The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-03-31
A CA2TOR CAPTURED.
BY J. NOEL JOHNSON.

When was boy, going to school at Lex
,ngton, Ky, one evening, at a social party,
! met young girl OF singular beauty. Her
name did not understand when introduced,
but her sweet face sank into my memory
ike a picture in locket.
A few days after the party / tried to
earn her name without revealing my real
feelings, but when Burtie Stoker, a chum,
put his finger in my face and yelled: yah,
YAH You're mashed, are we, eh?" | got
very hot in the face, and drew into my
she'll t
After l was graduated ] went to my
fathers law office, and took from the Ii
brary shelf a musty old ualfbound book
which he said must read and read again.
] believe it is called Blaekstone's Com.
mentaries, but I'm not quite sure. My
eyes traced every line Of the old book but
my memory did not go along with the read
ing.
When had, in negative way, finished
the book, my father pulled his chair toward
mine, and in strange, dry voice, said
Leon, please give me'a definition Of law. =
| pondered long, tried to scratch the def
milton from my scalp, failed and said, des-
peratey: well, w'y-er-w'y law is
law OF course"
That will do, young man; I'll examine
you no further, I've been prepared for
this. / saw some love stories in your hand
writing yesterday. 1t confirmed my sus-
pcions that when the Lord was cutting
out lawyers, he ran out of cloth when he
came to you Let the law alone. Youare
my own flesh and blood and / shan't tor
ture you. Go on with your love stories.
I've heard Of people making money by
writing them, but I'm not sure it's true.
| was full of romantic ideas. | knew
was too broad of mind to fit the narrow,
legal groove My imagination rioted in
heroic deeds Caesar was not a lawyer,
but he was an orator, poet and hero. |
would be n hero At that time Buster
Taggart, the celebrated mountain moon
sinner, was exciting the whole Kentucky
commonwealth. Scores of deputy marshals
had been hurled at him, and summarily
tossed back. None were killed-it was
against his policy-but many were put on
crutches. ! resolved TO capture Buster Tag
CART.
/ got a commission as deputy marshal,
and then revealed my scheme to my chief.
He laughed heartily at the beginning of my
talk, thinking ! was joking, but when |
convinced him ! was serious, he fixed
his steel-blue eyes on me a few minutes,
screwed the corners of his thin lips, and
then spoke in dry voice. II knew you
were a man Of abnormal Imagination, but
that you were insane, / never before sus-
pected
A few days later ] found myself riding
along a rocky road that wriggled between
precipitous walls in the mountains of FL.
liot county A little stream Uttered along
the route, and, far above, the pine -harps
sang soft tunei
All at once my horse reared bent his
fine neck, spread his nostrils, and snorted /
alarm.
The next second, sharp report shat
tered the silence. My horse, quiverng,
stood in the center of the road. The next
second, the click of dry branch was
heard above me- Then splash among
green leaves Then, down across the POM
mel of my saddle dropped huge wild cat,
his bosom squirting blood. What did all this
mean? While sitting in helpless wonder
ment, the air began to bubble with musi.
cal laughter | gazed about, seeking the
source Of this concord of sweet sounds.
Soon came velvety swish among the
paw-paw bushes at the left of the road.
Turning my eyes, fearfully but eagerly,
saw face, framed by green foliage From
the face smiles sped like sunbeams, and,
at their touch, / felt my own grow in
stantly bright. Was | dreaming? If so, /
prayed to awaken neverl But was not
dreaming. Out through the screen of
leaves pushed the form iof a young woman.
clad in blue velvet She had on her head
a white mans hat, the left brim pinned to
the side of the crown, revealing a broad
band of squirming hair above the ear. A
great lot Of lazy, yellow curls loled on her
shoulders.
| sat SPECIFICS, watching the riot Of
beauteous expression in her face.
had seen that face before Nay, had
II in my heart--in the locket of memory.
Directly she advanced within touch Of
me- and, reaching up shapely hand, she
said: MIR. Leon Clifford, are you not 90.
ing to shake my hand, and congratulate
me for saving your throat from that wild
cat! lie was trying to spring on you when
/ sprang surprise on him"
! took her proffered hand. and as the
current OF magnetism flashed along the
line of my nerves. | said, not knowing
what else to say; I'm certainly thankful
to you for deprivng me of this wanton
enemy, but how did you know my nameY'
"Oh, I've known your name for several
years, and became especially familiar with
it OF late. since it was known that Won
would free the hills of the moonshiner
king"
Il presume I'm not far from his haunts?'
said, feeling heroic surge in my soul.
Not very far, but you can't arrange TO
capture him this evening. You will 90
home with me. live only short distance
from here"
Il thank you for the hospitable offer, but
] must be going ON now"
oh, no; you'll not go on this evening.
sir, she said, tapping her gun, and smil-
ing significantly. II invite YOU kindly 10
go with me, and hope I'll not have to say
you shall go, sir"
You won't have to use that gun TO per.
suade me- ! said, nervously, "Kll 60"
OF course you will"
short distance ahead, the narrow
throat of the gorge widened into beauti.
full bosom Of green valley. in the center Of
which a white house shone in the declin.
ing sun like silver star.
When we got to the gate great, broad
tall giant came ambling down the path
towards us, his hands in his pockets, and
a benevolent smile struggling through his
shaggy beard
Mr.. Leon, said the girl, gayly, '1et me
Introduce Won To my father the calabr.4ad