Richland beacon., 1888-02-25

ever heard of eating one.
Many a joke was played on "English
Tom during the weeks that followed,
and his mistakes and absurd blundcrs
seemed to promise fund of incxhausti-
| bic fun for the drivers. Beside the boys
felt a strong contempt for the English
man, for it was thought he was some
thing Of a coward. But there came day
when the lives of a dozen men depended
upon English Tom, and he nobly did his
duty.
The summer had nearly passed away,
| no more Indians had been seen, and the
Superintendent was thinking about put
ting cheaper man in White Buifslo's 8
place, when one morning the station
keeper at Eagle Springs found Indian
sigLs near the water. lie dared not fol-
low the trails any distance, but waited
until later in the day when White Buff
falo and English Tom arrived. The
former made careful examination of
the footprints around the spring. Then
he saddled mule, and, without saying
a word, rode away. English Tom filed
the harrcls with water, and then the men
went into the station and sat in silence
and waited.
The sun sank behind the hills along
the Rio Grandc. Soon the hoo,
too hoo" of Owls echoed dismally
through the canyons, as if the birds knew
/ there was trouble in the air, and the
men in the rude cabin looked at each
other. One tried to tell story and
another cssaycd Il song, but the story
fell Fat and the singer lost the key.
Then they relapscd into silence. The
st1tion.kcepcr was the first to speak Of
IL" thing they were all thinking about.
n wonder if he will try to pipe 'em.
1t vi ! be risky to come back on the trail, "
he said. The barrier had been broken,
and they freely discussed the situation.
Would White Buffalo cndcavor TO fol-
low the indians N order to ascertain if
they were only passing through the
country, or would he make a still
in case they contemplated an attack on
one of the stations or on stage oach!
TLcy were sure there were at least d
dozen Indians in the baud, and perhaps
there were more.
1t WIS about midnight when they
heard the feet OF the mule in the rocky
gul h. White Bu lalo stripped the sad
die from the stcaming an nal, turned
thetircl beast into the corral. and came
in. Ii, supper had been kept hot, and
ne sat down To eat with very serious
face, but without saying a word. Eng
lish Tom was highly excited, and finally
burst ont with: Il say! You know, hold
fellow, caunt you tell hus Ia bit habout
L
Not much to tell said White Buff
falo. There's fifty of them, and twenty
of them didn't cross the range. They're
on foot, and will probably try to get the
stock here or at Van Horn. They may
try for the mules on the water wagon,
blt don't reckon they'll attack the
stage.
The men took turns standing on guard
that night, and early the next morning
White Buffalo and English Tom started
for Van Horn with the water wagon.
The latter drove the four sorry and lazy
mules, and White Buffalo stood up in
the front end of the wagon with his rife
in his hands. lie kept his eyes on every
bush and rock near the road, and several
times he left the wagon to scout ahead
through some lite canyon or gulch.
They had Travelled to a point within a
few miles of the station when he laid q
hand on Toms shoulder and pointed to
a range of low hills about three miles
ahead. In that cleir atmosphere OBJ
jects are visible ut great distance, and
a party of Indians could lie read ly seen
descending toward the station.
hn
there are Indians about, and I'm afraid
they'll be caught off their guard" said
the frontiersman. ''Pull up the mules.
They don't see us, and maybe they II get
behind that butte directly"
. Then the men waited and watched the
Indians trail out of sight behind one of
the hills. After that they tried to get
some speed out of the mules, but the
load was heavy and the mules old, and
weak. and lazy. White Buffalo was
about to suggest that they mount two of
the animals and try 10 reach the station
ahead of the Indians when bang! bang!
dozen rifles spoke from the high
gra,s that lined the gully. White
Buffalo swaycd a moment as he stood,
tried to bring his rifle to his shoulder,
but staggered, and then plunged head
first out of the wagon, dragging his rifle
with him. Two of the mules were shot.
The others stood still. English Tom
sprang from the wagon and raised bis
companion. A wave seemed to pass
over White BuiTalo's face, as strange
look came into his eyes. He sat up.
lie laid his Winchester across one of the
spokes of the wheel, and as the Indians
sprang out of their ambush he fired
once. twice, thrice-so rapidly that one
could hardly have counted the shots.
Three Indians fell, and the Others,
taken 10y surprise, jumped back into the
gully. English Tom sprang beside the
wheel mule and b"gan stripping of its
harness. Meanwhile VIII te Buffalo was
firing rapidly and the Indians began to
retreat. Tom tried to induce White
Buffalo to mount the mule, but the lat
ter only said:
'Ridc, you blamed idiot! ride for your
life and theirs"
The old mule was getting excited, but
English Tom held her. Then he bodily
lifted his companion to her back, sprang
on behind himself. and jabbing his heels
into the animals ribs, started On swing
ing gallop.
1t was no easy task to hold woanded
and dying man on the mule, but Tom
did it. They hal approached within
half mile of the station, aud Tom could
see several of the men sitting under the
shadow of the cabin and playing cards.
He was about to yell at the top of his
voice TO attract their attention, when
once again the ii 'cs of amhushed Indians
spoke from their hiding place He had
been intercepted by the Indians they