The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-01-04

of earth before us hid US from sight
We stopped our horses and list
ened. The men had lighted torches
some were preparing a rough gallow:
under the bridge: two were uncoiling
rope; some held the horses of the
others beyond the bridge. The mer
Were masked now, and | could see ~
the lighted torches that their number
was increased. Jack was very white
and sad. but he showed no fear.
II am innocent, gentlemen" he said,
slowly, ''but | refuse to tell you OF
whom l bought the hides"
l understood him. Could Harry
White be a cattle-thief? l felt as if
were growing mad.
What shall we dof'' whispered Ted,
cooking his revolver.
Suddenly fright red light illumi-
mated the heavens followed by clouds of
black smoke and queer, cracking
noise. A yell from the Mcneil
Mead's voice above the rest. The hay
stack was on fire. 1t seemed to me in
the glare around it that | could see a
foreign-looking human vanishing across
the plain.
The men mounted their horses, Gil
Mead at the head, and set off across the
fields at a mad galiop. They must save
the stack. They left Jack, bound hand
and foot, and guarded by one man.
Shep, the wonderful dog, had kept by
us until now, Sinking in the dark
shadows. Now, gliding sideways and
still, he reached the man on guard
whose back was to us, and with no
warning growl caught him by the throat
with strong white teeth that could
choke a coyote in second. The man,
who was in sitting posture, fell back
with groan. Ted struck him over the
head with the butt of the revolver, and
pulled off the dog. l cut Jacks bonds
with knife. He looked at us wonder
ingiy. and staggered to his feet.
Never mind how we came, Jack, l
sad; "quick, mount the horse beyond
the bridge, and ride to Denver for your
life. They will not harm woman and
child"
Harry White" he muttered, the
loyal soul that even now could think of
another's danger.
Il will tell him."
"No. no; not of this-only say, If he
stole the cattle, to fly the country. They
will find out, sooner or later
He galloped down tie road. Ted and
| mounted, calling off Shep. who sat or
his launches watching the unconscious
man, and then we, too, sped down the
road. The hay-stack was giving out
great columns of black smoke, but the
fire was dead.
Ahead of us was riderless horse,
Dolly, who greeted her master with a
joyful whinny. Where was Iik Kee!
Then Dot, my horse, SHE'D from the road
at a recumbent black figure. 1t WAS the
Yik kce, who had crawled
all the way from the stack on his
so that he could not be sFen,
after living in the ditch till the blaze had
faded out. Hump! no catchee
Chinee; heap sore" he said, laconically,
rubbing his stomach.
He mounted Dolly, and we rode on to
ranch. Harry rushed out at
the sound of horses feet, at midnight
There under the twinklng stars looked
into his eyes. and told him the whole
story. He showed no guilt, but only
said we must stay the night at his
ranch, for the men would come back to
Jack for him, and then mounting his
leet colt rode off down the road.
,omforted his mother as best [ could.
At daybreak we role home.
Mary was in wild state of alarm.
Where had we been? Where was Jack?
md how cruel we were to leave her
llone. She said that at one o'clock
hree masked men had come to the
house and searched it and the premises,
,ut had not molested her or the chill
lren. only asking where Jack was, very
ternly and sharply.
AT noon Jack, Harry. the Sheriff and
/ party of armed men from Denver rode
Up, stopping only a moment to tell me
hey would be back at night. 1 dared
lot tell Mary, and she worried all the
afternoon at their strange conduct. At
hight Jack and Harry came home,
ooking tired but happy. Then Jack
old Mary. and she cried and chung to
lin as though she could never let him
70.
1t seemed the pleasing ranchman
rom Chicago was one of band of cat |
le-thieveS He sold the hides TO Harry.
Who, honest and open himself, was slow
o suspect wrong dealings in others. I
The Sheriff had caught the men skin !
ling COW that belonged to Mead. and
lad captured the gang and taken them ,
o Denver.
The men concerned in the attempt to .
ynch Jack We're sincerely sorry. Their |.
'egrets would not have awaited much. !
however, if they had succeeded in their .
purpose. They gave each of the chill /.
lren ten acres OF land; they gave Ted
'iXtv-tive, and me. whom they pleased /
o consider very plucky, one hundret! /
md fifty acres. felt rich enough, and |
line has made it very valuable land
The man on guard was our warmest ad- /
nirer. He thought Ted, Shep and | |
of courage. He said when | |
anne down on the bridge with the open
Knife he thought his last hour had come !
Gil Mead committed suicide not long |
after this. He was always queer. No |
me ever knew that Yik Kee set the |
stack atire. l tell you Jack rewarded
he faithful fellow-gave him good
arm, taught him to work it, and built !
him house. The funniest thing was
fik kee had wife and three queer
title children back in China, and Jack
'ent for them, and Yik Kee and his fam
ly are as happy as they can be. The
children play with Jacks Che has twelve
low) and get along finely together.
In 10 married Harry White. which.
suppose, was foreSeen from the begin
hing at least Jack says anybody could
nave seen it. The most serene and sat |
SIZED face at the wedding was that of
he Celestial. In my inner conscious