The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-03-02

front door and rap. Fleishman will
suspect something wrong, and come
out the back way. He'll try to get
back about half a mile, where there
are a Aumber Of moonshiners living.
I'll nab him, and then we'll hike for
the river. If he comes your way,
however, and tries to break, let him
have it. Don't kill him, because
want to turn him over to Jake Nor
gan alive" All this was said in a
low voice, and the two men moved
forward. Sure enough, there was the
cabin dimly outlined in the darkness.
Cheney waited until Pruitt got
around the house, and then quickly,
but silently advancing, gave sharp
rap on the door. He stepped to one
side, pistol in hand, and waited. Five,
ten, fifteen, twenty seconds. and then
he raped again. Shortly afterwards
he heard Fruits voice say:
Throw up your hands, Freshman,
or you're a dead one!" Cheney went
around the house, and there was
Pruitt with the drop on Fleishman,
who had sense enough to know it.
His hands were up, and Cheney came
up from behind and in minute he
had them down and securely pinioned
behind his back.
Come on, now, and be quick about
it," growled Pruitt. We've got to
get back"
Fleishman was put on the third
horse, his feet bound under him.
and the three started back on the
trail. The storm had grown worse;
the rain was now falling in torrents.
and all blazing was completely gone.
but Pruitt rode on, trusting to bull
luck and horse sense.
Fleishman was the coolest man Of
the three. The trail was lost COM
| pletely, and Pruitt tried to make the
prisoner indicate the way, but he
only grinned and said nothing. Once
| they stopped to listen, and above the
roar of the storm Cheney fancied he
heard horses approaching. Pruitt
heard it, too, but said nothing. They
floundered through the woods, and
once more picked up the trail. The
horses were becoming jaded, but they
! were pushed to their limit. Suddenly
from all sides appeared armed and
mounted men. There were about 20
of them. They had lived for years
in these Arkansas woods, and knew
every foot of the ground. Flesh
mans 12-year-old son had come over
after his capture and told them about
it, Quickly they saddled up and fol-
lowed the two officers and Fleishman.
The storm worked to their advan-
tage.
Hold up your hands, Pruitt, we've
got you cornered; also your pardner
We don't want to kill you. You're too
damn brave man to be shot down
like a dog. All we want is fetish.
man, and then you can go ON your
way"
Fruits nerve never forsook him
for a minute, nor did Cheney's; but
he knew the other fellows held the
trump cards; ''the bitter was bitten!'
The flashes of lightning revealed his
face to Cheney, and it was a perfect
study. He hated to give up, but he
also knew that a number of shot
guns we're pointed at him and Cheney
and his first move would mean death
for both of them. He gave up fetish
man, and after a little rough badin
age about keeping away from these
parts and minding their own bust
ness" the cavalcade rode away with
Fleishman.
For once the sobriquet of "silent
man" was a misnomer as applied to
Pruitt. He drew long breath, and
then swore a blue streak. He ended
his outburst with an oath that he
would get Jim Fleishman before 4s
hours rolled over his head.
Cheney and Pruitt were sorry
looking pair when they rode into
Point Pleasant that morning. The
Belle of st. Louis was just tied UP
at the dock as they rode in. They
went aboard and Capt. Zeigler made
them comfortable. In the confines OF
his roomy cabin Cheney said:
well, Pruitt, we didn't get fetish
man, after all. Won't Morgan raise
the devil with you and me when that
warrants returned non est inventus? p
Pruitt got up, took the warrant out
of an oil skin case, and said:
Cheney, that warrant don't go back
unserved. Fleishman's got the laugh
on us now, but wait. Some of the
gang followed us here, saw us come
on this boat. Hang them, they're
watching now. They'll tell Fleishman
and the gang that we've left for st
Louis. ZeigIer will put us ashore
in a small boat I'D the river a niece