Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-15

i nants OF Chief Victories band were lurk-
| ing about that section of country then,
awaiting an opportunity to cross the
Death Plain to a more secure hiding
! place in the Sierra Diabolo. And we were
| continually finding fresh signs as we slow
~ 6railed the coW-thleves to their noun
tam camp. One morning we entered a
! little canyon, through which ran stream
of water. About midway down the
canyon, on the bank of the run, the scout
IN advance made a horrible discovery.
and we rode quickly to his side. The
three Taylor boys, whom we were in
search OF, and a Mexican yaouero had
been ambushed and killed by the Indians,
and their stiffened bodies, bloody and
/ scalpless, lay across the trail They had
been killed during the previous night.
and the coyotes bad not yet scented them
out. All their arms aud their ponies Lad
been carried away oy the murderers.
BURYING THE OUTLAWS.
We hastily dug shallow grave with
our hunting knives on the bank of the
creek and buried them side by side. Then
continuing ON we crossed the next divide
and reached their camp in n CANYON
similar to the one we had lust left. The
Indians had taken nearly opposite
direction, climbing the other wall of the
canyon.
The camp Of the outlaws was rude
affair, consisting of small tent. q camp
fire, brush corral and heavy wagon.
Several head Of ponies and cows were graz
ing in the canyon and the sergeant com
handing our party ordered several OF the
! boys to round up the stock, while he dss
mounted and inspected the camp. Just
as be was about to lift the fly of the tent
snrlll trebel voice, which came from the
the direction of the brush corral, cried:
SAY, thar, mister man, that's my tent
Keep out'n hit"
We all turned at sound of the voice, and
the queerest little girl, in dress of faded
calico, bare headed and bare-tooted
crept from under the corral gate and
walked towards us. She was not above
seven years of age, and she had the
shrewdest face and brightest eyes
imaginable.
keep outn that tent she repeated,
walking towards the Sergeant, Hits
mine, | tell ye."
Wand who might you bef' asked the
Sergeant, smiling and dropping the tent
flap.
LITTLE BRONCH0 BERTHE.
'I'm Broncho BERTHE" was the quick
answer, and she tossed her head saucilv.
''Leastways that's what the boys call
me-"
And who are the boys?''
My buddy's, Jim, Bill and Dan, Ye
all know 'em well enuff am l know you:
you're rangers, IAN if you think you'll git
the boys, yer left. They're out yonder in
the mountings an they'll shoot quickr'n
wink"
We crowded about the little maiden
and one of the boys, in as tender and sim
pie words as he could command, told her
n OF her bereavement She didn't shed many
7 tears, but great lump that rose in her
throat was swallowed with difficulty and
4 her shrill voice sottened and trembled
when she spoke.
''Ii knowed they'd git lade out some
day." she said. shaking her head mourn
fully; "but hits better that-a-way than to
be drapped by you'ns."
She peered INTO the face of every man,
and tnslly, stepping to the side of Rsck-
less JED, laid her brown hand In his.
81 like yer looks" she said, "an' I'll go
with YOU"
We took her back to camp, and on the
road she taught us several lessons that
set the men to thinking. We were a
| pretty rough lot, and when one man for
some trifiiug cause began to curse she
raised her small hand warningly and
| said:
Eye mustn't cuss. faint perlite when
ladies is about, an hits wicked, toov
When we made camp that night Bron-
cho Berthe ate her supper in silence. and
when one of the boys spread some blank
cts and told her it was to be her bed for
the night she thanked him gravely and,
folding her hands, knet down and prayed.
noticed that the eyes Of several Of the
boys were moist when she finished, and
when she walked around the circle and
lifted up her dimpled mouth to each
bearded face TO be kissed she received a
succession Of cOnvulsive hugs that must
have bruised her flall body. The entire
Ift0vr n.,nI - A..
matter the night we reached our perma-
nent camp, and it was formally decided
10 adopt this brown wait as ''the child of
company e. When BERTHE was informed
OF our action by a committee delegated
tor the purpose she nodded her head and
made answer in her quaint fashion.
THE CHILD OF TIE COMPANY.
81 like We boys, an hits a gov
The best tent was fitted up for her espe-
cial use, and if a man had gone to the
DOst and not brOughL back a present tor
the BroDchO" his life would have been
placed in jeopardy. She eXerted q won
derful influence over these rough men, and
there WAS not one in the company
that wonld not have laid down his
life for her. Reckless JEFF in par
ticular was her devOved slave and ''The
( BTOncho' was always in his company She
loved him, and would sit for hours in his
strong arms listening TO the stories that
fell from his lips. occasionally comment
lug in her old-frshioned way. Never was
princess draped out more gOrgeously with
ribbons and fine dresses than Broncho
Berthe. Once when she was sick p man
killed his horse riding for the post sur
geon, and the men tip-tOed their way
ab0ut camp lest "The Br0nchO" should be
disturbed. Mad Milton taught her 10
read and spell, and the Captain bought
her the gentlest pony that could be had
for money.
One day, no member Of Company z Will
ever forget it, Reckless JEFF and Mad
Milton went to the post and came back
TO camp under the influence Of liquor.
We mad just finished a shooting match
when they rode in and both men laughed
| at our workmanship.
"See here, boys" cried jeff, pulling out
his SIX shooter, "i'll show you what
shooting is. BrOnchor'
The little maiden stepped forward and,
whispering something in her ear, Jen
handed her an ordinary bottle cork. She
ran 70 a tree about 20 PAGES distant and,
facing us. set the cork on top Of her curly
b head and folded her arms. Ien cooked