West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-02
THE SHERIFP'S MISTAKE.


Thar's strangers said the Sheriff
suddenly setting down his tin.cup Of
regulation whisky untouched, and shuf-
fling to the door.
The Sheriff was a safe man to believe.
though how he made out anything i'm
the binding glare of evening sunlight
that flooded the level prairie west of
Buffalo Station no one but professor of
optics could have told. The old man
had the eye of AN eagle.
1.-Two Oh 'em, with a pack pony" he
added and just then sudden sunset
shadow swept across the lonely waste.
and.we saw them too
They were about quarter OF mile
away, heading for the station and its
single combination building Of store,
dining.roQm and freight-house They
came on at an easy gait, driving their
packpony before them, As they neared
US we could note the signs OF hard travel
about them From their dust-sown
clothing and their loose seats in the
saddle, as we'll as the iqdcd cantcr of
their ponies, everything in their appear
ance spoke of long ride, and weary
one. 'sT Lna
They crossed the track and drew up in
the shade of the station, one Of them
only replying to the Sherif's CHEEKY
hail with a curt nod He dismOunted
stiffly, addressed few words TO his
companion, who remained in the saddle
with one leg crossed over the bow, and
moment later his gaunt, buckshn-and.
frieze garbed figure vanished in the cool
shado@ of the store.
"a likely boy" said the Sheriff, who
had been eyeing his companion intently
They mOught be Texican drovers-
then agin they moughtent."
He added the latter sentence reflect
lively, never relaxing the scrutiny of the
mounted stranger. That person was q
likely boy " indeed. Afoot he might
have stood nearly six feet on his bare
sOles. His swarthy face, handsome as
gypsy girls, and delcately shaped and
set as, any, lady's was framed with a
shock of tangled, wavy- hair, of whose
black, glossy glory any court dame might
have been proud and his eyes, full,
black, and lustrous as those of a race
horse flashed under the fnely-penciled
brows. The hand which rested lazily on
his knee was large, and in perfect keep
ing with his well-kDit figure, but in
shape clean cut and handsome "a wo-
| WAS still scrutinizing this somewhat
singular apparition with more than or
dinHy curiosity, when the Sheriff turned
suddenly on me.
"Whar's yer pony, Tom?' he asked.
In the shed ~
"SaddledW
With q loose girth-yes.
The sOgers Is In the Hundred Horn
Guleh" he went on, speaking rapidly.
Slide forrerd an bring 'cm up May
the big wolf Of Devils Run devour me
il them amt two of our men,"
| knew the Sheriff too we'll 10 hesitate
or question further. As / girted my
pony in the shed, shadow hoated across
the doorway and was gone. When rode
out the two strangers were cantering of
70 the s0uthward, pointing for the Re
publican River, and as gave my pony
rein and galloped in the opposite direc-
tion, / saw the Sheriff mounting his
big gray mare, which had been tied TO
the cOrnerpost Of the store.
The Sheriff aud a party Of soldiers
from Fort Harris were on the watch for
the traip-robbefPs who had stopped the
westerh bound train at Big SPRINGS
eight days. before, And who we're sun
pOsed % be striking fOr the Texas border
with their rich spoil. The soldiers az
the Sheriff had said were posted I'm a
ravine known ~ Hundred Horn Gulch.
few miles from the station, and where
the main trail from the North Platte
crossed the railroad track
The sun was just dipping when rode
MP TO the station ahead sf my troopers.
The Sheriff, who was studying the writ
ten description of the marauders by the
wandering light, put himself at our head
without word and we trailed off, q
Tong line Sof creaking, iinging, hoof-
beating clamor through the windy n-
ience and gloom Of the darkenifg
prairie.
The ride was long one. for our
quarry had an houts start OF us. and
the moon rose q globe Of coppery fire
and found us still clankinV on 7 had
Joined the Sheriff and the leader of the
soldiers We were a silent trio until ]
ventured
"Are you certain, Sheriff, Of our
men P
Sure az the moon" said the old man.
tersely, drinking In the sweet air of the
sublime night with q sigh which seemed
90 say, let me alone ] know what
IN about, and won be questioned %
r1lencp Qrain The br4ak hrnaTo ne.