Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1884-02-15

oul bouiu '~''N '''>'
close at our heels. what ahead, when
we reached the top of little hill, we
saw the crowd Of horsemen. They
were riding toward Denver. We gal
loped on with reDewed zeal. They
turned into cross-road leading to
Meads ranch. On this road was IA
bridge over Dry Gulch, which was in
the spring a roaring torrent. Beyond
the bridge. across the fields, was the
havstack of Mead, where was slowed
sufficient to feed his domestic cattle
through winter. We at last reached
the turn Of the road. They were three
miles in advance, riding rapidly lik
kee stopped at the turn, 'Humph
Can't catchee. Hangee at bridge.
You goee' He turned his horse
and sped across the field, deserting us
baselv.
We rode on, Ted and |. He was
pale still. my cheeks were burning.
We neared the bridge. The high
mound of earth before US hid them
from our sight. We stopped our
horses and listened. The men had
lighted torches, some were preparing
a rough gallows under the bridge !;
two were uncoiling rope; some held
the horses Of the others beyond the
bridge. The men were masked now,
and | could see by the lighted torches
that their number was increased. Jack
was very white aud sad, but he showed
no fear.
Il am innocent, gentlemen, he said
slowly. but | refuse to tell YOU of whom
| bought the hides.
! understood him. Could Harry
White be u cattle thief:
What shall We do whispered Ted,
cooking his revolver.
Suddenly a bright red light illum-
mated the heavens. followed by clouds
Of black smoke and queer, cracking
noise. A veil from the men, Gil
Mesd's voice above the rest The hay
stack WAS on fire. 1t seemed to me IN
the glare around it tha, | could see u
foreign looking human v'nlshing
across the plain.
The men mounted their horses, Gil
Mead at the head, and set of across
the fields at a mad gallop They must
save the stack. They left Jack bound
hand aud 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 r, ached the man on guard,
caught him by the throat with strong
white teeth that could cnoke coyote
in 4 second. The man. who was IN u
sitting posture. fell back with q groan.
Ted struck him over the heal with
the built Of the revolver. and pulled
Oft the dog. cut Jacks bonds with
= knife He looked at US wondering
" and staggered 10 his feet.
Never mind how he came, Jack.
said. Quick. mount the horse beyond
the bridge and ride to Denver for your
life. They will not harm a woman
and child
Harry White he mutrered, the
loyal soul that even 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 soener or later.
He gslloped dewn the road. Ted
and mounted, calling off Shep. who
sat on his launches watching tie un.
conscious man. aud then ", too. sped
down the rood. The haystack was
giving out great volumes of smoke
but the fire was dead.
Ahead Of us was a riderless horse
Dolly. who greeted her master with 8
iovful whinnv. Where was Iik kee
Then Dot. mv horse. SHE'D from the
rode at a recumbent black figure. Il
was the indomitable Yik kee, who
had crawl, d all the way from the stack
on his stomach, so that he could no
be seen. after lying the ditch until tht
blaze had faded out. 'Humph. ne
citchee Chinee; heap sore he sale
laconically, rudding his stomach.
He mounted Dolly and We rode OF
to Whites ranch. Harry rushed ou
at the sound Of horses iect al midnight
There under the twinkling stars,
looked into his eyes and told him tn,
whole truth. He showed no guilt
but only said We must stay the nigh
at his ranch, for the men would conn
back to Jacks for him, and thel
mounting his fleet coat, rode off dowl
the road. | comforted his mother q
best | could. At daybreak we rod
home.
Mary was in a wild state of alarm
Where had We been? Where wa
Jack ? and how cruel We were to leav
her alone. She said that at l o'clocl
three masked men had come to tn
house and searched it and the premise
but had not molested her or the chill
dren, only asking where Jack wa,
very sternly and sharply.
At noon Jack, Harry, the sheriff
and a party Of armed men from Den
yer rode up, stopping only momen
to tell me that they would be back a
night. dared not tell Mary, and sh
worried all the afternoon at thei
strange conduct. At night Jack an
Harry came home, looking tired bu
happy. Then Jack told Mary, an
she cried and clung to him as thoug
she could never let him 90.
1t seemed the pleasing ranchma
from Chicago was one of band G
cattle thieves. He sold the hides
Harry, who. honest and open himsel
was slow to suspect wrong dealings i
others. The sheriff had caught tn
men skinning COW that belonged
Mead and had captured the gang an
taken them 10 Denver.
The men concerned in the attemt
to lynch Jack were sincerely sorr,
Their regrets wOuld not have availe