Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-08-15

y I : + .
Thank you" interrupted Hollis.
we've chased che scoundrtl zoo mileA
and I reckon. now we've got him. ~
can keep him."
At suppsr Jim. With his arm IN
now sling. sat between the two girls.
who ceosd ovsr him md took turns
feeding him ill It made ne sick.
The old man had nigger move my
chair up to the foot Of the table and
bring me plate Of coarse, grub after
they oil finished eating.
He had tied my ankles to the lower
rung Of the chair himself. and when I
says to the niggsr, Those cords have
plum stopped my circulation; Just ease
'em up littie," no went str~ight up.
Don't you touch them knots, sanr'
he roared. II know how to secure a
man. and don't you try any Of your
games in my house either. you young
fiend. I'd never forgive myself II you
escaped"
I ate everything, could reach.
which wasn't much. and when l asked
for the butter he glared ut me and
said: Buffers too good for horse
thieves. Eat what's before you.''
Every time ia catch the eye Of one
of the girls and kind Of grin and look
enticing she'd shtver and tell Jim that
the marks Of my depravity stood out
on my face like warts on q toad.
Jim and the boys would all grin like
idiots and invent new crime for me.
They put 1t to the old man 50 strong
that when he turned In he chained me
to Sam. the cross eyed niger that
stood behind me at supper. and made
us sleep on the door.
I told Sam that cut mans throat
once because he snored, and that mig
ger never closed an eye all night. /
was trying to get even with somebody.
After breakfast, when it came time
to leave, Donnelly united my feet and
led me out into the yard. where the
girls were hanging around the colonel
and Jim. who was preparing to settle
up.
AS we rode up the evening before l
had noticed that we turned in from
the road through a lane and that the
fence was too high to jump. 80 when
threw my leg over Black Hawk l
hit Donnelly a swat In the neck, and
as he did a stage fall l swept through
the gate and down the lane.
The old man cut the halter OF one
of his Mexican warwhoops and broke
through the house on the run, appear
ing at the front door with his shotgun
just as I checked up to make the turn
on to the main road.
AS swung around. doubled over the
horses neck. he let drive with his old
blunderbuss, and l caught two buck
shot in my right arm where you see
them marks.
I had sense enough to hang on and
ride for my life. because knew the
old fire eater would reckon 1t pleas
ure to put an end to such wretch as
me If he got half chance.
l heard him howl: Come on. boys:
Well get him yeti" And over my
shoulder l saw him Jump one Of bis
loose horses standing In the yard and
come tearing down the lane, ahead Of
the befuddled sheriff and posse. his
white hair streaming and the shotgun
waving aloft as though charging an
army of greasers at the head Of his
regiment.
From the way he drew away from
the boys wouldn't have placed any
money that he was wrong. either.
I've always wondered how the old
man ever got through that war with
only three recommendation to the
government.
He certainly kept good horses. too.
for In i've minutes we'd left the posse
behind. and l saw him madly urging
his horse into range. reloading as he
came.
As l threw the quirt into the mare
with my good arm / allowed I'D had
about all the horse stealing l wanted
for awhile.
The old devil finally saw he was
losing ground in spite OF his best ef-
forts and let me have both barrels. l
heard the shot patter on the hard
road behind me and hoped he'd quit
and 60 home. but I'm blamed If he
didn't chase me Eve miles further be-
fore turning back in hopes Id cast q
shoe or something would happen 70
me.
l believe I was on the only horse In
Texas that could have outrun the colo
mel and his that morning.
About noon stopped at q black
smiths shop. half dead with pain, and