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

| with his thigh smashed. At the same time,
and before could kick clear of the stirrups,
my poor pony staggered and fell dead, with
| pistol ball between his eyes, and in his
fall pinned me to the earth
The fight was ~ brief as it was furious,
and like all really desperate encounters /
ever Witnessed was IN almost silent one, az
fur as any sound of voices went. But the
sharp reports of revolvers and the duller
discharge of carbines freighted the night
wind, and the ground owls numbered into
clumsy flight mt the unwonted noises. Fin
ally single flash famed across the light,
thin vap0r from the firing, u single report
was blown to leeward, sharp and clear, and
then the discharges ceased With u des-
perate effort l dragged myself clear of my
dead animal and limped to my feet.
The sheriff and half n dozen soldiers were
grouped about the body of one of the fug-
tiyes. Another soldier supported the tigure
of the likely boy" Some black shapes
on the pmirie marked the whereabouts of
the rest of the dozen troopers, and told ut
what cost the victory had been won.
The boy himself, only held half upright
by the soldiers strong arm. was still alive.
The bright moonlight shining on his hand
some, grlish face, lighted il to uncarhly
beauty. In the struggle his coat had been
torn of, and broad, dark, slowly spread
ing smear was visible on his coarse gray
shirt. His breathing was hoarse and quick,
the sure index to n shot i'm the lungs.
He's goin," said the sheriff, moppingthe
blood from II bad cut in his forehead with
his sleeve. Great snake! what II fight he
made"
Here's the pony, sheriff
One of the men led the pack pony, which
during the entire fight had been quietly
grizings ut little distance of, up 10 the
group. With quick jerk he dragged of
the tattered blanket which covered the
pack.
There were few camp utensils, some
provisions, and II bungling sort of double
bag thrown over the fronts of the pannier.
With M effort he pulled this of but its
weight tore il from his hands, and it fell
with metallic crash. Az it struck the earth
its seams burst. The queer shaped sack
was simply IN old pair of pantaloons with
the legs tied up, and IFS contents rolled
gingling and sparkling over the short grass,
u cascade of minted gold.
Before the musical ring of the precious
metal had died away the group about the
dead man and wounded boy parted with an
exclamation of startled surprise. The boy
had suddenly struggled to his feet He
stood swinging tlizzily to and fro for IN in
slant and then snatching revolver from
the belt of the amazed soldier, who stood
beside him, fired point blank ut one of his
captors directly in front of him.
The man fell dead, and his murderer. with
the smoking pistol still in his hand, totter-
ed forward step and sunk in II heap on the
corpse of his companion with his face upon
its breast and one arm about its neck.
Strange! Well, however that may be so
far, the stinngest part is to come yet. or
course You have suspected all along that
tho handsome boy was a woman? Well, he
wasn't! and what was more the pair, far
from being the train robbers, were u worthy
Texan drover and his son, who sold out
their beasts at North Platte. and We're on
their way home with the money. They had
ST. 900 in coin with them. and probably fan
cied that our party We're the very robbers
for whom We mistook them. The boys
had the laugh on the sheriff for many II
long day after. For once his Wanted ac-
cuteness had failed him.
What was done to him? Why, great
Scott! stnnger, what do you suppose? Are
We not all liable to mistakes?