The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-02-27

'--o~S JSN a. AMO tAllh dlttlHODu at Lei
Doldt's place and tell you what to do.
So long, Morgan. So long everybody"
and Pruitt was gone.
Morgan knew Pruitt we'll enough to
know he meant just what he said.
Still he was somewhat dubious about
his getting Fleishman with only one
man, even If that man was Cheney.
At two o'clock Cheney and Pruitt
met at Leiboldt's place on the levee.
Pruitts one weakness was dress. and |
In the interim between the meeting in
Morgan's Office and two o'clock he had |
rigged himself out like fashion plate
He would hardly be taken for deputy
United States marshal out after
moonshiner His plans were matured
and his instructions very brief.
Cheney, want you to meet me at
Point Pleasant one week from to-day.
You will leave on the steamboat Belle
OF st. Louis and go to Memphis. Stay
there a day and keep dark, and then
take the boat next morning back to
Point Pleasant. You ought to reach
there about dusk the same evening. /
will be on or near the dock. Don't you
recognize me at ALL Just keep your
eyes open and follow me after the boat
has left. Understand"
Sure thing, Pruitt. understand
and III be there all right"
Il don't have to tell you to come
well armed. Jim Fieishman is a crack
shot and we've got to trap him like
bear-snap his claws first" Again the
Old Missouri "S'long. jack" and Pruitt
was gone.
Cheney made his preparations and
when the Belle Of st. Louis" left on
her next trip he was a passenger.
Dolph Zeigler, the boats captain, knew
Cheney and made him comfortable in
his cabin. The trip was uneventful
s and at Memphis Cheney debarked. He
/ kept under cover all day and early the
: next morning he was a passenger on
: the "Vicksburg" bound up. About
seven p. m. three long blasts an
! nounced the approach to Point Pleas
ant. When the gangplank was
: swung out Cheney leisurely walked
2 ashore. keeping his eye out for PruItt
E Finally he saw him seated on pile
y Of lumber caralessly whiting Q
stick. Pruitt's fine clothes had beer
n laid aside. and at this time he was
e dressed In homespun and held a col
y pipe between his teeth. He looked
q for all the world like an Arkansas
. cracker. The boat discharged a few
?. passengers and a small amount o
"a freight. and then poking her nos
lg into the muddy current. proceeded o.
% her way to st. Louis.
4 PruItt got up from his restinl
~ place, stretched and yawned, an
then slowly walked up the mudd
DC street. Cheney, too, was dressed a
Is native, and followed Pruitt. Nea
q the edge Of the settlement (it coul
81 hardly be dignified by the name G
city or town. Pruitt disappeared !
NJ the woods. Cheney followed. and ha
n not gone far when the two men me
ha ~Howdy, Cheney. Got here a
right. / see. Are you ready for
~ lunch OF excitement"
81 Hello. Val. Yes, I'm ready. What
"a the lay?"
eI'ye located Jim Fleishman abol
~ 20 miles back In the woods. He's g
y, pretty good place, and evident
thinks he's secure. He's living wit
his wife and two children. I've blaze
the trail out so we won't get lost. Il
v, ~ not very good road, but we ca
< ret out all right. It's now near
" eight o'clock, and we ought to g
~. me out there by 1880, Then, II all go'
~, well. we win pull Flelshman and
~ ~ back here by daylight End take u
first boat north"
- Going to walk 20 miles betwe'
.~as ~ now and 1882 asked Cheney, wi
~ lust faint suspicion Of sarcasm
lvl his voice.
Ist. eNopea replied Pruitt not mott
vea ing the shaft. Come on" He
,ost out at a good pace, and Cheney +
ue lowed. A short distance ahead a
ac- they came to small clearing
which we're hitched three horses, s.
died and bridled. Pruitt didn't ha
ms any doubt that he would bring ba
nre Fleishman hence the third horse
It was quite dark when the m
ked rode out on the winding trail. sllel
" they continued on their way The
Mo was no moon and heavy clouds
scured the stars, and presently It
~o,s gan to rain, gently at first, and u
downpour. A pretty strong vi
~ 49, snrung up, and 1t was mighty 81
- - travelling to follow the trail. 4
lo' ~, horses we're sure-footed enough,
''sA this pushing on through the aim
.A imnenehable darkness was bit
.'ss 'ss cannv The animals became nerve
..a,. ,uu. the aashes Of lightning were blind
~, ~ and the constantly rolling thunder
~ minded Cheney Of vigorous b'
i nardment Of the great guns OF the
Nan tillery IN the old army Of the =
'i" mac Several times the trail
avn lost. the storm having washed
vap blown away the blazing. and valua
nan rs moments we're slipping by. Inst
Job" of reaching rl9'ss''u''- !, a.as one o,cl