The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-01-15
THE SHERIFF'o MISTAKE.

Suddenly, setting down his tin cup
untouched and shutting to the door.
The sheriff was safe man to believe,
though how he made out anything in
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 on 'em, with pacl- pony" he
added; and just then a sudden sunset
shadow swept across the lonely waste,
and we saw them too.
They were about quarter of a mile
away, heading for the station and its
single combination building of store,
dining room, tavern and treight-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 clothing and their loose seats in
the saddle, as well as the jaded canter t
their ponies, everything in their appear
ance 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 sheriff's CHEEKY hail With
curt nod. He dismounted stiff1y, adj
dressed few words to his companion,
who remained in the saddle with one leg
crossed over the bow, aud moment latA
bis gaunt, buckskin-a and -frieZe CARRIED
:, figure vanishes in the cool shadow Of the
store.
"a likely boy" said the sheriff, who
had been eveing his companion intently
.. "They mought be Texican drovers-an
then again they moughtent."
i He added the latter sentence reflective.
Iy, never relaxing his scrutiny of the
mounted stranger. That person was 8
!, "likely hoy" indeed, Afoot he might
have stood nearly six feet on his bare
soles. His swarthy face, handsome as q
gypsy girls, and delicately shaped and sci
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
8 lustrious as those of race-horse, flashed
proudly under the finely penciied brows
The hand which rested laazily on his KNEE
was large, and in perfect keeping will
), his well-knit figure, but in shape clear
, cut and handsome as a weman's. .'-
I was still scrutinlzing this somewhat
singular apparition with more than ordi
nary curiosity, when the sheriff turned
q suddenly on me.
"Whar's your pony, Tome" he asked
'sIn the shed!"
"Saddled2"
"With loose girth-yes"
3 "The sogers is in the Hundred Horl
. Gulch," he went on, speaking rapidly
i "slide forrerd an bring 'em up. May til
:. big wolf of the Devils Run devour me
= them amt two of our men,
q knew the sheriff too we'll to hesitat
or question further. AS I girthed m
- pony in the shed, shadow foated acros
, the doorway and was gone. When l rod
y out the two strangers were cantering O.
# to the southwark, pointing for the Re
- publican river, and as gave my pom
rein and galloped in the opposite diree
ton, I saw the sheriff mounting his bi
grey mare, which had been tied to tn
corner post of the store. .@..... '
The sheriff, and party Of soldier
= from Fort Hays, were on the watch fo
n the tram robbers who had stopped tn
, West bound train at Big Springs cigh
lie days before, and who were supposed
h be stricking for the Texan border wit
k their rich spoil. The soldiers as the sheri
: had said, we're posted in ravine know
!e as Hundred Horn Gulch, a fe miles fror
h the station, and where the main trail fror
d North Platte crossed the railroad track
v The sun was just dipping when rod
s up to the station ahead of the troopers
o The sheriff, who was studying the writ
% ten description Of the maurauders by tn
le waning light, put himself at our hea
'e without word, and we trailed off. a lon
( line of breaking, jingling, hoof- beatin
d clamor through the windy silence an
y gloom of the darkening prairie.
/ The ride was a long one, tor our QUAR-
/ had an hours start Of us, and the moo
d rose globe of coppery fire and toun
us still clanking on. had joined tn
G sheriff and the leader of the soldiers
lie We we're silent trio until ventured:
is fare you certain, sheriff, of our men?
le "sure as the moon," said the old MAI
t tersely, drinking in the sweet air of th
is sublime night with sigh which SCENE
to say, "Let me alone. know what II
le about, and won't be questioned"
t. Silence again. The brisk breeze We