading toward the mountains that
rose gray and grim against the sky
line, rode pursuer and pursued with
but league between.
The sheriff returned the next day
angry and excited. Farley rode mildly
in his rear. They had ridden 40 miles
into the mountains only to be baffled
by one of Big Petes clever tricks. Cut
ting across a stream which in dry
weather served as a ford, he had
crossed it again half mile farther up
its bank, had discovered the footprints
of a band of wild mustangs and,
doubling on their tracks, had success
fully eluded his pursuers, who, riding
on in mad haste, were happily uncon-
scious that Big Pete rode leisurely
along in their rear. On the return way
they had been met by an old noun
taineer who explained the ruse to them
so convincingly that the sheriff vowed
to return for his quarry at daybreak.
The deputy lounging carelessly out
side the store, listening in silence to
the questions and comments of the
various groups of men, might have
seemed, to a casual observer, slightly
bored but the eyes under the SLOUGH
hat were unusually bright and keen,
and not a word of the heating argu-
ments that occurred was lost on him.
He sat quietly on a dilapidated box,
hastily upended for the convenience
of his small stature, and appeared to
be lazily chipping bits of wood from
the corner of the log building. He
leaned forward a little to look at the
last speaker
'What d'you say, JIM"
beard turned slowly toward the dep
uty.
He's got some things cached on the
mountain side. l seen him there one
day. He was windin' round the place
like a hawk"
Where at?" asked Farley, indiffer.
emily.
The old man leaned eagerly forward
Say! You know that big flat-top pine
up beyond the fork of the Snow rive
canyon? It's by the big bald bluff Al
foot along the river bed"
81 wonder if Hart'll know about tina
place." queried the deputy in his sof
voice, rising as he spoke and castin.
a keen glance about.
The old man shot a contemptuou
glance at him. Il guess the sheriff
will get him all right" he commente'
laconically, fitting his chair on it
hind legs that he might have an un
interrupted view of Farley's face
Harris pretty keen on the scent, an
he amt no SLOUGH when his mind
made up. l reckon We'll hear some
thing tomorrow. If Hart can't ge
him, nobody can"
To this last remark PUTNAM Creek
population grunted an unqualified as
sent. To these rough lumberme
muscle and Drawn were winning cards
and the sheriffs six feet of perfeC
thews and sinews appealed to tn
primal forces in them.
But FARLEY took the implied disaI