Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-07-01
THE STOCKMAN'S BAT
TIE.


Loup Fork, In western Nebraska, in
search of stray stock, when he was
bred upon from a grove by indians
who had broken away from one of the
agencies to the west. Half dozen
shots were fred in a volley, and Web
ber was hit in the calf of the right leg,
in the side, and raked across the
shoulder, and his horse was also
wounded. AS soon as the shots were
fred nine mounted indians dashed out,
and Webber put his horse at the top
of its speed and headed for the ranch
of Charles Moss, about four miles up
the river and on the same side. For
the first mile Webber had no hope, as
tbe indians were close enough to use
their revolvers and arrows and his
horse was common animal. A score
or more of bullets were fired at him,
and fully twenty arrows tipped past
him, but the wound his animal re-.
ceived, aided by the continued shout
ing Of the red skins, made him pull
out like born race horse. He soon
began to widen the distance, and
when he dashed up to the ranch Web
Der was full half mile ahead. His
shouts as he neared the place gave the
alarm, but to his dismay he dashed up
to be informed by Mrs. Moss that she
was the only one about the place, her
husband and his man having gone
away an hour before.
The cabin stood on raise of ground
about 20 rods from the stream and
could be approached from any side.
The indians halted at long rife range
to see who WAS about the place and
this gave Webber time to make ex
plantations and do little planning.
He knew his pursuers we're "bad" in
dians, who had skulked off the re-
servation and realized that if he could
keep them off for an hour or two re-
endorsements would come to him or
the enemy would withdraw for fear
of their identity being discovered.
"What arms have you got?" he
asked, after explaining the situation.
IA Colts revolver"
II have a Winchester rife. We
mus, hold 'em off until aid comes.
Help me off. ."
The woman assisted him to alight,
and he gave his horse slap and sent
the animal galioping off up the trail
Some of the indians pursued, but with.
out avail. The first white man whom
the horse encountered would under.
stand that something was wrong, and
that his assistance was asked for down
the trail. ..... .
The house was a primitive affair
divided into two rooms, with only 6
lower sash in each window. Tue on
ly point from which the indians could
approach with shelter to cover then
was the east side. They could ap-
proach this side within revolver sho
creeping up ravlne. Webber realiz
ed that if the nine charged togethel
from this ravine, with only The fir
from a single window directed a
them, not mole than two or thre'
could be stopped. If the other
reached the house the game was up
He therefore insisted on taking up hi
position outside the house, withou
even twig to shelter him. His bacl
was to the logs and the ravine in hi
front. For fear some of the indian
might approach the house singly from
another direction, the woman was in
structed TO first fasten all the door
and then pass from window to win
dow and maintain an active observa
ton. She was q woman of IS, VIII
had been tenderly reared in an eastern
state, and had been in the west less thai
two years. The sight of snake woul'
have made her scream OUT in affrigh
on that very morning, and the though
of an attack by indians would hav
been sufficient to chill her blood. Yet
when brought face to face with tn
terrible menace, she was q heroine
With pale face and compressed lips
and stopping not to question the polio
of the wounded mans plans to say
their lives, she promptly obeyed.
The indians must have known tina
Webber and the woman were alone
and that he was wounded, but the
did not dare make rush. Much a
they desired scalps and plunder, tn"
did not care to reck.essly expos
themselves. They crept up the ra
vine, as was expected, or started te
when Webber saw that their ponie
had been left within range of hi
Winchester. He opened fire at once
and dropped three of them to til
grass before the redskins dis
covered what he was at. This cause
hault in the proceedings until the
could remove the other six to plac
of safety. He counted them as they re
turned to the ravine and saw that thre
were missing. The trio had separate
from. the others to creep upon th
house, and this fact was announced t
Mrs. Moss. In the course of l
minutes, the six had gained the pos
tion sought for opposite, and Webbe
gave all his attention to them, trustin
to the women to watch and defend th
house from the others. 'a =
From the house to the ravine was
gradual slant, the ground being GOV
cred with grasc and entirely clear