The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1873-09-04
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It was Joe. Look here,' said he, En-
glish, we're lost. Busted has bit his rope
in two and gone off, and here we are.
Well, started up. 1t was Just as III
said. We couldn't say nothing, it seemed
so useless We knowed we couldn't have
went back again, and yet we knowed wee
got to. If you must, you'd better la:
always been my favorite motto: Hu
there we was, fifty miles from water, anG
that water was alkali and about as bad a:
qone at all. And for two days we'd been
dry. Well, we felt we'd never see Busted
again, and we just sot and waited for the
moon to rise and light us out ET it had
been moonlight and ef we hadn't waited
we'd died sure. But its being q little
cloudy saved as; for, as we were sitting
there, we heard steps, and there was
Busted. He came up to us and shifted
vi course, we was mighty glad and
mighty relieved to see him; but
we was puzzled by his onaccount
able behavior. He kept kind of buckine
around into us and braying; and at last
we see the reason. He kept trying to
brush against him, and finally that canteen
that hung on his saddle hit Joe's hand
English = just yelled Joe, in his hoarse
and husky voice, that canteens's wet ~
And sure enough it was. That mule had
smelt water and had come back afterward
and, though it couldn't fill the canteen, ii
had stopped down and got its outside wet
We saw it all in a minute. well, lead
us out, good Busted said Joe, patting his
neck and half hysterical. And that mule
just went for water straight; and We fol
lowed, you bet, sir. And he led us
straight on to spring, with willows and
canebrake growing around us, and nice
bunch grass just little way off. Oh! it
was lovely. We stayed there all the next
day and just swilled water; and then we
started back, Joe and both riding Busted.
well, we kept pretty quiet for some
time. But Joe he kept hearing people
talk of Dryfogels discovering gold over
there, You know; how Dryfogel went
out and found gold and left his private
mark there, and then came back, and
when he went out again couldn't find
his mark nor nothing. Well, Joe, he
didn't know Dryfogel; but he kept hear
ing and hearing about it, till he grew kind
of crazy about it. And nothing would sat-
isty him but he must start out again.
Well, nd had enough of the Amargosa
Country and the Death Valley, and
didn't believe in the Dryfogel story. But
Joe and me was sitting in Manwel's store.
Well says Joe, if nobody'll 60 with
me, III 60 alone. Just give me Busted.
and I'll travel through this country from
one end to the other. And l tell you
what, Pm going over there to settle, bag
and baggage. I've got five hundred dol
lars in gold, that I'll put in my belt, and
I'll start alone, if it's necessary
denly.
swell, Joe was in for it, and he'd have
gone with anybody rather than not have
gone, and it ended in his starting as he
said. Well, as might have been expected,
Joe never come back. But MARVEL did.
In less than fortnight he was back again,
with his hair all right; but he said he'd
lost his hat. He couldn't stand the desert,
he said; but he'd left Joe we'll and hearty
and on the way acros. the Death Valley.
The story seemed reasonable enough, and
we didn't think nothing strange about it,
except that Joe didn't write no message
to me. 1t might have been all of two
months after this, when Captain Herring
came through with q pack train. And
precious bung-eyed old rascal he is, you
know. Well, he filed along with his train,
and stopped to take dinner with us; and,
as he tied up his train, who should 1 see
but Busted. At first l couldn't believe it,
for knew that Joe never would have
parted with him; but he prayed and
me when come up. I didn't
say nothing to no one; but l drew Cap.
tain Herring outside. Cap says l. do
you mind putting that mule into my shed,
and just keeping quiet about itr Well,
Cap, he was little surprised; but he said
yes. Now, Cap" said l, that mule be-
longed to Joe Childers. I am quite sure.
Tell us where you found him. And then
Cap said it was over in the Death Valley
region. And what is curious said the
Captain, he had an old felt hat in
his mouth and flesh wound in
one of his buttocks, but no saddle nor
nothing. Can you show me that hatg
says l. No. says the Captain, for l
threw it away; but it was for all the world
just like the one you're wearing Well
says l, Joe never wore hat like that.
Look here, Cap, you're going on trip up
north, and will pass through here in a few
days again. Just leave that there mule
with me, and let me investigate this thing!
SO the Captain agreed and let me keep
Busted. No one had recognized him un-
der his apparejo, and and my partner
kept quiet about our having him in the
shed. But that evening we went into
Manwel's store. BY the way said I,
quite careless and Indifferent like, there
was mule mighty like Joe Childers's
Busted in Captain Herring's train today
Maxwell started. Did it have wound
or scar on its hip?' says he. why, no.
says I. Neither did Busted And then
see he looked confused; but l kept quiet
and said no more that night. But talked
it over with my partner that night, and
we reflected great deal about the circum.
stance of his having hat in his mouth
when Cap Herring found him. Finally
we decided to let Busted loose, and give
him my hat and see what he'd do. We
held the hat before him the next morning.
He smelt of it, and smelt of it and, finally,
all of sudden grabbed it in his mouth
and started out. We followed. He went
straight down to Manwel's store. MARVEL
was out in front, talking to some one.
That mule just stepped up and dropped
the hat neat and square on his head.
What's all this:' says MARVEL, trying to
look unconcerned. I'll just tell you what
it Isl says I. 1 suspect that Joe Childers
has been murdered, and suspect that
you done it. WELL says MARVEL, its a
lie. You always hated me, English; but
to accuse me of numbering man when
you don't know he's dead just a
little lays over anything ever
heard on Well, it was mighty fortunate
for us that Judge Perry happened to be
in the crowd. He'd ridden over that
morning before, to look at some mines;
and, hearing some noise, he come up.
Gentlemen said he, in his lawyerish
sort of way, let us know the point at is
sue.' Well, told him the whole story,
and he listened very grave. .'Gentlemen,''
said he, let us do this thing calm and
proper. Assuming that the late Mr..
Childers is dead, was their any property
which might offer an inducement to GU.
pidity about him! In other words, what
did he have worth stealing? Five hum
bred dollars in gold,' says I, in belt
The gold says the Judge, very impas-
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