An Arrest

by Ambrose Bierce

Having murdered his brother-in-law, Orrin Brower of Kentucky was fugitive from justice county jail where he confined to await his trial he had escaped by knocking down his jailer with an iron bar, robbing him keys and, opening the outer door, walking out night The jailer being unarmed, Brower got no weapon to defend his recovered liberty town he had the folly to enter forest; many , region was wilder than now

The night was pretty dark, with neither moon nor stars visible, and as Brower had never dwelt thereabout, and knew nothing lay land, , naturally, not long in losing himself have said if he were getting farther away town or going back --a most important matter to Orrin Brower that in either case posse of citizens with pack of bloodhounds would soon be track chance of escape was very slender; but wish to assist own pursuit Even an added hour of freedom was worth having

Suddenly he emerged forest into an old road, and there before him saw, indistinctly, the figure of man, motionless gloom too late to retreat: the fugitive felt that first movement back toward the wood , as he afterward explained, "filled with buckshot " So the two stood there like trees, Brower nearly suffocated activity own heart; the other--the emotions other recorded

moment later--it may an hour--the moon sailed into patch of unclouded sky hunted man saw that visible embodiment of Law lift an arm and point significantly toward and beyond him He understood Turning his back captor, he walked submissively away direction indicated, looking to neither the right nor the left; hardly daring to breathe, his head and back actually aching with prophecy of buckshot

Brower was as courageous criminal as ever lived hanged; that was shown conditions of awful personal peril he had coolly killed his brother-in-law needless to relate them here; they came out at his trial, revelation calmness in confronting them came near to saving his neck But what would ? --when brave man is beaten, he submits

So they pursued their journey jailward along the old road woods Only once did Brower venture turn head: just once, when in deep shadow and other was in moonlight, he looked backward His captor was Burton Duff, the jailer, as white as death and bearing upon his brow the livid mark iron bar Orrin Brower had no further curiosity

Eventually they entered the town, all alight, but deserted; only the women and children remained, were off the streets Straight toward the jail the criminal held his way Straight main entrance he walked, laid his hand knob heavy iron door, pushed it open without command, entered and found himself presence of half-dozen armed men Then he turned Nobody else entered

On table corridor lay the dead body of Burton Duff