The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-08-04
THE PASSING Of
A DESPERATE
Border Justice Melted Out by
a Relentless Pursuer.


pair of horses hitched to wagon
standing in the Npad. Turning to sew
eral loungers about the bar. he asked:
ANY gent goin' to Centerville?"
"You gOin to CentervilleT asked one
of the loungers.
Yes"
I'm a-goin that way. Reckon I'll
go with you"
much obleeged to you for comm
along" remarked the farmer as he
drove off There's been turrible lot
o. holdups round here lately. l don't
like goln' alone very much"
"Why don't the committee stop it?'
asked the passenger.
stop it! The committee can't do
nothin'."
The passenger chucked. "Why notT
he asked.
"'Cause the works all done by Tom
Flint, | reckon, and it would take a
dozen committees to do anything with
him. They say he's mighty slippery"
TON Flint hasn't done no holdin' up.
He isn't 80 low down as that"
"What do they want him SO bad for
then?"
"Well, he's found It necessary in
self defense to kill several loafers In
these parts and the cOmmunitys got
down on him."
"You don't mean it."
"There's nothin' the matter with
Flint. He won't hurt nobody that
don't want to hurt him. He wouldn't
trouble nobody like you"
"How do you know tbatT
"Know 1t! I'll prove it. I'm Tom
Flint myself"
The farmer quickly moved to the
far end of the seat. looked sidewise at
his passenger and exclaimed:
"Great Scottp'
Flint seemed disposed to make good
his words. riding so peacefully beside
the farmer that the latter gradually
assumed an appearance OF confidence,
and the two fell to chatting. Flint
told how he began his shooting career
and how easy 1t seemed after he had
killed the first man.
How did 1t seem when you killed
the last one?" asked the farmer.
Flint WINGED. "Tucker?" he said.
''Well, didn't want to kill Tucker, but
, he took my gal away from me-"
did she prefer you to TuckerT
"Well, no. / can't say she did, but
as long as ] couldn't git her l didn't
intend that Tucker should have her,"
"They say she TUX on mighty bad
when he died"
Again Flint WINGED, but said othing.
"Was they goin' to be married soon"
asked the farmer
Married! They was married"
The words were spoken with good
deal OF feeling, and the countryman
pressed the subject no further. Some
thing was wrong with the names on
the near horse. They were slipping
back off the collar. The farmer drew
| rein.
Reckon III git down and tighten
them hames," he said. "Will you hold
the lines Mr.. Flint?"
Instead OF holding the lines Flint
| Jumped down off the seat and went
forward to fix the names. He tight
ened the strap, the horses neck mean
while being between him and the coun-
tryman. When he had finished and
looked up at the farmer great change
had come. The "hayseed" held a re-
volver in each hand. and each revolver
was pointed directly at Flint's head.
Hands up!'
The astonished Flint did not comply
with alacrity. whereupon the farmer
repeated the order with a finger press
ed close on each trigger. Flint raised
his hands He looked puzzled.
"Who are you?" he asked the farm
er, "a sheriff."
mo"
"One of the committee"
mo"
Then who are your
Tom Tucker, Bill fuckers brother
A tinge of white spread itself ovei
Elint's face,
II was there when Bill was brought
In" continued Tucker, and saw my
own brother. who I'd gone around will
when we were little shavers with ou
arms around each others necks. lait
low 10y the man who wanted his wife
and | saw the little girl craZed by 1t
IL | could IA found You then, Ton
Flint, you'd "a got the better of me
for was reckless, Lucky ] didn't
When cooled of some | went to worl
: on the sly You'd never seen me, an'
that gave me an advantage. tracked
you to the tavern and knew you wer
goin to Centervile. | borrowed thi
rig and these clothes. The guns l ha'
= already You remember in the traca
with Bill you dropped one of yours
! Well, this right one is the one yo'
: dropped. Now turn about while dis
y arm you,"
Flint hesitated He was desperat
+ and medimted some desperate move
but he looked into his adversary's ey
g and concluded TO comply with the oI
0 der.
"Now walk on" said Tucker afte
G disarmlug him.