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

lake was in deep shadow. When the
scow had been anchored by stone, the
pair inspected the personal property
and counted the money taken from the
victim. The outlaw then washed the
blood from his hands.
When they entered the cabin, or
house, the woman produced some cold
meat and hoecake and threw hunks to
each one, including myself. 1t was
only after the provisions had disap-
peared,I eating mine with the rest, that
the man addressed me-
''See we're, stranger" he said, '.what
brought you up yere?"
Looking over lands" 1 replied.
"Um! Who be you?"
/ told him.
Didn't count on SEEM Black Dan,
l reckon?" he sneered.
s.No.''
(Which is unfortunit fur YOU. I've
killed every land hunter who ever sOt
flu on my claim, and I'll keep kiln +,
sure"
1--WE didn't come here to disturb or
annoy you," said.
"It's jist the same thing. I'm down
on the hull human race fur the way
I've bin used, and Ill kill whenever /
kin git the chance. I've dropped one
O. you're fellers. To-morrer I'll drop
the other, and then take keer of you.
Git over thar and lay down."
lover thar" was the far corner, and
entirely out of reach of my Winchester.
When 1 bunked down in my corner the
gun was removed entirely, and the
family lay down in such a way as to
hem me in. For the first three or four
hours they were like cats, starting up
at the slightest move, but toward mid
night l was satisfied that all were
asleep. could not reach the firearms
without stepping over the bodies, and
they knew that any effort on my part
to loosen a log would arouse them.
About midnight, after long and
cautious effort, l sat up. TWAS star
light night, and, as there was no door
to the cabin. l could see out. was
fully determined to make an effort to
escape, but when came to canvass the
chances, had to abandon the idea.
The alligators were constantly about
us, often rearing up to paw at the logs,
and unless could get hold of the fire
arms and begin the fight, l should be
wiped out in any effort l made. l
think slept for an hour or two, and
what aroused me can not tell. l was
still sitting, and, as looked out upon
the night saw human figure draw
itself up on the bows of the boat. l at
first supposed it was one of the family,
but a moments observation convinced
me to the contrary. This figure moved
cautiously, as if desiring its presence
unknown and was long time in reach
ing the door. 1t then leaned against
the logs and made a long survey of the
interior, and finally sank out of sight.
My heart was beating like trip-ham-
mer. and could not fathOm the mys-
terry. Was it an Indian or another out
law? Moving so cautiously, what OBJ
ject had he in view? Had l once
thought of Jackson. l should not have
dared to hope he had come to my res
cue through that water; and, too, l
could not have believed he knew of my
whereabouts.
From the time first caught sight of
the figure to daylight was probably an
hour and half, but it seemed to me
as if l lived five years. l had no
hopes that the man was a friend, and
vet could not look for a new enemy.
Perhaps, after all, it was only one of
the refugee negroes, of whom scores
were hiding in the swamps, who had
made his way to the scow in hopes to
lay hands on provisions or clothing. l
kept my eyes on the spot where l had
Loot l.; Ia
pear. began to feel that he had
slipped back into the water, and re-
turned to the shore.
Did you ever watch the coming of
daylight when you felt that with it
might come some life or death trans
action? The first signs came from
the birds! Then, afar up the lake,
came the cries of water fowl. A fox
or some other animal stood on the
shore near where we had tied up the
night before and barked in an angry
voice. The stars palcd and driftcd out
of sight, and the interior of the cabin
began to light up until could distin-
guish the forms of the slcepers.
Where was the strange man-friend
OF enemy? As if in response to my
iuCly hc suuueulI IOSc up. Slcppcu
noiselessly inside the door, and next
instant voice shouted at me:
Keep down, Colonel; hug the
floor!'
rolled over on my face, and heard
yells, screams and groans. 1t was all
over in thirty seconds, and some one
called: "All right, Colonel-Tve wiped
the varmints Out!''
l sprang up to find Jackson standing
in the center of the cabin, and on the
floor lay the outlaw, wife and children,
all dead. 1t was as l had argued the
day previous. The two men had sepa-
rated in the woods-Sheen to return
directly to camp and Jackson to hunt
for supper. The outlaw had ambushed
Sheen and killed him, and jackson had
heard the report of the gun and become
suspicious. He hurried to camp to find
me gone and everything taken, and had
traced us to the lake. He found indi-
cations to prove that boat had been
used. and he followed the shore of the
lake down until he found the scow at
anchor.
Not ono in tGonConJ ,,,o,,ll lo,,o