The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-12-09
THE SHERIFF'S MISTAKE.

THE SHERIFF'S MISTAKE.
An Episode Of Life on the Great Plains.
From tho New York Sunday Mercury
"Thars strangers said the sheriff sud-
denly, setting down his tin cup Of regnla-
ton whiskey untouched, and shutting to
the door.
The sheriff was q safe man to believe,
though how he made out anything in the
binding glare of evening sunlight that flood
ed the level prairie west of Buffalo Station
no one but professor of optics could have
told. The old man had the eye Ofan eagle.
1.-TWO on 'em with pack pony" he add
ed; and just then sudden sunset shadow
swept across the lonely waste, and we saw
them too.
They were about q quarter OF mile
away, heading for the station and its single
combination building of d store, dining
room, tavern and freight house. They
came on ut an easy gait, driving their pack
ponies 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 saddles, as well rs
| the faded canter Of their ponies, everything
| in their appearance spoke of longIid and
IL weary one.
They crossed the track and drew up in
the shade of the station, one of them re-
plying to the sheriii"s CHEEKY hail with u
curt nod He dismounted stifiiy, addressed
few words to his companion, who re-
manned in the saddle with one leg crossed
over the bow, and and q moment later his
enunt, buckskin- and frieZe garbed 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 Texican droyers-an'
then agin they mOughtent."
He added the latter sentence refectively,
relaxing his scrutiny of the mounted stran-
ger. That person was likely boy" in
deed. Afoot he might have stood nearly
six feet on his bare soles His swarthy
face, handsome as gypsy girls, and deli
cately shaped and set AZ any lady's, was
framed with 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 q race
horse, flashed proudly under the finely pen
ciled brows. The hand which rested lazily
on his knee was large, and in perfect keep
ing with his ell-knit figure; but in shape
clean cut and handsome as woman's.
was still scrutinizing this somewhat sim
gular apparition with more than ordinary
curiosity, when the sheriff turned suddenly
to me.
"Whar's yer pony, Tom?" he asked.
"In the shed"
"SaddledP'
with loose girth--yes."
1.-THE sogers IL in the Hundred Horn
Gulch," he went on, speaking rapidly.
"Slide forrerd an bring EN- up. May the
big wolf of Devils Run deyour me if them
amt two of our men,"
knew the sheriff too we'll to hesitate or
question further. As ! githed my pony
| in the shed, shadow hoated across the
| doorway and was gone. When rode out
the two strangers were cantering off to the
southwark, pointing for the Republican
river, and rs gave my pony rein and gal
loped in the opposite direction, saw the
| sheriff mounting his big gray mare. which
| had been tied to the corner Of the store.
The sheriff and party of soldiers from
Fort Hayes were on the watch for the train
robbers who had stopped on the west bound
tmin at Big Springs eight days before, and
| who were supposed to be striking for the
| Texan border with their rich spoil. The
soldiers, AZ the sheriff had said, were posted
| in ravine known az Hundred Horn Gulch.
| few miles from the station, and where the
main trail from North Platte crossed the
railroad track.
The sun was just dipping when rode up
to the station ahead of the troopers. The
| sheriff, who was studying the written de-
scriptiOn of the marauders by the waning
light, put himself ut our head without a
word. and We trailed of, long line of
creaking, jinGling, hoof beating clamor
through the windy silence and gloom Of the
darkening prairie.
The ride was long one, for our quarry
had an hours start Of US, and the moon rose
globe of coppery fire, and found us still
olanking ON. had joined the sheriff and
the leader of the soldiers. We were ST.
lent trio until ventured.
Are you certain, sheriff, of our menu"
Sure ~ the moon," said the old man,
tersely, drinking in the sweet air Of the
sublime night with sigh which seemed to
say. Let me alone. l know what l am
about, and wont be questioned.
Silence again. The brisk. breeze was
blowing rifted clouds across the face of
the moon, mottling the dim plain with fan
tastic shadows. suddenly these clouds
swept away. A full clear burst of light
flooded the prairie, and not II half II mile
away We saw three moving figures which,
in the now marvelOusly brilliant lunar il
Elimination, could be easily distinguished
ns those of two mounted men and u packed
animal.
The wind was in our faces, blowing the
noise of our approach from the fugitiyes'
ears, and though We rode hard, and with no
attempt ut stealthiness, it was not until We
were close upon them that they suddenly
drew in and faced about, both men sitting
bolt upright in their saddles, with their
hands on their hips. In gesture and bear
ing they meant fight, and looked every inch
desperate and dangerous men.
We halted, too. For u moment q dead
silence foil upon us. Then the sheriif's
gray mare neighed, and the charm was bro
ken.
whats therep" cried one of the fugives
In Spanish, emphasizing the challenge by
sharp click Of his pistol as no brought 1t to
q cock.
The rattle Of dozen carbines falling in
to position drowned the sheriff's reply.
Then the clear Voice Of the younger fugitive
arose. "If we must die We might ~ well
die like men," il said.
What followed was almost like the flaming
Of q fash of lightning. heard the sheriff
call out: Throw up your hands," and saw