The Barrel Mystery

  CHAPTER VIII

  THE COW THAT CAUSED A DOUBLE MURDER

  "One day while we were at work on the counterfeit money, Uncle Vincenttold me that he had been a cattle raiser in his home town. He was outon a farm where he saw a yoke of oxen, which he wanted to purchase.One of the men who owned the oxen, while arguing about the price, saidsomething offensive to Uncle. Without saying a word Uncle aimed hisrifle and shot the man in the chest, killing him instantly. The otherman ran away. He was overtaken by a rifle shot and knocked dead aboutfifty paces away from the first man.

  "With a double murder on his conscience Uncle Vincent cast about for aget-away. As he was short of money he searched the first man that hehad murdered and took from him two hundred and fifty lire. Returningto town Uncle wrote a long letter to his family notifying them ofwhat happened and took a train for Palermo. There he contracted with asail-boat man who landed him at Tunis in Africa. There he found meansto get his fare and went to Tokio, Japan. In Tokio he could not findwork, was forced to steal in order to live, and when he hadaccumulated some money he went to Liverpool. He lived in Liverpoolabout a year where he existed by theft the same as in Japan. In March,1902, he left Liverpool for New Orleans. When in America, he said, hedid not lose heart because he knew many friends, _and they had to helphim_, he said. And he uttered these words with the saturnineconfidence of the established 'Black-Hander.'"