Year: 1865

mind to nav companion. intimated to him that
had no idea of its meaning.


! "Itisnt impossible" he pursued, with his ewes
sill fixed sharply upon me, "Ghtt the rAscals we've
been speaking of have haunt in there some
where"


told him thought itqute likely.


We rode on a short dstarce further and close
by a spur of timber he told me that he must leaye
me.


.Ishould like to keep on with you," he said, 'but
| must take the rest OF my way alone. Here is my
path"


ffc bade me good bye; hoped we should meet
again; gave rie some direction. toucirrg my route
and IN, n turned toward the timber


Dear reale-, did you ever, ei.her while standin
in the street, or in some crow lei assembly grow
nervous and uneasy under the impression that
some gazing upon youl Something SO |
felt as rode away from the stranger. AT length
the feeling became oppressive and l stopped and
turned. In another instant should have been a
dead man. The seeming hunter had dismounted, ,
and his K, Ell black eye glancng along the bar.
rel OF his rifle directly at my heart. Quick az
thought / slipped from nv saddle, and on tho
same second bu let came whizzing over my shoul-
der think the tenth part OF second lost to me
at that time would have been fatal. The vi lain
supposed OF course he had shot me, and leaving
his horse behind hurried toward me. Under such
circumstances could have no testition | wait
cd until he had arrived within few PAGES ond
then levccd my pistol and shot him through the
heart. He kept on toward ME and | fired second
time; but the first had been sufficient.


"You're a fine travelling companion, arn't yc7"
said |, as | bent over him.


. lie started to his knees and raised his hand to-
wards the brake, and tried to cry out, either
for help or else to warn his companions there hid
den; but his voice had failed, and he sank back
dead without having spoken a word.
With as little delay possible, dragged the
opHh hay
horse. an taken the rein of the dead mans horse
over my arm. started back. did not follow the
road over which had come, but kept to the south
ward. toward Brickett's Ford, where the sheriff
had talked of going. BY the middle of the after
mon | was on the track of the officers, though
did not find them until evening ] told them what
4 had discovered, and early the following mora
Ing, with fifty or sixty we'll armed citizens. We set
off toward the big brake. remembered the place
where the horsemen had taken to the water and
upon entering here, ard following carefully along,
, we found Il hard road where some peculiar move
meat u the food had thrown up ridge OF gravel.
HIviI.c gained the cane brake our way was clear
enough, for we found an open path, cut through
the cncs, and at the distance OF a quarter OF
mile. where the ground was high and dry, we came
upon the robbers camp. Twelve Of the despera-
does were there and were easily captured, and the
amount or property which fell into the hands of the
officer; was large Some of the villains were
away and probably made good their escape. The
chief of the gang, Texan ranger, f the name of
Bastrop was the individual whom had overtaken
on the road, and whom had shot, Had he been
content to Let me depart in peace, doubt il
should have been the cause OF trouble to him. As


have already said, il had occurred to me that the
haunt of the robbers in the cane brake, but as
| had lao desire to be mixed up in such mess,
might have kept on my way, allowing the proper
officers to attend to the finding of the outlaws.
The cowarlly atemp upon my life, however, deter
mined me otherwise, and the last act of john Ba-
strop's career, instead of saving his gang from
rest, as he had intended. proved the signal of de-
uuctior. Of both him and them.