Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-10-12

"'" w %Mztz#M Ill.,
"HELLo MY PRAIRIE CHICKEN"
O'Brien, "where mightyez have sprung
from into the middle o. things loike
thisP"
II belong to the band" says the
youngster, as cool as you please. 81
Joined two weeks ago. You maynt
know me because I've been on a scout
most ever since, but it's So"
l recollected that some such looking
chap had joined us about that time,
but l couldn't have sworn to him even
by daylight However, it made little
odds to us, and all three of us struck off |
from camp together.
(Which way did the sound come |
fromP" asked l, after we had gone
about fifty yards.
From the norrad," answered
O'Brien, promptly. Il does be think
in that's the rasin we heard it SO plain.
The winds BLOWN loike it came
straight from the pole, an it fetched
the scrame wild it"
Due north we steered, and after
walking quarter of a mile or so we
saw big bowlder ahead with red
blaze shining somewhere near it, dis z
tinct from the white light around us.
''Howly saints!" calculated O'Brien,
"that does be the place sure. Sergeant,
what's yer ordersP Yez can take the
lade now" %
"Keep your mouth shut then, and
creep after me as easy as mice. Pull
1 your guns, but no firing without Or
ders.
AS we drew nearer, the red light
grew broader and deeper, but we could
see no fire.
Faith! an that's mighty quare en-
tirely,ns whispered OBrien, whose
tongue nothing short of gag could
have silenced. ''rm thinkin' they
7 does be houldin' witches sabbath up
here, and that loight'll vamose as
5 soon's they git SENT of u.s."
r Just then we made out that the light
a came from the base of a huge bowlder.
: "Old Gryce hit it. A cache of Gray
s sons or some other gangs perhaps the
very gents we're been following.
a Who'd have thought of looking hereP
"Let me go on scout sergeant, "
d says the boy, in a mighty hurry as
IS thought THAT light comes from a
I cave-for Gods sake let me find the
Q way in. and see who's in 1t. +"
Hold on, youngster," says I, grip
is ping his arm as he was making of.
"'Pears to me that you're too previous
e How do I know what you're up tot
d You're a stranger to me. young fellow
: you've forced yourself along with us
for all l know you'll give US away t.
Is whoever's hiding in that hole. Yol
le come along with us, and If l see an.
I thing queer about you, it'll be tn
Or worse for you"
VI The boy threw up his hands with
id gesture of wild impatience. IN,
ID Godr he muttered, 'if they onl
knewp
he This made me distrust him still
%, more. It was plain he was hidin
1y something.
o. Go on step before us" said /, mt
tioning with my pistol toward tn
ho light; land mind-not word-not
at step aside-or shall just scatter you
brains on these rocks.
II That seemed to stiffen him, for b
rs put down his hands and went o
\" quietly enough. In five minutes MOI
=" we were opposite the mouth OF tt
!. cave and could get a glimpse OF Il
iur inside Around the fire six grei
lar bulky fellows lay stretching their la'
n. length in the hot glow. 1t was plat
nd they hadn't any idea of our neighbo
ow. hood, for they laughed and taIk'
OF, loudly, and often took swig from
err brown jug standing by. They we
a common looking lot OF border RI
of fans. and among them I recognize
ne. Grayson and Coats, who were want
hit, all over Texas for murder, train 70
rich biug and horse stealing.
lid A woman was seated on 70
in the full glow OF the fire. ] cou
ore not see her face, for her elbows we
led. propped on her knees, and her he
was buried in her hands. but judged frC
lien her figure, and the long black hair ia
ing round her like a vail. that she "
yez young. At sight of her the boy
oky tered don't know what-it sound
,on- like curse smothered in groans
two The girl raised her head quickly a
d Of looked round. What a face! neN
'ud saw its like before--I never sh
i'm. again. It was the most beautiful
the ever looked Of but white as the de
+ 70 and the big black eyes stretched "
in a CLASSY stare as Il they