The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1908-05-15
CHAPTER XXI,
The Outlaws Last Stand,

IL ne outlaws Last Stand.
In the morning the sheriff went to
the island. He reported the place de-
serted. He made many other trips.
Some times he took a deputy with
him; more often he rode unaccom-
panied. Richard Gordon lay helpless in
burning fever, with Paul Langford in
constant and untiring attendance upon
him. George Williston was sadly
shattered man.
II met Black on the corner west of
Gordon's Office" he explained, when
he could talk. II had not been able to
sleep, and had been walking to tire
my nerves into quiet l was coming
back to the hotel when I heard Blacks
shot and then Mary's. 1 ran forward
and met Black on the corner, running
He stopped, cried out, You, too, damn
you,' and that's the last knew until
the boys picked me up"
These we're the most interested
Langford, Gordon, Williston. Had they
been in the count, things might have
been different. It is very probable a
posse would have been formed for i'm
mediate pursuit But others must do
what had been better done had it not
been for those shots in the dark.
There was blood outside Gordon's win
dow; yet Black had not crawled home
to die. He had not gone home at ALL
a least, that is what the sheriff said.
No one had seen the convicted man
after his desperate and spectacular
exit from the court-room-no one at
least but Louise, Mary, and her faith
or. Mary's shot had not killed him, but
it had saved Richard Gordon's life,
which was a far better thing. It was
impossible to track him out of town,
for the cattle had trampled the snow
in every direction.
The authorities could gather no out
side information. The outlying claims
and ranches refuted indignantlv any
hint Of their having given aid or
shelter to the fugitive, or OF having
any cognizance whatsoever regarding
his possible whereabouts. So the pur-
suit, at first hot and excited, gradual
ly wearied of following false leads
contented itself with desultory journ-
eys when prodded thereto by the COM
polling power of public opinion,-fin-
ally ceased altogether even as a pre-
tence.
One of the first things done follow
Ing the dramatic day in court had
been to send the officers out to the
little shanty in the valley where the
half-breed lay dead across the thresh-
old. watch was also set upon this
place; but no one ever came there.
August had come again, and Judge
Dale was in Kemah to hear a court
case.
Langford had ridden in from the
ranch on purpose to see Judge Dale
His clothes were spattered with mud
There had been succession Of
storms, lasting for several days; last
night cloud had burst out west some
where. All the creeks were swollen.
Judge, I believe Jesse Black has
been on that island of his all the
time"
What makes you think so, Lang
ford?"
Because our sheriff is four-fush-
ing-he always was in sympathy with
the gang, you know. Besides, where
else can Black be-"
Dale puckered his lips thoughtfully.
What have you heard?" he asked.
"Rumors are getting pretty thick
that he has been seen in that neigh
borhood on several occasions. It is
my honest belief he has never left it,
what did you think of doing about
it, Langford?"
II want you to give me bench war
rant, Judge. I am confident that 1 can
get him. 1t is the shame of the coun-
ty that he is still at large"
"You have to deal with one Of the
worst and most desperate outlaws in
the United States. You must know it
will be a very hazardous undertaking,