Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1878-12-11
the sHERIFF's MISTAKE,

"Thar's strangers" said the Sher
id, suddenly setting down his tin
cup Of regulation whisky untouched
and shnffling TO the door.
The Sheriff was q safe man TO be
iieye, though how he made out any
thing In the binding glare OF even
ing sunlight that flooded the level
prairie west Of Buffalo Station nc
one bnt q professor of optics could
have told. The old man had the
eye Of an Eagle.
1.-TWO on EN-, with a pack pony
he added; and just then y sudden
sunset shadow swept across the
lonely waste, and we saw them too.
They were about a quarter Of a
mile away, heading for the station
and its single combination building
of store, dining.room and freight
house. They came on at an 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 cloth.
ing and their loose seats in tho sad
die, as we'll as the jaded canter OF
their ponies, everything IN their
appearance spoke of long ride,
and a weary one.
They crossed the track and drew
up in the shade of the station, one
Of them only replying to the Sher.
IFS CHEEKY hail with a curt nod.
He dismountcd stiffiy, addressed
few words to his companion, who
remained in the saddle with one leg
crossed over the bow, aud a moment
later his gaunt, buckskin. and trieze
CARRIED figure vanished in the cool
shadow of the store.
"a likely boy" said the Sheriff,
who had been cycling his companion
intently. They mought be Text.
can drovers-and then agin they
mongbtent."
He added the latter sentence re.
ficctively, never relaxing the scrn.
tiny Of the mounted stranger. That
person was ''likely boy" indeed.
Afoot he might have stood nearly
six feet Oh his bare soles. His
swarthy face, handsome as a gypsy
girls, and deIicately 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; aud
his eyes, full, black, and lustrous as
those OF a race horse, flashed under
the finely -penciled brows. The hand
which rested lazily OH his kuee was
large, and in perfect keeping with
his well-knit figure, bnt in shape
clean cut and handsome rs 4 wo.
mans.
l was still scrntinizing this some.
what singular apparition with more
than ordinary curiosity, when the
Sheriff turned suddenly on me.
"Whar's Your pony, Tom" he
asked.
ain the she'd"
"Saddledi"
"With loose girth-yes.'
"The sOgers is in the Hundred
Horn Gulch," he went on, speaking
rapidly. "Siide forred an bring
'em up. May the big wolf of Dew.
lis Run dev0ur me if them ain't
two of our men,"
l knew the Sheriff too we'll to
hesitate or question further. AS l
girted my pony in the shed, a
shadow floated across the doorway
and was gone. When ! rode out
the two strangers were canteriug of
to the southwark, pointing for the
Republican River, and az l gave
my pony rein aud galloped in the
opposite direction, saw the Sheriff
mounting his big gray mare, which
had been tied to the corner post OF
the store. a
The Sheriff and a party of sol.
diers from Fort Harris were on the
watch for the train. robbers, who
bad stopped the western. bound
train at Big Springs eight days be.
fore, and who we're supposed to
be striking for the Texas border
with their rich spoil. The soldiers,
as the Sheriff had said, were posted
in a ravine known a. 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 l
rode up to the station ahead of my
troopers. The Sheriff, who was
studying the written description of
the marauders By the wondering
light, put himsslf Mt our head with.
out . word, and We tfailed of, q
long line of cresking, juggling,
boot. heating clamor through the