The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1878-10-17
The Sherif17S Mistake.
AN EPIs0BE OF LIFE ON THE GREAl
PLAINS.

"Thar's strangers" said the Sheriff,
suddenly setting down his tin-cup OF
regulation whiskey untouched, and
shUfiling TO the door.
The Sheriff was q safe mRn to be-
lieve, though how he made out any
thing in the binding glare Of evening
sunlight that flooded the level prairie
west Of Buffalo Station no one but q
professor Of optics could have told.
/ The old man had the eye OF an eagle.
Two on 'em, with a paek-pOny,"
he ADDED and Just then q sudden
sunset shadow swept across the lonely
waste, and we saw them too.
They were about a quarter Of mile
away, heading for the station snd its
single combination building of store,
dining.room and freight. house. They
came on At "a easy gait, driving their
pack.pony before them. AS they
neared us we could note the signs OF
hard travel about them. From their
dust-sown clothing aid their loose
seats in the saddle, as well as the
jaded csnter Of their ponies, every
thing in their appearance spoke OF q
long ride, and q weary one.
They crossed the track and drew up
III LuE Vi luG Ou6 vi
thsm only replying to the Sheriff's |
CHEEKY hail with curt nod. He dis |
mounted sti1ly, addressed q few words |
to his companion who remained in |
the saddle with one leg crossed over |
tho bow and n moment later his |
gsunt, buek'skin-Rnd-frieZe CARRIED |
figure vanished in the cool shadow of |
the store.
ga likely boy" said the Sheriff,
who had been cycling bis companion
intenuy. "They mOught be TeXiean |
drOveTs-an' then agin they mOught- |
ent."
He ldded the latter sentence re-
fiectivsly, never relaxing the scrutiny |
OF the mounted stranger. That per. |
son was q "likely boy" indeed.
AfOOt be might have stood nearly six |
feet on bis bare soles. His swsrthy |
face, handsome as q gypsy girls, and |
delicately-shaped and set as any
lady's, was framed with q shock OF |
tangled, waVy hair, of whose black, |
glossy glory sny court dame might |
have been proud and his eyes, full, |
black and lustrous as those of 8 race |
horse, flashed under the finely-pen-
ciled broWs. The hand which rested |
lazily on bis knee was large, and In
perfect keeping with his welI-knit |
figure, but in shape clean cut and
handsome as q wOmRn's,
l was still scrutinizing this some-
what singular RppRrition with more
than ordinary curiosity, when the
Sheriff turned suddenly on me.
asked.
"In the shed 90
"Ssddled g'
"With loose girth-yes."
THE sogers is in the Hundred Horn
Gulch," he went on, speaking rapid
ly. "Slide fOrrerd an bring 'em up.
May the big wolf of DEVILS Run de-
YOUR me II them amt two OF our
men,"
knew ths Sheriff too we'll to hesi-
tate or question further. AS girted
my pony In the shed, 3 shadow float
ed across the doorway and was gone.
When rode out the two strangers
were csnteFing of to the southwark,
pointing for the Republican River,
and as gave my pony rein and GAL
Ioped in tbe opnosite direction. / saw
the Sheriff mounting his big gray
MHaLu udu DCCn ElEu " NuC
cOrner-poet OF the store.
The Sheriff and q party of soldiers
from Fort Hills were on the watch
for the trsinrobbers, who had stopped
the WesteFn.bound train at Big
Springs eight days before, and who
were supposed to be striking for the
Texas border with their rich spoil.
The soldiers, as the sheriff had said,
were posted in q ravine known as the
Hundred Horn Gulch, q few miles
from the station, and where the main
trail from the North Platte crossed
the railaOad track.
The sun was just dipping when L
rode up 70 tue station ahead OF my
troopers. The sheriff, who was study
ing the written description OF the
marauders BY the wandering light,
put himselfGt our head without q
word, and we trailed off, a long line
OF creskingn Jingling, hoOf-beating
clsmor through the windy silence
and gloom Of the dsrkeniDg prairie.
The ride vas long one, for our
quarry had Gn hours start OF US, and |
the moon rose a globe OF cOppery fire
snd found us still clanking on. l had
Joined the Sheriff and the leader Of
the soldiers. We were q silent trio
until / ventured
"Are you certain, Sheriff. Of our
men ?"
"Sure as the moOn," said the old
man, tersely, drinking in the sweet
air OF the sublime night with sigh
tnat seemed 70 say, "Lct me alone.
know what rm about, and won't .
be questIOned.n
Silence again. The brisk breeze
was blowing rifted clouds across the !
face OF the moon, mottling the dim
plain with fantastic shadows. Sud- .
denly these clouds swept away. A !
full, clear burst Of light flooded the
prairie, and not half mile away we !
saw three moving figures which, in
the now msrVelOusly brilliant iIIumi-
nation, could be easily distin-
guished as those of two mounted men I
and a pack animal.
The wind was in our faces, blowing
the noise OF our approach from the
IugitlVes. ears and though We rode
hard and with no attempt at stealthi- ,
ness It Was not until we were close
upon them that they suddenly drew
In ana laced about, both men sitting
bold upright IN their saddles, with
their hands at their hips. 10 gesture
and bearing they meant fight, ana
looked every inch desperate and dan
gerOus men. 4,
We halted, too. For a moment q {
dead silence fen rs. Then the Shsr-
ms gray mare neighed, and the
charm was broken. /
"WhO's there ?' called one of the
iugitives in Spanish, emphasizing
the challenge by the sharp click Of
bis pistol as he brought il to
cock. II
The rattle of q dozen carbInes fall
ing into position drowned the Sher- I
IFS reply. Then the clear voice OF !