Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-08-29
The Mountain Fiend.
A Tale Of Tug River.
BY H. A. COMPTON.

eMng SIN k the outlaw crulnpled to the
flor and expired in pool of his ~ n
blood
A. the outlaw sank to the floor Simon
Randolph wa seen to reel and pitch
headiorg across rhe doorway leading to
an sdJ iulnE room.
Al TINS point Pete Randolph and Ben
Moore rushed through the front door
into the room. Randolph took no heed
of his family, his sole object being TO
rld ms home Of Jhc outlaws. With re-
volver in hand he ordered them to clear
the room. bit they fought back and re-
fus' d t. comply with his dem ands. FL
na!ly he shouted:
Men, if you are my friends you will
leave my house; if you are my enemies,
you'd better be going" With this he
swung his heavy revolver against the
heads of two or three of the outlaws.
knocking them down.
AS the outlaws could not well use
their long rifles in the crowded room
they were at considerable disadvantage,
and their resistance feeble One of
them, however, struck Randolph
heavy blow on the head with his gun.
and jim parceiving him DO so. sprang at
the outlaw, who turned towards the
door to make his escape. But great
barrier stood between him and the hills
beyond. AS he reached the yard the
same deadly Winchester that ended his
companions existence but minute be-
fore, barked spitefully, and the outlaw
plunged forward dead
The remaining outlaws saw that if
they attempted to leave the house by
this way they would all fall victims of
the deadly Winchester in the hands of
Reuben. So they made a rush in
body. Jim understood their game and
as they streamed through the doorway
two more fell beneath thrusts from his
deadly dirk. AS the ruffians poured
through the doorway, one of them man.
aged TO deal Reuben a stunning, and
rushing through the gate escaped into
the hills.
The outlaws now realized that they
were dealing with a terrible foe, and re-
solved to be more careful in their next
attack. They would proably have car
ried out their plans to the letter had it
fallen to their lot to make this attack,
but such was not to be the case, for in
the next battle the mountRineers them
selves were to be the aggressors.
Our friends now turned their atten-
ton to the Randolph family, and the
dead and wounded outlaws.
One OF the outlaws lay in the floor
with fearful slit across his abdomen.
| This was the fellow upon whom Samp-
son wreaked his vengeance at the es-
| cape of the Copperhead. Two were w.
, ing In Il heap outside the doorway.
where thcv had fallen victims to Reu-
ben's deadly rifle. Two others, mortal
, ~ wounded by Jim's knife, law Just in
side the door, while another lay insensl-
bic on the floor as the result of a blow
from Randolph's pistol
Randolph himself lay in the same con-
diton, blow from one Of the outlaw 8
rifle having felled him to the floor.
jim caught Randolph up in his arms
and laying him on the bed, began fan
ming him. In moment he opened his
eyes and asked:
Are they gomez"
/ Yes, they gone" answered jim.
''and glad they wuz NV the chance to do
So But their air sum Nv 'em what
d!dn't go Their same way es the rest O.
EN- did"
Pete had regained consciousness suf-
ficient to talk sensibly, and he soon be-
gan inquiripg about his family. The
little girl was found hiding under the
bed on which her father lay. Simon
was found where he had fallen near the
doorway of an adjoining room Just as
Sampson struck down the first outlaw.
AT first he was thought to be dead, but
when shaken violently by Ben Moore he
jumped to his feet and disappeared
through the open doorway.
Tine coward" gasped Pete, what
on earth will become of him? l am real
ly ashamed he's my BROTHER
Hell be back when the racket ceas-
es, said Jim. 81 guess he thinks the
outlaws still here"
The fact is Simon had only tainted,
and when Moore shook him he thought
1t one of the outlaws, hence his speedy
exit from the house
All now turned their attention to find
ing Pete's wife, baby and father.
The ola gentleman was found outside
the door through which Simon had fled
from the supposed outlaws. He was
was lying face down in a pool of blood
At Reuben s request, Jim left Pete and
ran to aid his friend. They raised the
old gentleman in their strong arms and
carried INN into the house, where they
placed him gently on a bed. He had
received heavy blow on the head. as
indicated by the CHASTITY wound above
his eye. He had also been stabbed be-