White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1857-06-11


The upshOt of all this was. that on the next
morning. when the teamsters had the horses all
kitehed up, ready to put out, they took the back
trail for the settlements, at the given word from
Ben; and their hearts grew light and joyous. de-
spite their late b,reavenents, as the wagons
rumbled rapidly over ~ prairie on they way
home. The two lovers rode side BY side, happy.
at this unexpected turn Of fortunes wheel-and
together they have travelled ~ since. o!d
RAmrod, TOO. gladly aeconpinied tieHi. for he
had nat put foss within the States for three long
years
The fate Of Bill BlencOe-the bully, the duel
list, and the baniit-remains yet undescribed.
Ga! how rapidly, to him, did that declining
sun drop down the western sky! The softly
tinted clouds grew gorgeous, and bIazsd with
molten FIRE, AMI a,red upon him With a painful
ernigenee. Brighter they grew-brishs to their
full intensity; AMI then their glory gradually IA.
ded into heavy, sombre rel, which spanned
the whole horizon, while in thu centre hing the =
sun, like molten bali of Gre; AMI be gazsd at
Il steadily, with wild. staring eyes, as It hung
there, suspended for moment before lis lapse
from sight summoned his cxeeutiorers to their
work. Then, whenits last faint ray had vanish
ed, and tTiligh. cine rushing from the east,
spreading its gossamsr veil ovrr thu plain, he
shuddered, and chill erept through his veins,
as he heard the dismal howl Of distant wolf.
Then another took up the mournFal cadence from
point still more remote; and as the twilight
deepened, the signal cali WAS answered from ma
ny threats at intervals-some near, and some
far. Often before, he had heard those voicesin
the silent watches Ofthe night, and needed them
mott but now he trembled. If he could not free
himself, he knew that death was certain, and
his guilty soul recoiled at the dread issue.
Once more he tried with all his might to part
the rope that held him. He pIaeedhis feet upon
it, AMI pulled with all his strength, bat the strong
raw-hide would not yield particle. It only cut
still deeper into his bleeding wrists. Then tura-
ing, he wound the rope around his BODY, until
he had wound himself w close to the picket-pin,
and strove to draw it out of the ground; but It
remained firm as ever. Now, frantic with fear
and rage, he dashed to its full length With all his
force; but he tried in vain. He stamped. and
raved, and swore, and tagged violently at the
cruel rope; he chewed Il With sayage despera-
ton, and dashed himself upon the ground, until
his body reeked Rith Precipitation. But no relief
eame-onlytbe wolves! lie could see the din
| light of Ben's far on campfire. and this 5siIy
aggravated his woes. The wolves had scented
him now, and were holding hideous revels az no
great distance. The howled and whined, and
their feet pattod on the turf, rs they trotted
stealthily around him, running hither and thith.
er. and afraid to approach one whom they had
been TAUGHT to fear. But their frightened victim
stood rigid as q statue, and only CRASHED bis
teeth, as his eyes rapidly followed them in all
their twistings and turnings. The creatures
seemed puzzled. The adventure was new to
them. But they only howled the louder-and
each yell brought flesh aeces5ions to tlieirranks
Presently little coyote, bplder than the rest,
brushed past him, shufilg as It went, and the
bully started at the contact of creature be
would yesterday have scorucd to waste bullet
on. Then another came. and another. The
magic circle that had seemed &c keep hisperson
sacred until now, grew rapidly .ess; and among
the hundred dusky shadows near him, he could
distinguish the larger forms Of the dreaded grey
wolf. A half dozen Of these now m1ved out
from the rest. and approached him siealthiIy on
all sides, and he knew that his doom vas sealed.
His heart lcaped to his throat, his jaws grew
dry. and lurid flames alshel through his eyes.
And now they made dash at him, simultane-
ously. With a single yell Of mortal agony, he
sprang to the full length Of the rope,as If he
would leap them all at a single bounds oct 10
fore it was fairly taat, they had fasteU,d tbeirr
fanss upon him, and tasted his blood. Before
the sound of his Last death-yeH had fiiriy died
away upon the air, the whole pack were snariing
and mapping and fighting over his bonos.
When Ben and RamrOd passed thar way the
next morning, the pieEes-pin and 4 uell-gnawed
skull were all the traces that remiined Of the
last nights tragedy.