Year: 1874

"How is the house fastened! inquired Long.
Strongly in every way, and as for the old
mans room 1t is perfect arsenal. lie seems
TO have fancy for odd weapons, and has bis
walls hung round with such things as Turkish
pistols. ali old fashioned sabre, long lance, an
Indian war club, and queer articles OF that sort.


"You did right in calling his house CASTLE
when you first spoke OF it in the wood" SAID
Long.


"What part OF his room does he keep his
money in !? asked Fox, clinging 10 his favorte
point.


- Ia the top drawer OF an old bureau at the
foot OF his bed" replied Hunt. 1t is only
fastened with common lock, and any ordinary
chlsel will pry it open in minute. My boy,
Tom, who got me all these particulars, learned
the place OF deposit by calling on him when he
was little under the weather to get payment
for nag that was run TO me by an Arkansas
horse thief, named Holmes"


. know that fellow" said Birch, = he used
to be scrub lawyer and has had the audacity
to enter our honorable profession after being
declared unworthy to remain in his own"


" y common insult to our order said Long
with smile.


How do you know the amount he has on
hand ?" asked Fox, without noticing the ~
terruption of Birch.


- He has Just been selling part OF his farm,
that can't be worth less than FIVE thousand dol
lars


Are there any laboriug menempoyed npon
the place now ," inquired Long.


"Yes, two. but they live ON a remote part of
the farm, and unless pistols are discharged they
are not apt to be alarmed"


II hope there will be no occasion for blood
shed, SAID Fox, my experience IL against 1t /;
it keeps pursuit on mans trail months after
it woud be renquished IN all other cases. It
Is now nearly three years since killed the
grocer in Tuscaloosa, and have never felt safe
in entering any part of Alabama since. \ man
ought to make twice as much where he has to
take life, as in any ordinary job"


don't see as there weuld be much objec
ton to knocking that niger on the head,' said
Birch.


" Not so far as the nigger is concerned SAID
Long, "but | agree with Fox as to the lmpclcy
of killing IN any way if it can be avoided. We
are obliged to do 1t often enough in the chances
Of our business, but ! don't know OF many
cases where 1t wouldn't have been better left
out the case altogether. Now in the Dolson
matter, where the old man knew all three Of
MS, | admit it was necessary to cut h- throat,
but II he had not awoke at foolish tune we
should have accomplished our work, and he
might have lived on to scrape together new
harvest for ne at some other period


"Well, that IL pretty piece Of philosophy
for man who has always been the first with
/ the maxim that dead men tell no tales, - SAID
Birch.


- can vlndicate Capt Jack in that said
Fox, he is always the first to perceive the
real necessities of a case, and when he does see
them he does not ask any one else 10 set for
him


DO | either? said Birch rather snappIshly.


''The Judge only means to compliment me,
not to reflect on you, said Long with pacify-
ns smile; his very protest now is because he
knows you are too ready TO perform your share -


Very good, said Birch, as Fox nodded an
approval OF this sentiment, and modifying his
tone he added. "but do not see how we are
to get by that Niger without sencing him.
What do You say Hunt, is there no way Of en-
terng the house except 10y the front door


ee. ladder thrown against tue piazza
will let you into the sitls' room, or through a
window that opens on the passage beside II
which leads directly to the old mans chamber,
but stll you will nave to go right across TIC
nipger."


Unless there are three more of MS then,
Insist that we shall have to Kill the niger, re-
iterated Birch.


L think, Also that our force is too small
sand Fox, looking inquringly at Long.


- Undoubtedly 1t is, said the Prairie Wolf
q" il we intend to take the house by storm; but
it is not necessary to depend upon our arms al
together while we have heads. am not willing
to leave tins Job to be performed by other
hands, and as we cannot reduce the enemy by
seige, we will see If we cannot take him by
stratagem."


Let's have your plan" said Fox


- cannot give you plan exactly upon suct
short notice. replied Long, "but can give
YOU proposal. will go to the house anC
SOCK elnplOyIueul, OT ODtdlu euJThIce on Jnt
score of hospitality. Once in. think I car
form plan that will dispose of the darkey anC
give you easy ingress."


Alb, come now, that looks'lll something,
said Hunt, slapping his thigh in a manner tha
showed he bad been quite relieved of all thu
perplexities which had previously clouded hi
brow.


Some further conversation followed IN thi
vile council, but the scheme OF the adventure
was now fixed, and the robbers soon retired L
sleep on their purpose


In the morning Long attired himself in
rough laborers dress, and set ont on foot in th'
direction which Hunt had given him. he di,
not ride, because it was not considered pruden
that any person should be seen IN his company
had he gone on horse back through any part o
bis journey a companion would have been nee
essary IN order that his animal might be re
turned. Fox and Birch were TO follow him a
night on horseback, under The lead Of Hunt
and secrete themselves in the vicinity Of the
farm which was to be invaded and Long wa'
to hold correspondence with them in then
jungle and TO impart TO them his directions how
to act