The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-11-22

certain, so he has FASTENED back after
leaving Jarralrs letter for the cap
tain.
This was a staggering blow. Jar
rail- swore lurid oaths, but that didn't
help the situation.
arrest the smugglers.' ] suggested, ex-
citedly.
Local nothing broke out Jarrall.
Why, there isn't an officer in Pre-
sidio. That constable has gone to
Nogal with a prisoner. The town mar
shall was killed three weeks ago by a
drunken Mexican, and no one else
has been fool enough to accept it.
There isn't a man in town / would
trust in a case like this
Well, we can go after them our
selves / said. There will only be
two against two, and we will have the
advantage OF surprising them
"Jarrall looked at me in blank sur
prise.
You must be crazy. man, to suggest
such a thing. I am not counted a cow
ard. but l wouldn't undertake the Job
without at least half a dozen good men
at my back. for all the gold in the
world. II would mean certain death
for both of us. No, am not a candi-
date for the undertaken just yet
ItC Siilllcu Il SOfl OF SicklE, paITO0lZ-
ing smile. as much as TO say: You are
foolish child. You don't know any
thing about the bad men We have down
here on the border. The place for you
is back home with mother
His manner and his answer both
nettled me, and / retorted with some
warmth;
We'll, il you are coward, am not.
I'm going TO arrest those men single
handed or get killed in the attempt
With that / buckled on my revolver
and started for the door,
wouldn't do that. old man. JarraIl
breathed. look of real concern displac-
ing the amused expression that had SO
nettled me. My God. man, you don't
know what you are doing. 1 haven't
lived on the border ten years for moth
ing. You will be killed. / can't
won't permit it
Il turned on him and snarIed in his
face:
You are not big enough to hold me.
and you can't keep me any other way
unless you shoot me. and / don't think
you want to commit murder
I poured out q volume of vile abuse
for which I was afterward heartily
ashamed.
I am going concluded, and with
on at a run for the north trail.
Wait until ! get my gun and will
so With you, JarraH shouted after me.
but paid no attention to him.
1t was haif-past 10. and I knew il
would be tight race to be at the ap-
pointed place on time. The messengers
horse was standing before the door.
mounted it and set out at a rapid rate
for the trail 1t was wild ride through
the chaparral that night, my heart beat
ing time TO the pounding of the horses
hoofs. At the giant cactus I hobbled
the pony and fastened, on foot, down
the cattle trail toward the river.
"As / came in sight of the wafer
shining white and silvery through the
bushes, ] could make out the bulk of
boat approaching. / gripped my revoI-
yer nervously and waited for it to land.
The cottonwood trees cast heavy shad-
ows where l crouched. and this gave
me the advantage of the smugglers. for
the moonlight was almost as brilliant
as sunlight. The PROV of the boat
grated on the beach and four men
stepped out. l had only counted on two.
In my hurried ride i had planned out
my course of action. had read some
where of a soldier capturing a. company
of the enemy singlehanded, and / in
tended to follow his plan.
"As the four men advanced up the
bank I gave tense command
to an imaginary posse hid back in the
shadows and. with my revolver leveled
| stepped out into the moonlight, COW
ering the nearest of the men,
This trick may have worked with
soldiers. but it certainly didn't go with
border outlaws. No sooner had I stepped
from the shadows than the four men
reached for their guns, at the same in
slant dropping fiat upon the ground.
where they were almost invisible.
Il took hurried aim at the foremost
man and pulled the trigger. The ham
mer fell with metallic click. which
rang sharp and distinct in the still air.
Then. with sickening sinking of the
heart, I remembered that in my hastv
departure l had failed TO load the re-
volver. I was unarmed and at the mer-
cy of the outlaws.
These incidents had happened with
swiftness. Instantly there
was a flare of light, loud report. and
4 bullet sang uncomfortably close to nv
ear. 1t was the first time was ever
under hre- There was second flash.
and my right arm dropped Imply to my
side. l sprang for the shadows of the.
cottonwoods just as the third revolver
cracked. The bullet cut across the back
Of my neck and fell unconscious.
When l came TO myself / was in the
bottom Of boat and the four men, were
padding with might and main for the
Mexican shore. Here was a pretty mess
my rashness had dragged me into. 7
realized that the men would show me
no mercy, that death probably awaited
ne at the landing. But was mistaken
N this. They did not know that / had
recovered consciousness, and I could
near what they said when they paused
N their furious rowing 10 catch their !
breath.
They seemed highly excited over my
ilngle-handed attempt to capture them. |
One of them, a Mexican. wanted to kill /,
ne at once, but the American wouldn't
near to IT. He advised that I be re-
rived and made to tell just what I |
Knew. This met with general approval. |
md il was decided that should be TAX
IN to the house that l had visited that i
morning in company with the AIneri- |
an. They were going to hold me a |
prisoner there until they had gained the |
they wanted, and then they |
we're going 10 make an end of me.
They stopped talking and resumed |
neir padding. I was in the heavy |