Show mg of I 1 by GEORGE PARDY archibald episode in which john wilson murray figured i of 0 ven sound was a man well known to the country folk in tl e brov ince of ontario barada his business was that of a traveling nurseryman and he drove from county toc calling upon he tanners with the object of selling them trees and fancy shrubbery he was g athletic fellow of convivial dis position with a host of friends and boo i comi anions who 1 ad conferred on him the n of bold drinkwater a sobriquet which he dia not resent and by which he was known everywhere he sojourned As a salesman baldy a decided success for he possessed an amount of persistency which usually attained its goal when he approached a farmer with a propos tion the chances were all against the rustic being able to evade his wiles for baldy would stick to and cajole his victim with artful tongue and lengthy argument until he had won his po nt few of the banners were capable of resisting him especially because of the fact that he did not insist on cash pa meats nhen disposing of Us stock for baldy was always willing to ac capt a man s note for the amount of a purchase and in fact seemed to prefer notes to ready money in many instances the said i reference on the jovial mi drinkwater s i art pua aled the rural customers at first but a day arrived when tl e reason of his peculiar taste in such matters was re healed to them with painful clear ness notes that came into baldy s hands in the course of his business he dis counted at the banks and there were a large number of them tor as has already been stated he was a good deal of a hustler in his way sudden ly without giving any of his numero u acquaintances notice of his intention baldy lavished laii shed from his us il fa aunts and the knew him no snoie V hen several of the notes he had discounted at the banks in vesti gated it was discovered that the missing man was a forger and had faked tl e signatures to bogus orders and promises to pay the farmers whose names made use of in this unconventional n anner were naturally indignant pi en the forgeries cam to light and it was just as well for mr drinkwater that he was hafeli out of their reach they had no anten iton however of allowing him to et off scot tree if it were possible fo lay hold of him and a of his sw u adling operations was accord angly given the authorities the case was prompt ly turned over to detective john wil son murray with instructions to locate drinkwater arrest and bring him back to justice murray proceeded to bill the f g the all over the country bit this course resulted in nothing definite and the first useful bit of information obtained by the detective came from another louice it was to tie effect that drinkwater had a b oti er in law in illinois with he have sought refuge the clew was of sum chent importance to induce murray to prepare extradition capeis and start tor chicago babdj s baroti ei in law lived near the village of bt ann s about miles aiom the windy city when the detect e leached the cit he called upon the united states corn missioner who asa ened a german deputy known as dutch peter to u him the dej uty was an odd character speaking quaint english and agnen to the quoting of innumerable teutonic proverbs but as the s ib t ro went to iove was also a thoroughly brave and rel able man they arrived at st ai n s about six clock in the evening and mi rray ascertained that baldy s brother in law who was t county constable lived some 20 miles it in the country and was well known hiding hired a tean the detective and his companion started to daive from the I 1 little village the road was in asplen did condition enabling ahe horses to make fast time and at ten clock at night the wagon halted before the crossroads saloon of a little country corners jovn murray hitce ed his team and ente ed the saloon followed by 1 the dei uty there v ere six men in the ilace besides the bartend i all seven were drinking together and all were halt finnk the moment D itch peter espied them he whispered to his comi ai i n dat iss big po ley und t e fellow 1 e got out of t e kcf iten biary the deputy s remark warned mur ray as it was intended to do that had a tough gang to deal with and ca a rapid glance over the mccu rants of the room he had never seen drinkwater but possessed a fairly good description of him and the first he spied answered to it in every particular being tall b irly and with facial marks corresponding to those d in the rolice records but as they ml turned when the detective ordered a drink saw to his intense surprise sur that he man was almost a duplicate of the first it was the most astonishing likeness be tween people that hb had ever come across during his career a an officer he felt positive tl at one ot the pair was the object of his quest but wh ch one he id not tell the men were playing pool and resumed their game as the bartender bai tender went beh nd the coun ter to serve the i ew arrivals there was a mirror at the a of the bar and murray could see the players re fl acted in it as he stood facing the glass dutch peter demanded some whisky and as he did so ie for find ng out which of the custode s was his quarry to M irray youia asked the bar tender drink water said bunay in a loud distinct tone adding rap adly with whisky on the side As he si oke he watched the six men through the ai d saw one of the I 1 air of doubles glance u shift uneas il eye the newcomers an instant and turn again to the game slight as the action was it satisfied murray that he had discovered which was baldy drinkwater he finished his dr and stood leaning on the bar for a mon ent st idding the situation how to secure his man without a fight and perhaps a shooting melee was the problem he had to solve and it did not look like a very easy one dutch peter also fully awake to the serious ness of the task before them glanced anxiously at his comi anion at last a faint smile glimmered on murray s face and followed by the debuty he went outside untied the horses and drove the team up to the saloon and beyond the door then he turned and addressed his companion see here peter he said impress ively you can understand that this is a pretty risky job that we have in hand I 1 ve picked out drinkwater artong that bunch in there but pick ing him out and getting him a vay are t 0 o different things altogether As sure as fate there will be a mighty scrap it we try to take him out of that joint by force as those fel lofts in there aie all friends of his tl ey are not likely to stand by quietly and ee him dragged away nov my idea is that if there is bound to be a fight it had better come off out here in the open where baldy s friends will find it harder to us the odds be too heavy us in the saloon D itch pete nodded widely yah dot iss so he agreed und he be one of the two i ig t llo v i s he naf yes replied he is the big chap who wears the gray hat e must trick him into coming out here that will be our only chance of laying ban Is on him tell you how we 11 try to work it you just step inside and tell him that is a woman wants to speak to h m at the door be certain that you come out ahead of 1 im and the moment you get cuts de jump for the wagon and the reins as quickly as you know how leave the rest to me theres noth ng but a ai 1 sudden action can bring us out on top dutch pete ch ckles ev dently the prospect of a 1 vel struggle appealed ap peale favorably to him een tho gh the odds we e against them murray lotin ghis cheerful gr n and tl e solidity of his square thick set frame felt much en raged to hae his companion turn out a coward at a critical moment would have put a serious o 0 in his for the task awaiting hin was one that a man could scarcely have at tempted smale handed dot ibs a goot way comme ted the d put I 1 go now und gel him oud he ed ii to the saloon and M rray took up a position close by the door hold ng the reins loosely while he awaited peters leburn it was an andio is moment and it almost seemed to the detective as though he 1 ad been waiting hours instead of seconds before the door swung open and the fig ire of the dep ity emerged the latter obeyed instructions to the very letter he gained the wagon with an active si ali g and si arched the reins from murray s hands just as the huge burly arime of bald drinkwater crossed the threshold he stood for an instant peering around in search of the female whose n ua ger had called him murray stand ng back in the shadow of the building w th set teeth and tense muscles in readiness foi a spring w acted alted for the crucial n ament to hurl himself apon 1 is i re the big fellow stepped toward the wagon and hailed peter in angov tones whores that skirt you said wanted to sea r 9 he demanded inere was no reply and the next moment drinkwater staggered back as murray leaped savagely upon him the vi grip of the detective s sinewy hands choked back the cry for help which was about to issue from the victim s throat then aly shifting his hold he threw all his strength into a tremendous heave which hurled drinkwater off his feet and landed him sprawling on the floor of the wagon dutch peter no sooner perceived the afna of the nev ne v pas benger than he promptly fell upon and held him down A sharp click 01 ol lowed as murray snapped the steel 1 handcuffs and cuffs on his prisoner s wrists and in ain ost the same instant reached behind and snatched a revolver from s hip pocket by this time the man hav ing in some meas ire recovered from the strangling effects of murray s grip found his voice again and sent forth a hoarse yell for help it was responded to by a rush oe men from the saloon a couple of whom seized the horses heads while tv drew revolvers and advanced toward the occupants of the wagon the were confronted by gleaming stoel tubes leveled in deadly aim by the steady hands of the detective and deputy the first man that moves a step forward dies said murray s deep voice and the would be assailants halted abruptly the bartender made his appearance d 1 and was greeted with a buckle of delight b the irrepressible dutch peter ank you kint anent cried the cheerful deputy now I 1 kin see to shoot goot his frank avowal of gratitude gra was re va ded by a volley of choice bias phemy from athe man in charge of the lamp abich waa interrupted by mur ray s voice stand back aiom those horses you fellows ordered the detective and who the devil are you to give is folks 01 dei sa roared the man who leem bled the think we re such blasted tools as to let you come kidnaps our pal and acar of him off without main a move to help hima that kind of game don t go here and don t you forget it since ou want to know so bad I 1 a united states marshal from f b cago and have a warrant tor this man responded murray coolly get a magistrate then boys and make him show his authority shout ed the leader of the gang don t believe him he s a liar and am t got no warrant howled the prisoner from where 1 e sat with dutch peter s muscular arm around him they re a pair of damned frauds fellows that s all they are shoot em do bo s don t let em take me away to murder me at this juncture a man of more im bearing than the others of the crowd emerged from the back room of the saloon and walked toward the wa gon cautiously he was promptly halted by murray when he had ap preached within four feet of the ve hide stand right where you are corn banded the detective harshly now who are you and what do you want im a magistrate and demand that iou show me your papers before I 1 permit you to take that man away was the rep you may be a magistrate but I 1 m a united states marshal and not to be dictated to by you or anybody else around here bluffed murray my pa pis are in my pocket and are going to stay there it 11 take more than ou or our friends can do to make me show them then you defuse to show your au for this highhanded proceed ing queried the self sty led magis lou juat bet that I 1 do a as murray s emphatic rejoinder the officio s inquirer stepped back a few paces and called three of the gang into consultation this action left but three men standing by the boises and murray called to them sl deply let loose those horses he cried A derisive lauh was the sole re and bend ng forward swiftly tl e detective took caret il aim with his re volyer and pressed the trigger loud report and sp of flame into the shadows followed the two horses snorted and reared wildly as the bul lets hissed by their ears and plunging fiercely tore loose from the detaining 1 ands on their bridles and fie v down the road at a g gallop mi r ra caught the reins laughing tri antly wh ie dutch peter sat on the racing prisoner i rom the darkness behind came a medley of oaths and yells of fury re solvers cracked sharply and several bullets whizzed harmlessly over the heads of the f it the horses had swung smoothly into their stride and were racing rapidly away murray headed them tor st ann s giving them f ill rein and they sped through tie night ike swallows bound for home in the bottom of the wagon D itch peter s human cushion yelled and howled frantically struggling to atiee himself and calling on h s friends to follow and slay his captors weary ing of the incessant clamor murray finally resolved to gag his noisy cap tive tearing lecat he n ight rouse the entire village when the arrived at their destination and accomplished the feat with the aid of a stout hand kerchief while the amiable drink water snarled snapped and bit like a mad dog during the operation in the dead of night the wagon pulled up in front of the hotel at st ann s with fagged out horses panting wet mid drooping Dnn kwater still raging refused obstinately to walk and was earned kicking and swearing by the detective and his comrade into a back room of the hotel to wait for the chicago train so far 1 icat had favored murray wonderfully but he had passed through too many adverse experiences in the course of his cial career to think of congratulating himself until the journey was ended and the sate inside the stone walls of a cell from what he had already seen of mr bald ter s friends he knew them to be men who would not lightly relax their ef torts to tree him from the clutches of the law that they would follow jn rapid pursuit as soon as they could ob tain the means of transportation the detective felt certain and it behooved him to devise some means of defense in case the avengers arrived before the train left for chicago leaving the prisoner in charge of his worthy as distant he sought the presence of the landlord whom he addressed with due official gravity I 1 am a united states marshal said murray and have an important pris oner in charge A gang of his friends are an my trail and likely to arrive here at any moment I 1 won t give him up and as I 1 dont suppose you want to buck against the govern ment the best thing you can do Is to bar your doors and refuse them adais slon when they come the was visibly impressed I 1 don t care to be drawn into no shooting affair he said goom lly but it things are as ou sa I 1 reckon have to tell em to stay out doors murray nodded curtly and stood watching as the other proceeded to secure the doors hardly had the last bolt shot into place when the hoof beats of tuno isly galloping horses re sounded on the road without coming tp a halt before the hotel the riders bunted and rapped impatiently on the door receiving no response they beat fiercely on the panels and a couple of yei shots rang agh the stillness of the night A clamor 0 angi vo ces ensued none of this skulking landlord they shouted open this door in the nartie of the law or we 11 break it down we are officers and won t stand tor any A third and fourth shot followed this imperious demand and the landlois land loid began to quake in his shoes looks like have to let em in he said apologetically to murray it I 1 don t they 11 bust my door and you 11 be none the better off in the long run murray eyed 1 im grimly suit |