Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-01-23

juncture ! sprang to saddle and joined in
the chase. As soon as | was within
speaking distance, | was accosted with
the following words Iiullo, Cap want
to help catch that buck ?" EYES," ! an
swered, al would like to be in at the
DEATH Gall right, follow on. We
want to drive him down to the river, so
it would be handler to get to the hacien-
da: for we expect the Christiana up the
river to-day with "a load Of supplies for
the ranch. And we could put him right
aboard My attention was now drawn to
The other horeeman, who had been riding
some few PAGES off to the right. He loos-
ened his grasp on the bri0le rein, and
commenced getting his RATA ready for a
cast. AS soon as the horse felt the rein
slack, he sprang forward at double his
former pace. A few Of those gigantic
bounds and he had left the dogs in the
dogs in the rear, and was close upon the
now doubly frightened buck, which was
striking in vain to hold its own. He of
the RATA, whose name, as | was told by
one of the other horsemen, was jim Cru
well, now dropped the rein, and it hung
lbbSc Dil Vial litss 0uDulhtl. Ilt w LjIltu
the RATA around his head preparatory to
launching it upon the horns Of the quarry
for moment the rope left his hand, and
towering over the head of the buck set
tied down upon his horns. As soon as the
horse saw the success OF the cast, he turn
ed suddenly to the left, stopped short, and
braced himself for the coming Jerk. The
elk, more terrified than ever at feeling the
rope on his horns, was bounding down a
slight decivity at terrible pace, but as
he was in the midst of one Of his gigantic
leaps, he rope frightened, and he was
thrown complete somersault and was
left sprawlng on the sward, while the
horse never stirred from his tracks. Be.
fore the animal could regain bis feet the
dogs were upon him, but they were COM
manded to keep off, and the PROSTATE buck
was allowed to get up, and with a pecu.
liar snort, and with a stamp that made all
the joints Of his ponderous leg crack, the
elk lowered his bristling antlers and went
for" jim. This was just what was want
ed of HIM Gruwell spurred his horse to-
ward the river, and the elk followed in
hot pursuit, thinking, no doubt, that Jim
was trying to escape his wrath, and as
determined he should not. On they went
toward the river; we followed close behind,
When Jim arrived at the river bank, he
swerved suddenly from his course, and
tumbled the elk on the very edge OF the
water, where he was dispatched by one Of
the men, whom jim called Colonel Casey
! now received n cordial greeting and
IN invitation to dine with them. We
turned our horses loose 10 feed, and made
each others acquaintance over elk steaks,
in true "49p style. My new acquaint-
ance' names were James Gruvell, Colonel
Casey, and - Blair They had gone out
from lIomocelly Bannho for some sport,
and this was the result. They were socia-
bic, good hearted fellows, but Casey and
Blair seemed to have u mutual ill-will
they were surly and cross in all they had
10 say to each other, and noticed that
each eyed the other with look of distrust
and hatred. A length, when the elk
steaks and all the small talk. rs well as
well as sporting had been discussed, Blair
got up and strobe out toward the horses,
and presently | saw HIM stoop down and
pick up something from the ground that
glittered in the sunlight. | had noticed It
before, but though it was a broken whis-
ky bottle, of which there were many
scattered over the plain, having been left
there by miners and others, who, constant
ly passed that way. Tie examined it
carefully, and then turned back toward us,
bearing it in his hand.
81 wonder what Blair has found ?"
queried Gruwell.
An abalone shell, reckon; he is al
ways gathering and examining such
things | would DO satisfied if he would
confine his attentions to geological re-
and lot me and my affairs alone,n
answered Casey.
"What injury has he done you ~ asked
Gruwell
lie has Injured me in a way that
nothing but his foul life can cancel. Be.
fore he came into this valley with his pol
ished manners aud pretty face | had the
undivided attention of F. C.. but things
are different now, as you know BY this
time Blair had reached us, bearing in his
hand revolver, heavily gold ana silver
mounted, and 0rnamented; but it bore
traces ofhaying long been exposed to the
elements; its barrel and cylinder We're
furnished and filled with sand, which
would have taken long time to accumu-
late there. As soon as Casey saw it, he
arose to his feet and exclaimed, "liallo,
Blair where did you come across my pis-
tol ? | lost it the day before yesterday
while in the chase of an antelope, and had
intended to 20 and look for it to-day, but
as You have saved me the trouble, will
just thank you and take possession
"Not quite SO fast, Colonel. This is
not your pistol, for you say you lost yours
the iday before yesterday, and this has
evidently been lying where stumbled
upon it for a year; and, here is another
circumstance to contradict your assertion
--another's name is engraved on the