CHAPTERCV.AT “SANDERSON’S HOTEL”—RECOLLECTIONS OF AN AMERICAN DETECTIVE.After a little further conversation the two friends reached “Sanderson’s Hotel,” where Mr. Wrench spent the remainder of the evening with the American.“I like the old country after all,” said Shearman, “though a good many of my countrymen run it down, and, as far as expert thieves are concerned, you beat us into an almighty smash.”“That’s a very doubtful sort of compliment,” observed Wrench, with a smile, “but I will not attempt to deny the statement. I believe we do. A London rough is a match for any one in brutality.”“By the way,” said Shearman, “what became of that horse-stealer, the gipsy, you were in search of? Did you ever find him?”“No. Well, the fact is, I have given up the search. The gentleman from whom the horse was stolen don’t care about prosecuting now.”“Why not?”“He don’t—that’s all I know. The fact is, he was persuaded to do so by Bourne, and now the doctor’s dead he’s disposed to let the matter drop. He says Rawton is not so bad as he has been painted.”“What’s your opinion?”“If I am to speak the truth I am of the same opinion. It was nothing but spite, revenge, or whatever you may please to term it, that made Bourne so bitter with the gipsy.”“’Twas a nice article to give himself airs and graces, and do the virtuous.”“Yes, particularly so—wasn’t he?”“I had one scrimmage with a horse thief which I shan’t easily forget,” said Shearman. “He was a resolute rascal, surely. I’ll tell you all about it. Light up another cigar before I begin.”Mr. Wrench did as he was bid.“You must know,” observed Shearman, who was never so happy as when recounting one or more of his adventures, “that I had been furnished by an Omaha express firm with the means to ferret out a horse thief, by whose operations they had lost some ten animals. Being persuaded by information, too tedious to detail, that the purloiner had gone to Silver Creek, on the Pacific Railroad, I proceeded to that unknown settlement, and immediately commenced operations.“The man and his habits were so familiar to me from repeated description that I felt certain of identifying him in some of the many faro establishments of the place; or, failing in them, in one of the multitudinous fire-water dispensaries.“One night I visited all the gambling banks unsuccessfully. The next I proceeded to inspect the drinking places. The first one was a large frame house, which I entered, and, while drinking, quickly scrutinised every face and incident.“In the middle of the room, upon a huge barrel, stood a red-faced, broad-shouldered Irishman, in his one hand a bottle, in the other a glass; on the floor, close to the barrel’s base, crouched an ill-looking mastiff who eyed around savagely.“At the bar was a tall man waiting the replenishing of his flask. His hat concealed half his face, and a scarlet handkerchief wound round his neck buried in its greasy folds a mass of matted, gipsy-like hair.“I caught him glancing furtively at me when entering, then saw him turn his back; so I kept my eye brisk for any suspicious incident.“Suddenly the Irishman, who all along had been afternately singing in his native dialect and absorbing spirits, fell headlong upon the dog, whizzing the glass and bottle across the floor with a crash.“Simultaneously with his fall out went the light. The reeling man had clutched and wrenched the fixture from the ceiling. Now it was confusion with a vengeance.“The different card-playing groups, deprived of light, rose from the tables, and each gainer or loser struggled for the little heaps and balls of money.“Noises from shouts and loud curses from the hard breathing through the clenched teeth of combatants filled the room; and in this pandemonium I nearly gave up all hope of nabbing my man.“In the midst of the confusion the door opened, the dear moonlight streaming in. Stepping across the sill I saw the man with the red kerchief.“Ere this I had decided that this one was no other than the thief I was after; so I made a spring towards the door, but came to the ground stunned and bruised. Rising, with bleeding face, I saw that I had fallen over the prostrate Hibernian. I rushed out and ran to my horse—he was gone!“Clattering hoofs, gradually lessening in sound, told me that the thief had outwitted me—gone on my own horse. I chafed considerably at the discomfiture, but only for a moment, detectives having little time for sentiments of any kind.“Without any exact purpose, I started off in the direction of the decreasing sound, and suddenly came upon a team of mules.“In predicaments necessitating immediate action, we sometimes hit upon expedients which at other times might seem ridiculous.“So now with me; I cut the breeching and traces of the saddle mule, vaulted on his back, and scampered after the appropriator of my horseflesh.“I knew well that my horse was too fagged for much riding; and as the animal I bestrode was fresh from the stable, I was pretty sure of making my captive, if it was to be determined by speed alone.“Moreover, my mule being miraculously void of the attributes of his race—obstinacy and slow gait—warmed to work, and gradually the thud of the hoofs ahead became more distinct.”“Ah, you are a good rider, I suppose?” observed Wrench.“Pretty well—aint you?”“Nothing much to boast of.”“Ah, but a fellow must know how to ride in America well.”“In twenty minutes, on the moon-lit road, one-fourth of a mile ahead, I saw the man mounting a hillock at a far less rapid pace than mine. At last I come so near that I discerned two pistols stuck in his belt.“I disengaged my own weapons, but did not fire, the rascal’s irregular motion—darting in and out of the skirting woods—excluded the possibility of hitting him.“I called him to halt, at forty yards, levelled, and then let fly at him; a strange, agonising cry arose at the report; galloping through the smoke, I came upon a prostrate horse, no man.“A crunching of crisp leaves among the trees betrayed the quick footsteps of the fugitive. Dashing into the woods, at three paces came a shot from the forest gloom, laying my mule stark dead, I leaping off just in time to escape a crushed limb.“I whipped behind a tree, straining to see my assailant, but I heard and saw nothing; so creeping cautiously back, I found my horse dying and the mule dead. Being a good distance from town, I had no choice but to camp out or foot a weary journey home.“Mounting a low tree, I espied, far in the woods, a bright fire, which I knew was a camp of railroad labourers.“After a two-mile walk I entered a circle of gambling, smoking, low-talking men of different nationalities, receiving a rough welcome.“To my inquiries I found they had heard the shots, but such things were too common to notice; and about ten the most of the camp fell asleep.“I entered a small log tenement belonging to the boss, the hospitality of which was tendered me by that worthy himself; and the company not being very assuring of safety, prepared to take a watchful sleep.“The boss, however, was, as he told me, above the generality of his class as to family and education, having come out of the States for the sake of adventure.“He sat up late, playing with a large, glossy Newfoundland; talking over the topics of the day, and relating many anecdotes of the stirring life in the Western land. Inspired by some excellent punch, I told him my whole adventure, describing minutely the man who had so miraculously eluded me.“He listened thoughtfully, then said he doubted of my ever capturing him, because of the many desperadoes swarming along the line of the roadsmen—who held law officers as foes to the death, and who would espouse the cause of any rascal against them.“Finally we both fell asleep, after I had bargained with him for a horse. Aurora had just arisen from her gray couch, as a shout and bustling without made us both leap from our slumber.“A violent beating at the door, nearly shaking it from its fastening, accompanied by vociferations for the boss, impelled my host to begin rapidly drawing the door bolts, but I clutched his arm and told him to stop, for I had distinctly heard my name pronounced without. We listened; a savage voice yelled:“‘Sind the blackguard out; it’s Shearman, the detective, an’ shure he’s afther Scrubby, the spalpeen! Sind him out, or be jabers we’ll have both av ye out, ye bloodsuckers!’“A pick came hurling, and thrust its four inches through the door; a huge missile fell violently upon the roof, almost coming through. Terribly serious was it becoming. The boss commanded them to desist, but was greeted by a tornado of rocks, spades,&c., thudding over every inch of the edifice.“Two bullets now buried themselves in the doorpost, three inches more and they would have entered the superintendent’s heart. Seeing nothing but our death would allay their drunken rage, the boss declared his intention of fighting to the last.“We grasped hands and then piled all the available moveables against the door; and then charged the three rifles and four revolvers we had.“We both ascended into a low loft over the room, the eaves of the roof forming a narrow opening near the floor. We knelt down and peered out. About thirty men, most intoxicated, armed with excavating tools and firearms, were grouped a little way off, gesticulating and reeling at a terrible rate.“Though divested of his scarlet kerchief, I recognised my horse-thief. Communicating my discovery to my companion, he said that when I first described the rascal he thought he knew him, for his name was entered on the work-list yesterday when he came from Omaha.“‘And depend upon it,’ added the boss, ‘he has escaped some criminal penalty in other settlements than Omaha.’“The lull in the human tempest was now accounted for. Part of the crowd were now engaged in belabouring four Chinamen who had refused to join in the assault; the rest were hilarious witnesses of the performance.“At last, the luckless Celestials being punched into speechlessness, attention was turned on us. Not to betray our refuge, the boss slipped down the ladder and ordered our assailants once more to desist, as we were prepared to kill, if necessary, and determined to rather die than surrender. A renewed bombardment of projectiles inconceivable was their response.“‘Now Shearman,’ said the boss, “use your weapon well, for the way things look, I dont think we could procure life assurance policies on any terms. However, we can stand a siege if fire is not enlisted on the enemy’s side. We have provisions and water below for a week, and half a cwt. of bullets and powder. But, by Jove, this roof will never stand such missiles as the one that Irishman is picking up; and it is not proof against the balls of that crack rifle your friend of the scarlet kerchief is loading; so we’ll put these planks along this side, and keep them from bringing fire to the door—that would be death. See him! look!“The Irishman was drawing back to hurl that death and ruin-dealing rock when the boss fired; the man dropped in his tracks, the heavy stone falling on his face.“The wild drunken crowd rushed at the door with yells of drunken madness. Four small puffs and flashes issued from under the eaves; the rabble drew back pell-mell, leaving three stretched upon the ground.“Our precise locality being thus discovered, the bullets came thick and fast, and the efficacy of the planks was proven—a dozen balls perforated the roof, but lodged in the stout boards.“Suddenly I saw the horse thief partially slip from shelter and poise his deadly-looking rifle. I was aware that its contents would pierce our barricades, and not being able to pick the fellow off in his position, I sprang aside, dragging the boss with me.“Hardly done ere whizz went the ball through a spot of the plank where my brain was the preceding instant, and buried itself in the noble Newfoundland’s heart.“With a mournful cry of agony the brute sprang up, and fell across his master’s knees. The boss stroked his glossy coat, then a strange gleam flashed in his eyes.“We both fired at the slayer—he dropped, then sprang up, and savagely laughing whipped behind a tree.“By this time, from continual battering, the door hung loosely on its broken hinges; nevertheless, our fire kept the mob from attempting the breach, and finally they retreated far back in the forest, giving us a respite to refresh and contemplate our begrimed and bruised faces, our arms discoloured, and trembling from violent exertion, for we had begun the struggle at dawn; it now wanted one hour of noon.“Suddenly a wreath of smoke curled up from the tree; firing and shouting again were rampant; and we got a glimpse of the horse-thief darting from tree to tree, at last bringing up behind a huge oak, exactly in front of which and opposite our citadel grew a tall, flexible sapling.“The man clutched a roaring brand, and I saw his hand cautiously creep around the tree trunk toward the sapling. Then I fired at his huge palm; but he drew it back too quickly. When the smoke cleared away, we saw the sapling bent behind the tree—the man, unseen, busily attaching something to the branches.“We wondered at these proceedings, but the mystery soon cleared up; the sapling bent back, touching the ground, then sprang forward with elastic violence, and from its branches, like a meteor, darted a glancing, hissing brand, lodging on our frail roof with an ominous thud. In unison came a joyful shout from the villains, who made a rush for the door.”“My word, you were hardly pressed,” exclaimed Wrench.“Ah, it’s nothing to what followed. It was a smartish piece of business—take it altogether.“Pell-mell, firing,&c., on rushed that mass of brutal, drunken strength, thirsting for the lives of us two men. A well-timed volley drove them back, less by four; but on the forest-edge stood the horse-thief, exultingly pointing to the blazing roof.“The solar rays of noon, the roof in a whirlwind of flame, and the dense smoke made the house a suffocating oven; hot cinders fell upon us, and the floor below in perilous proximity to the powder; glowing coals fell upon our bare breasts, and put us in momentary agony.“Death stood at our shoulders, and Hope did not accompany him. Seconds now were priceless.“We dashed down the ladder as a heavy beam fell from the roof, and left the loft open to the shots of the enemy. Quickly the boss pulled up a trap from the floor, pushed me down, sprang in himself, and shut and bolted it.“The rapid tramp of feet overhead teld our escape was none too soon; we heard the reckless fiends tearing away the barricades, shouting in expectant revenge.“I followed the boss along a narrow, low, excavated passage, till coming into a sort of cellar, which he said was the storage place for the spirits, he exclaimed, hoarsely—“‘Take this pick, and dig for your life, through the wall, upward; after bursting the spirit-barrel, I will do the same.’”“What a position to be in!” observed Wrench.“Well, I can’t say I have ever had anything so hot as that.“Neither should I care for such another dose. Of course you understand that I was in uniform, and serving my country as a volunteer at this time.”“No, I did not quite understand that.”“Ah, but I was; although a mere detective, I could handle a rifle with the best of them.“Well, I need not tell you that I worked as I never worked before—the axe tore down the earth in masses—the darkness, the perilous mystery in that I was doing, the faint-heard shouts of the wretches above, storming about the burning house, the flames roaring, the wood crashing, wrought me up to a herculean frenzy.“The spirit-cask was now staved; ankle deep in the fiery contents we both worked, like Gog and Magog of yore; suddenly a huge lump of mould rolled down, light and air pouring in upon us. Tear! wrench! a fissure sufficient for human egress presented itself; quickly dragging ourselves through, we stood in a thick clump of low rose bushes, where we lay peering out towards the roaring mass of flame, and through the smoke endeavoured to get a sight of the murderous rascals who ran riot amidst the flames.“Hark! The riot lulls; a thud of hoofs, a regular monotonous clanking—ah, we knew those sounds. Rushing out of the bushes, we came upon a cavalry squad, holding at bay the drunken crowd.“We shouted to the officer in charge to order a surround, which was quickly done; then followed explanation. In the excitement of the scene I had almost forgotten the man with the scarlet kerchief; now I thought of him.“Looking sharply around I espied him creeping off towards the place where the boss’s horses were tethered.“There is the ringleader, Dan Whipple, the horse-thief; in the law’s name, lieutenant, I order you to help capture that man!’“Saying this, I threw myself on the nearest horse, followed by four soldiers; but he had reached the tetherage, and we saw him galloping through the woods, far ahead, saddleless, and managing his nag with a mere halter.“Our horses and his were about the same mettle, and we gained nothing on him. The soldiers told me they had left Silver Creek in search of this Dan Whipple, who, in the open street, had stolen a mule from a team about to set out with a colonel’s camp furniture; that on the road they had come upon a dead horse and the stolen mule with a bullet-hole in his head, being at a loss to account for it; however, they had pressed on in hopes of capturing the outlaw.“They had not gone far before they heard shots and saw smoke, and after a sharp ride came upon the camp.“I did not enlighten them in regard to the mule, but kept a look-out for the fugitive. Although during the civil war the popular estimation of Government horse flesh was not very great, nevertheless these Western war steeds were not at all despicable, for they brought us near enough to get a sight of our prey; but just then the mare whisked into the woods and was invisible.“An ejaculation of a soldier caused me to turn my head, and, fifty feet right behind us, came on the horse the rascal had two minutes before bestrode.“We looked at each other astonished. One man secured the horse, and I ordered the troops to proceed with me to the place where the thief had darted into the forest. We scrutinised every bush and hollow closely; for the moves of the man were so sudden and unexpected that I looked for a fatal shot from every corner.“In apparent despair, I ordered the men to face homeward as our prey had certainly escaped us. We had not gone far, however, before I signed them to keep on slowly, while I lightly dismounted and made a large circuit, until I stood hidden in the bush, ten paces from a certain large tree I had noticed.“Yes, the branches swayed in a manner not at all natural. First a limb rather high up moved queerly; then a lower one; now one farther down; and so the strange motion was communicated till the legs of a man appeared beneath the lowermost branch. I cocked my pistol.“Gradually the body of the veritable Dan Whipple came down till he hung by the hands. Now was the time. Wishing merely to disable him, I aimed for his legs.“‘Ping, ping,’ went those barrels. He tried hard to draw himself up into the tree. Then hung by one hand, with the other endeavouring to detach a weapon.“But it was too much for him. He dropped to the ground with a heavy thud. I pounced upon him, held him by the throat, my knee on his chest, shouting for the soldiers.“A cavalryman detached from his saddle a pair of iron cuffs, originally intended for the appropriator of the luckless mule, and the unenviable ornaments speedily enveloped the captive’s wrists. The wound not seeming serious, we placed him astride his last booty and started for camp.“To conclude, suffice it to note, that the rioters were liberated with the exception of a few of the most prominent, who were sentenced to some months’ labour at the garrison in Silver Greek.“There was no convenient penitentiary in the locality; besides men were in demand by the P. R. R.—therefore they were set at large. As for Dan Whipple, it was found necessary, after surgical examination, to amputate his wounded limb; but his thiefship obstinately refused to undergo the beneficial operation, and three days after his capture he died miserably from the effects of gangrene; thus preventing me from taking him to Omaha, to be subjected to lawful justice by the injured express firm—my employers.“In justice to the departed purloiner of other people’s horses so as to obliterate from his record at least one crime, I explained to the military authorities the abstraction of the mule from the team, and was cleared of all intention of joining the profession, of which Mr. Whipple was such a prominent member.“The labour superintendent, since these adventures were shared, has often met me, and we have undergone the same perils over and over—in words.”
After a little further conversation the two friends reached “Sanderson’s Hotel,” where Mr. Wrench spent the remainder of the evening with the American.
“I like the old country after all,” said Shearman, “though a good many of my countrymen run it down, and, as far as expert thieves are concerned, you beat us into an almighty smash.”
“That’s a very doubtful sort of compliment,” observed Wrench, with a smile, “but I will not attempt to deny the statement. I believe we do. A London rough is a match for any one in brutality.”
“By the way,” said Shearman, “what became of that horse-stealer, the gipsy, you were in search of? Did you ever find him?”
“No. Well, the fact is, I have given up the search. The gentleman from whom the horse was stolen don’t care about prosecuting now.”
“Why not?”
“He don’t—that’s all I know. The fact is, he was persuaded to do so by Bourne, and now the doctor’s dead he’s disposed to let the matter drop. He says Rawton is not so bad as he has been painted.”
“What’s your opinion?”
“If I am to speak the truth I am of the same opinion. It was nothing but spite, revenge, or whatever you may please to term it, that made Bourne so bitter with the gipsy.”
“’Twas a nice article to give himself airs and graces, and do the virtuous.”
“Yes, particularly so—wasn’t he?”
“I had one scrimmage with a horse thief which I shan’t easily forget,” said Shearman. “He was a resolute rascal, surely. I’ll tell you all about it. Light up another cigar before I begin.”
Mr. Wrench did as he was bid.
“You must know,” observed Shearman, who was never so happy as when recounting one or more of his adventures, “that I had been furnished by an Omaha express firm with the means to ferret out a horse thief, by whose operations they had lost some ten animals. Being persuaded by information, too tedious to detail, that the purloiner had gone to Silver Creek, on the Pacific Railroad, I proceeded to that unknown settlement, and immediately commenced operations.
“The man and his habits were so familiar to me from repeated description that I felt certain of identifying him in some of the many faro establishments of the place; or, failing in them, in one of the multitudinous fire-water dispensaries.
“One night I visited all the gambling banks unsuccessfully. The next I proceeded to inspect the drinking places. The first one was a large frame house, which I entered, and, while drinking, quickly scrutinised every face and incident.
“In the middle of the room, upon a huge barrel, stood a red-faced, broad-shouldered Irishman, in his one hand a bottle, in the other a glass; on the floor, close to the barrel’s base, crouched an ill-looking mastiff who eyed around savagely.
“At the bar was a tall man waiting the replenishing of his flask. His hat concealed half his face, and a scarlet handkerchief wound round his neck buried in its greasy folds a mass of matted, gipsy-like hair.
“I caught him glancing furtively at me when entering, then saw him turn his back; so I kept my eye brisk for any suspicious incident.
“Suddenly the Irishman, who all along had been afternately singing in his native dialect and absorbing spirits, fell headlong upon the dog, whizzing the glass and bottle across the floor with a crash.
“Simultaneously with his fall out went the light. The reeling man had clutched and wrenched the fixture from the ceiling. Now it was confusion with a vengeance.
“The different card-playing groups, deprived of light, rose from the tables, and each gainer or loser struggled for the little heaps and balls of money.
“Noises from shouts and loud curses from the hard breathing through the clenched teeth of combatants filled the room; and in this pandemonium I nearly gave up all hope of nabbing my man.
“In the midst of the confusion the door opened, the dear moonlight streaming in. Stepping across the sill I saw the man with the red kerchief.
“Ere this I had decided that this one was no other than the thief I was after; so I made a spring towards the door, but came to the ground stunned and bruised. Rising, with bleeding face, I saw that I had fallen over the prostrate Hibernian. I rushed out and ran to my horse—he was gone!
“Clattering hoofs, gradually lessening in sound, told me that the thief had outwitted me—gone on my own horse. I chafed considerably at the discomfiture, but only for a moment, detectives having little time for sentiments of any kind.
“Without any exact purpose, I started off in the direction of the decreasing sound, and suddenly came upon a team of mules.
“In predicaments necessitating immediate action, we sometimes hit upon expedients which at other times might seem ridiculous.
“So now with me; I cut the breeching and traces of the saddle mule, vaulted on his back, and scampered after the appropriator of my horseflesh.
“I knew well that my horse was too fagged for much riding; and as the animal I bestrode was fresh from the stable, I was pretty sure of making my captive, if it was to be determined by speed alone.
“Moreover, my mule being miraculously void of the attributes of his race—obstinacy and slow gait—warmed to work, and gradually the thud of the hoofs ahead became more distinct.”
“Ah, you are a good rider, I suppose?” observed Wrench.
“Pretty well—aint you?”
“Nothing much to boast of.”
“Ah, but a fellow must know how to ride in America well.”
“In twenty minutes, on the moon-lit road, one-fourth of a mile ahead, I saw the man mounting a hillock at a far less rapid pace than mine. At last I come so near that I discerned two pistols stuck in his belt.
“I disengaged my own weapons, but did not fire, the rascal’s irregular motion—darting in and out of the skirting woods—excluded the possibility of hitting him.
“I called him to halt, at forty yards, levelled, and then let fly at him; a strange, agonising cry arose at the report; galloping through the smoke, I came upon a prostrate horse, no man.
“A crunching of crisp leaves among the trees betrayed the quick footsteps of the fugitive. Dashing into the woods, at three paces came a shot from the forest gloom, laying my mule stark dead, I leaping off just in time to escape a crushed limb.
“I whipped behind a tree, straining to see my assailant, but I heard and saw nothing; so creeping cautiously back, I found my horse dying and the mule dead. Being a good distance from town, I had no choice but to camp out or foot a weary journey home.
“Mounting a low tree, I espied, far in the woods, a bright fire, which I knew was a camp of railroad labourers.
“After a two-mile walk I entered a circle of gambling, smoking, low-talking men of different nationalities, receiving a rough welcome.
“To my inquiries I found they had heard the shots, but such things were too common to notice; and about ten the most of the camp fell asleep.
“I entered a small log tenement belonging to the boss, the hospitality of which was tendered me by that worthy himself; and the company not being very assuring of safety, prepared to take a watchful sleep.
“The boss, however, was, as he told me, above the generality of his class as to family and education, having come out of the States for the sake of adventure.
“He sat up late, playing with a large, glossy Newfoundland; talking over the topics of the day, and relating many anecdotes of the stirring life in the Western land. Inspired by some excellent punch, I told him my whole adventure, describing minutely the man who had so miraculously eluded me.
“He listened thoughtfully, then said he doubted of my ever capturing him, because of the many desperadoes swarming along the line of the roadsmen—who held law officers as foes to the death, and who would espouse the cause of any rascal against them.
“Finally we both fell asleep, after I had bargained with him for a horse. Aurora had just arisen from her gray couch, as a shout and bustling without made us both leap from our slumber.
“A violent beating at the door, nearly shaking it from its fastening, accompanied by vociferations for the boss, impelled my host to begin rapidly drawing the door bolts, but I clutched his arm and told him to stop, for I had distinctly heard my name pronounced without. We listened; a savage voice yelled:
“‘Sind the blackguard out; it’s Shearman, the detective, an’ shure he’s afther Scrubby, the spalpeen! Sind him out, or be jabers we’ll have both av ye out, ye bloodsuckers!’
“A pick came hurling, and thrust its four inches through the door; a huge missile fell violently upon the roof, almost coming through. Terribly serious was it becoming. The boss commanded them to desist, but was greeted by a tornado of rocks, spades,&c., thudding over every inch of the edifice.
“Two bullets now buried themselves in the doorpost, three inches more and they would have entered the superintendent’s heart. Seeing nothing but our death would allay their drunken rage, the boss declared his intention of fighting to the last.
“We grasped hands and then piled all the available moveables against the door; and then charged the three rifles and four revolvers we had.
“We both ascended into a low loft over the room, the eaves of the roof forming a narrow opening near the floor. We knelt down and peered out. About thirty men, most intoxicated, armed with excavating tools and firearms, were grouped a little way off, gesticulating and reeling at a terrible rate.
“Though divested of his scarlet kerchief, I recognised my horse-thief. Communicating my discovery to my companion, he said that when I first described the rascal he thought he knew him, for his name was entered on the work-list yesterday when he came from Omaha.
“‘And depend upon it,’ added the boss, ‘he has escaped some criminal penalty in other settlements than Omaha.’
“The lull in the human tempest was now accounted for. Part of the crowd were now engaged in belabouring four Chinamen who had refused to join in the assault; the rest were hilarious witnesses of the performance.
“At last, the luckless Celestials being punched into speechlessness, attention was turned on us. Not to betray our refuge, the boss slipped down the ladder and ordered our assailants once more to desist, as we were prepared to kill, if necessary, and determined to rather die than surrender. A renewed bombardment of projectiles inconceivable was their response.
“‘Now Shearman,’ said the boss, “use your weapon well, for the way things look, I dont think we could procure life assurance policies on any terms. However, we can stand a siege if fire is not enlisted on the enemy’s side. We have provisions and water below for a week, and half a cwt. of bullets and powder. But, by Jove, this roof will never stand such missiles as the one that Irishman is picking up; and it is not proof against the balls of that crack rifle your friend of the scarlet kerchief is loading; so we’ll put these planks along this side, and keep them from bringing fire to the door—that would be death. See him! look!
“The Irishman was drawing back to hurl that death and ruin-dealing rock when the boss fired; the man dropped in his tracks, the heavy stone falling on his face.
“The wild drunken crowd rushed at the door with yells of drunken madness. Four small puffs and flashes issued from under the eaves; the rabble drew back pell-mell, leaving three stretched upon the ground.
“Our precise locality being thus discovered, the bullets came thick and fast, and the efficacy of the planks was proven—a dozen balls perforated the roof, but lodged in the stout boards.
“Suddenly I saw the horse thief partially slip from shelter and poise his deadly-looking rifle. I was aware that its contents would pierce our barricades, and not being able to pick the fellow off in his position, I sprang aside, dragging the boss with me.
“Hardly done ere whizz went the ball through a spot of the plank where my brain was the preceding instant, and buried itself in the noble Newfoundland’s heart.
“With a mournful cry of agony the brute sprang up, and fell across his master’s knees. The boss stroked his glossy coat, then a strange gleam flashed in his eyes.
“We both fired at the slayer—he dropped, then sprang up, and savagely laughing whipped behind a tree.
“By this time, from continual battering, the door hung loosely on its broken hinges; nevertheless, our fire kept the mob from attempting the breach, and finally they retreated far back in the forest, giving us a respite to refresh and contemplate our begrimed and bruised faces, our arms discoloured, and trembling from violent exertion, for we had begun the struggle at dawn; it now wanted one hour of noon.
“Suddenly a wreath of smoke curled up from the tree; firing and shouting again were rampant; and we got a glimpse of the horse-thief darting from tree to tree, at last bringing up behind a huge oak, exactly in front of which and opposite our citadel grew a tall, flexible sapling.
“The man clutched a roaring brand, and I saw his hand cautiously creep around the tree trunk toward the sapling. Then I fired at his huge palm; but he drew it back too quickly. When the smoke cleared away, we saw the sapling bent behind the tree—the man, unseen, busily attaching something to the branches.
“We wondered at these proceedings, but the mystery soon cleared up; the sapling bent back, touching the ground, then sprang forward with elastic violence, and from its branches, like a meteor, darted a glancing, hissing brand, lodging on our frail roof with an ominous thud. In unison came a joyful shout from the villains, who made a rush for the door.”
“My word, you were hardly pressed,” exclaimed Wrench.
“Ah, it’s nothing to what followed. It was a smartish piece of business—take it altogether.
“Pell-mell, firing,&c., on rushed that mass of brutal, drunken strength, thirsting for the lives of us two men. A well-timed volley drove them back, less by four; but on the forest-edge stood the horse-thief, exultingly pointing to the blazing roof.
“The solar rays of noon, the roof in a whirlwind of flame, and the dense smoke made the house a suffocating oven; hot cinders fell upon us, and the floor below in perilous proximity to the powder; glowing coals fell upon our bare breasts, and put us in momentary agony.
“Death stood at our shoulders, and Hope did not accompany him. Seconds now were priceless.
“We dashed down the ladder as a heavy beam fell from the roof, and left the loft open to the shots of the enemy. Quickly the boss pulled up a trap from the floor, pushed me down, sprang in himself, and shut and bolted it.
“The rapid tramp of feet overhead teld our escape was none too soon; we heard the reckless fiends tearing away the barricades, shouting in expectant revenge.
“I followed the boss along a narrow, low, excavated passage, till coming into a sort of cellar, which he said was the storage place for the spirits, he exclaimed, hoarsely—
“‘Take this pick, and dig for your life, through the wall, upward; after bursting the spirit-barrel, I will do the same.’”
“What a position to be in!” observed Wrench.
“Well, I can’t say I have ever had anything so hot as that.
“Neither should I care for such another dose. Of course you understand that I was in uniform, and serving my country as a volunteer at this time.”
“No, I did not quite understand that.”
“Ah, but I was; although a mere detective, I could handle a rifle with the best of them.
“Well, I need not tell you that I worked as I never worked before—the axe tore down the earth in masses—the darkness, the perilous mystery in that I was doing, the faint-heard shouts of the wretches above, storming about the burning house, the flames roaring, the wood crashing, wrought me up to a herculean frenzy.
“The spirit-cask was now staved; ankle deep in the fiery contents we both worked, like Gog and Magog of yore; suddenly a huge lump of mould rolled down, light and air pouring in upon us. Tear! wrench! a fissure sufficient for human egress presented itself; quickly dragging ourselves through, we stood in a thick clump of low rose bushes, where we lay peering out towards the roaring mass of flame, and through the smoke endeavoured to get a sight of the murderous rascals who ran riot amidst the flames.
“Hark! The riot lulls; a thud of hoofs, a regular monotonous clanking—ah, we knew those sounds. Rushing out of the bushes, we came upon a cavalry squad, holding at bay the drunken crowd.
“We shouted to the officer in charge to order a surround, which was quickly done; then followed explanation. In the excitement of the scene I had almost forgotten the man with the scarlet kerchief; now I thought of him.
“Looking sharply around I espied him creeping off towards the place where the boss’s horses were tethered.
“There is the ringleader, Dan Whipple, the horse-thief; in the law’s name, lieutenant, I order you to help capture that man!’
“Saying this, I threw myself on the nearest horse, followed by four soldiers; but he had reached the tetherage, and we saw him galloping through the woods, far ahead, saddleless, and managing his nag with a mere halter.
“Our horses and his were about the same mettle, and we gained nothing on him. The soldiers told me they had left Silver Creek in search of this Dan Whipple, who, in the open street, had stolen a mule from a team about to set out with a colonel’s camp furniture; that on the road they had come upon a dead horse and the stolen mule with a bullet-hole in his head, being at a loss to account for it; however, they had pressed on in hopes of capturing the outlaw.
“They had not gone far before they heard shots and saw smoke, and after a sharp ride came upon the camp.
“I did not enlighten them in regard to the mule, but kept a look-out for the fugitive. Although during the civil war the popular estimation of Government horse flesh was not very great, nevertheless these Western war steeds were not at all despicable, for they brought us near enough to get a sight of our prey; but just then the mare whisked into the woods and was invisible.
“An ejaculation of a soldier caused me to turn my head, and, fifty feet right behind us, came on the horse the rascal had two minutes before bestrode.
“We looked at each other astonished. One man secured the horse, and I ordered the troops to proceed with me to the place where the thief had darted into the forest. We scrutinised every bush and hollow closely; for the moves of the man were so sudden and unexpected that I looked for a fatal shot from every corner.
“In apparent despair, I ordered the men to face homeward as our prey had certainly escaped us. We had not gone far, however, before I signed them to keep on slowly, while I lightly dismounted and made a large circuit, until I stood hidden in the bush, ten paces from a certain large tree I had noticed.
“Yes, the branches swayed in a manner not at all natural. First a limb rather high up moved queerly; then a lower one; now one farther down; and so the strange motion was communicated till the legs of a man appeared beneath the lowermost branch. I cocked my pistol.
“Gradually the body of the veritable Dan Whipple came down till he hung by the hands. Now was the time. Wishing merely to disable him, I aimed for his legs.
“‘Ping, ping,’ went those barrels. He tried hard to draw himself up into the tree. Then hung by one hand, with the other endeavouring to detach a weapon.
“But it was too much for him. He dropped to the ground with a heavy thud. I pounced upon him, held him by the throat, my knee on his chest, shouting for the soldiers.
“A cavalryman detached from his saddle a pair of iron cuffs, originally intended for the appropriator of the luckless mule, and the unenviable ornaments speedily enveloped the captive’s wrists. The wound not seeming serious, we placed him astride his last booty and started for camp.
“To conclude, suffice it to note, that the rioters were liberated with the exception of a few of the most prominent, who were sentenced to some months’ labour at the garrison in Silver Greek.
“There was no convenient penitentiary in the locality; besides men were in demand by the P. R. R.—therefore they were set at large. As for Dan Whipple, it was found necessary, after surgical examination, to amputate his wounded limb; but his thiefship obstinately refused to undergo the beneficial operation, and three days after his capture he died miserably from the effects of gangrene; thus preventing me from taking him to Omaha, to be subjected to lawful justice by the injured express firm—my employers.
“In justice to the departed purloiner of other people’s horses so as to obliterate from his record at least one crime, I explained to the military authorities the abstraction of the mule from the team, and was cleared of all intention of joining the profession, of which Mr. Whipple was such a prominent member.
“The labour superintendent, since these adventures were shared, has often met me, and we have undergone the same perils over and over—in words.”