Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-01-28


guage SO strange that 1 could not I'M
derstand word.
go ahead" said the man, as halt
ed on the bank; and l followed the
woman aboard of the scow and into the
cabin. 1t was house in which there
was but one room, with the hides of
cattle thrown over the wild Southern
moss for beds There was no stove, but a
sort of fireplace made of stones, with
two or three iron kettles on the hearth
as kitchen furniture.
All our camp equipage had been re-
moved to the cabin, and my Winches-
ter rifle stood in the corner. AS this
was then new arm did not believe
thew knew how to use it, but my re-
volvers were Colts old pattern and
loaded with powder and used percus-
sion caps.
..Sot thar" said the woman, as she
pointed to a corner.
went over and sat down on the bed.
1t was not the corner in which my rifle
stood, but the weapon was not more
than ten feet away. The woman then
said something to the children in their
own mongrel dialect, and both of them
sat down facing me and only three or
four feet away Then man and wife
cast off the rope, seized long poles, and
presently the boat slowly moved down
the lake to the north. The lake APP
peared to be about three miles wide by
five long, and was shut in by dense
forest.
The views had through the open
door and the chinks between the logs
showed me that the craft was kept near
the shore. While the people seemed in
no great hurry to get down the lake.
they kept the scow moving at a fair
pace until we were about three miles
from the place where we had EN-
barked. A landing was then made in
the mouth of creek, and the scow was
entirely hidden from sight of any one
on the lake. Hunters and tourists, and
even small pleasure steamers came up
from the main river as far rs the lakes.
1t was mid-afternOon when the boat
was made fast. The pain and swelling
had now entirely departed from my
hand and arm, and the helpless feeling
which had come over me when first
captured had given way to a determin-
If l could get hold of my rifle / would
be match for the whole four of them.
l counted them as four. because the
boy and girl had hunting knives, and
would surely take part in any scrim-
mage brought on. Their looks and ac-
tons proved this. They maintained
their places directly in front of me, and
their eyes never left me for second.
They held their knives as if they ex-
pected an attempt to escape, and meant
to thrust and cut if tried it.
While the boat was moving there was
no show for me. A score of alligatorS,
some of monstrOus size, followed us in
procession, and had but to look out
upon the lake to realize that it was
alive with these fierce reptiles. One
who jumped or fell overheard would be
seized as soon as he struck the water.
Not word was addressed to me
until the boat had been tied up. Then
the man came in, took single-bar-
relied rifle from under the other bed,
and, after a few hurried words with the
woman outside, jumped ashore and dis
appeared. When he had gone the
woman entered, lighted pipe and,
sending the boy outside to watch, she
sat down in his place with the cooked
revolver on her lap. She had face
which betrayed the mind of beast.
''Well, what are you going to do
with me?" l asked, after while.
Feed you to the alligators," she re-
piled.
"Where has your husband gomez"
''To kill the other two men,"
''What do you want to murder us
for? We have in no way injured YOU"
1--WE was whipped and druv out of
the settlements, and we want revenge"
she growled.
But we had nothing to do with it,"
protested, in firm tone.
Cant help that. You came poach-
ing on our claim" she answered.
But Wen 60 away"
81 guess you won't. We never let
any one git away to tell on us!''
said nothing further, but 1 by no
means looked upon myself as dead
man. If worst came to worst would
give them fight. | could not move
then. with knife and bullet ready for
me. and deemed it wiser to settle back
and bide my time.
The man had been gone about half
an hour when the faint report of rifle
came to us through the trees. The
woman had been listening for it, and
as it came she gave a start and cried
out:
''There goes one of 'em."
''Who?" l asked.
Zone of your partners. Dan has
dropped him for sure
There was such fiendish, blood
thirsty look on her face that / was APP
palled, and the same expression. to a
certain degree, rested on the faces of
the children. Like dogs. they licked
their chops in anticipation of bloody
feast. In about half an hour the man
appeared. He had bundle of clothing
in one hand and two rifles and a re-
volver in the other.
"Git one?" the woman asked. as he
came aboard the ungainly craft.
Yes"
Didn't git the both?"
"No. The other got away. I'll pit