Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-09-10

A year from that day saw very few changes
in San Miguel county The widder and Tom
had long since forgiven Bob and Mirandy,
who were living quietly at Bobs ranch on
the Iupy creek. With what Mirandy had
brought him, added to his own, Bob found
himself owner of $50 cows, which made him
quite man of property. But then there
was every reason why he should be, since he
was a man of family also. "Yes, sir; it's a
boy, just as certain as the world,n he had
announced at Santa Rosa; s'but he's redder
an softer'n what sposed babies centrally
was. Pm sorter 'fraid to touch him,
fear he'll break in two, but he's healthy
breather"
This addition to his responsibilities made
Bob more sedate and steady going than be-
fore He worked hard, early and late, and
his only play time was at night, when he
took his seat by the fire and watched Mirandy
and the baby. "Lord it's the queerestest
thing to set here an see you Akin that there
kid, Mirandy, just as if you'd never done
nothin' else all yer life. Wherever You
learned it'll can't think" And Mirandy
would look up at Bob and smile, but not in
her old, coquettish way. She was still the
same buxom, stalwart Mirandy she had ever
been, but now she had a new object in life;
she felt that new responsibilities required
new manners. 1t was quite picture to see
those three-Mirandy seated in low rock
ing chair before the huge, open fireplace,
filed with a roaring wood fire, with her
baby on her lap, and Bob by her side watch
ing her with a smile of gratiied pride as she
fused and cooed over the boy. at beats
all, " he used to say, (which likes it the best
you or him-or me-"
Sometimes the Don would ride over from
the BARGE, where he was still attached as
cook, and spend the evening. His regard for
Mirandy was as deep as ever but since her
marriage it had taken different form, being
now more of a paternal nature, for he had
come to look upon her almost as a daughter.
The Don-he was still known by that name
had appropriated the empty little chapel
at Santa Rosa, wherein Bob and Mirandy
had been married, and every Sunday morn
| ing during the winter, he had ridden over
from the Barzee Ranch and preached there
| His success in that direction had been no bet
ter than his attempts at cooking, but he was
not cast down, and persevered faithfully.
San Nigel is pretty stony ground, but it
amt all rock, !" he would say, hopefully.
| me HeW spi optuca piotnisiiSly. 1Hc
price of cattle was unusually high; very
severe winter had ragged over the northern
ranges in Dakota, Montana and Wyoming,
and the losses among the cattle there had
been enormous, in some instances entire
herds having died from cold and starvation
The stockmen of San Miguel county were
iubilant, for their own losses had been very
few, the BARGE estimate being less than 2
per cent. and this added to the fact that
S-year-old steers were bringing $50 and likely
to bring $S5, made every one happy and
prospectively rich.
With the return of spring, as in former
years, men started out over the range on
preliminary surveys, in preparation for the
round up Thus it happened that Bob left
Mirandy and the baby at his ranch one
morning and rode away. He had kept no
assistants all winter; he did his own work,
knowing it was his duty to economic for his
familys sake, and so Mirandy was left alone,
but they were neither troubled about this.
Mirandy was quite able to take care of her
self.
The next afternoon, about o'clock, q
horseman rode at hard gallop over the
prairie toward Bobs ranch, and checked his
horse in front of the door. Mirandy stepped
out to see who it was, but not until she had
shaded her eyes with her hand did she recog.
nize the DON
oval, declar'r' she said, ''ef faint you
Won't We 'ightfr But the Don declined the
invitation rather abruptly.
''Mirandy,n he said, II hearn down on th
Pecos that there was a band of mjuns Out
from the reservation, loose and"-
'1njunsn cried Mirandy, incredulously
why, there amt no Injuns within two hun
dred miles of this yere!n
"Ef you'd seen the things I've SEEM said
the Don, slowly, you'd say there was Injun.
within ten mile of this yere-broke out o.
the Mescalero reservation-they shot at Rub,
Friday, and they're runnin' off stock an
killin' anyone they kin ketch. You must gi
your baby and come with me to the Barre,
till this things settled"
Mirandy demurred at first-''she warm
afraid of no Injuns," she said-but the recol
lection of her baby decided her, and in few
minutes they were riding rapidly toward tn
BARGE, twelve miles away Very tenderl,
the Don carried the child, wrapped in heav,
blanket while Mirandy rode at his side, he
eyes constantly on the bundle As the
reached the top of a mesa, two miles from
their destination, they paused moment {.
breathe their horses. Suddenly the Dol
noticed commotion in bunch of cartl
behind him; they were running in eviden
alarm; then he heard rifle shot and thel
another. His keen little eyes instantly de
tected the cause of the disturbance
There they be! Ridei Mirandy, ridef
and away they dashed down the hill Spur
spur, and spare mott Ride, ride-for you
| - t.sI ii IL
start, and if they could only maintain it the
were safe. Mirandv's horse was fresher an
speedier than the Don's, and she had cor
stantly to slow up for him, but he rod
steadily along, giving his entire attention t
the child. And yet they had to ride care
fully, too, for if horse should step into
prairie dogs hole, or even tumble, it woul
be fatal. On they went through the dust
their pursuers very slowly gaining on thei
and keeping up continued firing 1t SCENE
as if they must be hit, but they rode on an
on, never swerving nor hating a moment
Once q rifle ball furrowed the rim c
Mirandy's sombrero; once the Don's RICH
stirrup was splintered; but still they Kept OF
on, on, with the yelling fiends behind them.
At last they neared the ranch the dus
was slowly turning into night and once ther
they were safe, for it was garrisoned by
dozen men-good shots well armed, and dal
ing, every one. As they dashed along til
trail, they came to place where it forket
the main track ran around mesa bluff an
down into the valley where the house stoo'
but there was a shorter path, leading straigi
over the cliff, down which II was po@ibl
with great care, to lead q horse. It WI
rocky and steep, there being straight Jun
J OF five feet In one place As they Al
preached the fork, the Don motione
Mirandy to take this path. and witt
! out hesitation she rode for the blu
and disappeared over the edge with the Dc
| close after. How they ever reached Il
/ bottom alive Is still mystery in the count
but they did, and a few moments later pulle
up In front of the BARGE Ranch The me
crowded to the door-one bearing lantern
to see who the new arrivals were, and
learn what the firing had been about. n
one suspected then that the Don had bes
hit; he still bore the baby very tenderly Q
his left arm, while with his right he steadie
himself by the saddle horn It was n,
until his charge had been transferred
Mirandy's care that he reeled, and Rui
Friday had just time to catch him as |
lurched heavily from his horse As they la