The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-03-21


1t was a miserable journey. Tom
drove by instinct. We neither of us
spoke for several miles, but we took
occasional pulls at the whisky TASKS
which we had with us. AT noon 1--WE
had started at 10 a. n.y. we halted at a
friendly farm house, the inmates of
which expressed great surprise at our
boldness, for which Tom took all the
credit, and cheerfully remarked how
he had kept up my spirits. As he was
speaking, the grinning face of Scar
faced Charley presented itself at the
door.
Tom laid down the glass which he
had infhis hand, and, in more en-
phatic than polite manner. asked what
he was doing here. Scarfaced Charley
made some insolent, mumbling re-
mark, after the fashion of the Modoc
Indians. and left the room.
Now, | suppose if killed that fell
low | should get --, but I'll be
switched if he don't intend to kill one
of u.s.
We all laughed at Tom, but Tom
was serious, aud when he took his
seat in the wagon he said, casually:
"Wall, | sorter feel that this is my
last trip. Scarfaced Charley's after no
good. Guess you'd be doing a good
turn if you'd lock him up for two or
three days-or else kill him."
Look here. Tom" | said; ''if YOU
are going.to be such an al-frrd fool
as to think you are going to be killed,
you had better stay with Dorris and
let me go on alone"
Il amt scared" he replied, "but
have been thinking that l shall be on
my last trip. Dog-gone, did you see
that?"
''See what?"
'The white rabbit"
al did. What of it?'
II SAW hat white rabbit the day
Modoc Jim shot at me last winter.
Guess 'tain't Il good sign. To-morrow'll
be the day he shot at me-and | killed
him."
.But you killed him, dang it all,
man. What's the matter with you?''
Its that! It's that! l tell you
when you see man stand up to you
and blaze at you, and hear the whiz IS
it takes away bit of your ear, it amt
nothing; but when you draw and snap,
bang, and the man falls it makes YOU
feel that them us kills will be billed.
''You did it in self-defense. and you
had perfect right. He fired at you,
and if you hadn't he would have killed
you anyway. Here, take a swig at
this bottle"
That night we lay in a shanty, which
was called, by courtesy, a hotel. The
hotel was fcarfully cold. The roof had
seams in it through which we saw the
cold and seemingly frosty sky, and the
way the wind now and again sighed
through the place makes me yet feel
chilled.
During the night there was a heavy
snow-storm, and at a. m. it was
showing heavily. We, however, de-
termined to push on SO as to reach the
springs on Rushing Creek that after
noon, where we knew we could get
splendid shelter for both man aud
beast. / looked forward to that place,
for the man and woman who kept it
were civilized, and remembered how
| pleased / was when l had passed
through before to see white table,
cloth and carpet on the floor, which
luxuries were unheard of in my part of
| the wilderness. While thus anticipat-
ing the pleasures that were to follow,
we approached the descent to the lower
! levels, for we had been crawling along
| the mountain side. The descent is
very steep. 1t does not zigzag, but it
is cut clear down the mountain side,
and it looked this afternoon unsafe
| even for q sure-footed mule as it glst.
| ened in the sun like the smooth face of a
| glacier. The snow had ceased falling,
| Tor which we thanked fortune, and
! then tumbled out of the wagon to pre-.
| pare for the descent. We could heal
the roar of the rushing stream in the
ravine on the brink of which we were
standing, and it looked several thou
| sand feet below us, so far indeed thai
we could not see the water. On the
other side of the snow-covered path
was the mountain.
The first thing we done after we had
stamped some animation into our froz
en- bodies was to lock the wheels sc
that we could slide down the path
and after that operation we took an
other pull at our TASKS.
IL think" said Tom, "that l shall
and drive. Halloa," he said suddenly,
81 am blessed if there has not been an
Indian on this road to-day. Look!
IHdU Il IlOCCdSln
More like bear" | grumbled, for
had settled myself in the wagon, and
his excitement had made me jump out.
'You are fool" / said, Il suppose
you think you will be shot before we
get down to Hot Springs"
''As like as not one of us will, was
his reply.
We walked on for few yards, when
he came up to me and said:
"Do you know that there is some
thing moving level with us along the
mountain side?'
Nonsense" ] replied. ''How car
there be? There is no cover. and we
should see man or bear if there wa:
any,"
lie muttered something, which lost
and l turned my attention to the
horses. About half way down the
mountain there is a sharp turn in the
road. Indeed. the turn is at righ
angles, and it is SO sharp that anything
following in the wake is lost to sigh
for moment. Tom was right behinC
the wagon and was talking to me
when / suddenly lost sight and alsC
sound of him. Then heard the cracl
of a rifle shot. and the horses sprans
forward to the edge of the cliff.
jumped up and gathered the reins il
my hand more tightly, and had hal
managed to throw the horses into th'
road, when there was an answerin:
shot. Again the horses reared, and
heard cry as if something was il
pain. The horses. plunged again
: They were mustangs and their mouth
were hard as iron. l hauled at on
rein then. for knew that was my onl,
chance. The horse nearest the edg
had lost his foothold. He gave IA snor
and then slid down into the soft yield
: ing snow. The other horse plante,
his legs squarely and backed, snortini
with fear. But the wheels were to
near the edge, and the weight of til
horse, which was actually pendent
drew the horse and vehicle near tn
edge. There was tumble of harnes
and sprawling like mass. l hauled
3 but l hauled in vain. The wago
came nearer to the edge. 1t fell.
, was flung into the air, and remen
= bered nothing more.
was fully week before l was my
n ~