Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-06-04

oo ve Waiken m ha0 the opening perm1CLeO. As 1t was. ne thrust his head in and uttered a Enort which brought me to my feet in an in- stant. for 1 took it to be the 'woof" of a bear When the mule saw me coming he backed off. pointed his head up the cove where he had been pasturing, and his looks and actions plainly indicated that he had flushed game of some sort ran after my rifle and pistols, and as soon as 1 returned the mule started off and plainly directed me to follow. 1 had not explored the upper end or the cove or valley, but supposed it to be shut Tn by the high walls of the mountain. When we had gone quarter of mile well hidden by the bushes all the way, the mule halted and stood with ears pointed straight ahead patted his neck, and he lay down. Then crept forward on hands and knees to the edge of the fringe of bushes, and what do you suppose saws A camp of four redskins not over 200 feet awayl They had come into the cove through a ravine at the upper end, probably arriving the evening before, and were now just awakening from their nights sleep. They were out for 0 hunt. their outfit showed, and as soon as they began to move about they must discover the tracks of the mule and suspect my presence
 was mad all the way through Even if could pack Up and change locations before being discovered the redskins would follow on after me, and rest not until they had lifted my hair or 1 had returned to the walls of Laramie. 1 must either saddle up and hold straight course for the fort, or the four hunters must be wiped out They were four full grown men, each armed with rife and bow and arrows, and the only advantage had was in having a couple of single bar reled pistols, each good for man in case of hand to hand fight When saw them building up their fire to cook their breakfast by, hurried back to the cave to get a bite myself The mule looked after me as re- treated but made no effort to follow. He seemed to feel that had left him there as a sentinel, and the last saw of him he had his head pointed toward the Indian camp
 The Indians had no suspicious of the pres ence of white man in that neighborhood. The grass was thick and heavy and the mule had left no track to catch their eye They had not entered the cove until evening. and of course had no chance to look around
 While was knocking breakfast together had little time to get over my first alarm and do little planning My mind was made up not to go, and to stay meant that somebody would be wiped out. When had bolted my breakfast l returned to the spot where the mule was still standing sentinel. The h. dlans were taking it mighty easy, and it was half an hour before they finished breakfast. Then they had smoke, and it was fully 9 o'clock before one of them shouldered his rifle and set off for the creek, while the others proceeded to clean their rifles and oil up their traps The one who was coming down the cove would strike my "signs" as soon as he struck the creek. All my traps were out, and as soon as he came to the first one he'd know that white man set it. I realized that I'd got to get to the creek be- fore him, and that I'd got to prevent his ever going back, and l aint joking bit when say the mule realized it, too. He was ly- ing down and couldn't see the redskin. but he heard and smelt him coming. and he turned to me to see if 1 was alert When 1 knew for sure that the red was bound for the creek I rose up and ran on before. was we'll sheltered by the bushes, while he was coming down without shelter and without suspicion. I knew where he would first hit the creek, and l reached the spot ten minutes before he came up. Just where he left the cove was mass of rock, which had fallen from the cliffs above, and it was behind this mass that waited. It wouldn't do for me to fire my rife, and must also prevent him from doing the same crouched there with my toma- hawk in hand, and by and by the fellow came along and stopped on the bank of the creek. back to me, and only four feet away.
 Was it murder2 We'll, had the quartet made me prisoner, they would have cut off my ears and nose, cut my tongue out, pulled off my scalp, and lighted fire on my bowels, and they would have called it fun. | was hesitating to strike when the fellow gave a sudden start of surprise He had noticed a broken twig or some other slight sign, and in a moment more would have been the war rior instead of the hunter.
 carried the body on my shoulder about ten rods down the creek and dumped it into natural grave made where a tree had been uprooted. Then 1 returned and carefully effaced all signs of the brief struggle, and with the dead mans rifle and knife to add to my armozy 1 made my way back to the mule. He hadn't moved foot. When 1 patted him on the head and let him smell of the Indians rife, he knew what had happened just as we'll as did.
 1 By this time the three hunters had finished cleaning up and one of them picked up half dozen traps, shouldered his rife and came down the cove at a slouchy gait. The other two, as saw before left, stretched out on their blankets in the warm sun for nap. was in ambush in the same place again when | the second man came up, and he stood almost in the other fellows tracks and 1 Wn1SLleQ to lOCdCo HILL 10 never kueW what hurt him, and disposed of the body in the same grave When returned to the mule, carrying the second Indian's rife, he tried his very slickest to grin and chuckle, and then he softly got up and pointed at the two sleeping hunters as steadily as a pointer dog. l knew what be meant to say. left one rife right there, wormed my self through the bushes until oppo- site the reds and twenty rods away, and then left the cover and advanced upon
 them. l was within pistol shot when some
 noise or other alarmed them, and both
 sat up facing me- My first shot knocked one
 down, but as 1 changed rifles the other car
 snapped and the man bounded to his feet and
 grabbed his gun. It wasn't loaded, and as he saw me pull pistol he started like streak
 of Tightening for the upper end of the cove
 uttering signal yells at @every jump. He
 hadn't taken five jumps when the mule
 rushed past me with squeal of rage, and 1T
 minute more he knocked the redskin down
 When got up there was no occasion fol
 bullet or knife The Indian was as dead as (
 door nail, crushed to jelly under the hoof
 md knees of the mule.
 That's about all, genta The four had beer
 wiped out almost without an alarm, and al danger was over. l knew from their outfi
 that they had come a long distpce, and i
 wasn't likely they would be looked for dur