Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-11-15

camp.
After some further conversation with
the mln--a Young loo:ling, wiry, dark
faced fcllow-hc went over to talk TO his
"pard, and no dou5, they congratulated
themselves on his success in throwing me
OF my glarl.
On my arrival at Crawford went to
the company tent, where food and other
supplies brought on the construction
trains were stored until they could be-
shipped forward by wagon To points
where our forces were at work. There |
explained the siiua:;on Ia the two clerks
in charge Of the tent, AMI said that
wished to spend the nigh; with them.
was armed with good .siN-siloytcr, ="
and the clerks had each light Winchcs-
ter rife. They said we could guard the
money without trouble that might, anl it
va, arranged that should start for The
grading camp ri three o'clock the next
morning. By leaving nj 50 early an hour
believed that | could battle pursuit by
any robbers who Nigh, have conspircd
To follow me.
Ny pony tough Oregon half-brecd
was pickcted tina. evening behind tie
supply lent. and the clerks ard took
turns in sitting on guard ut the opcnin.
of the tent. saw nothing Of the two
.'s;rikcrs' after we left the train. and No
suspicious person approached Inc tent
that night. | shifted tin" silver from my
grip into Il pair Of saddlc-b bags, and.
armed with my revolver aad borrowed
Winchester rifle AMI Il belt OF cartridges,
mounted my pony at three O'Clock the
next morning to complete my journey.
Day was Just breaking when | came to
the fork of the trail mt Fort Robinson.
two miles out from Crawford siding.
Both routes led to the gradin:: camp
one trail lay through White River canon
and the other led To my destination by
way Of Driftwool. One of these routes
must take. and as the men who were
''shadowing' me believed that would
proceed by WHY of Driftwood | chose the
White River canon route, II rough. ncw
trail that Tor seventeen miles led through
Il ;urnblcd, rocky gorge or canon in the
bottom Of which rippIcd merrily the little
sircamlct that is the beginning Of the
White River.
urged my pony at cool pace until,
after sunrise, | passed Il camp Of freight
rIs VINO were preparing their breakfast,
and later met several WAGONS OH the
move, which relieved, the loneliness of
my ride and caused me To feel more ST.
cure. rs the morning was hot and op-
prc.Siyc now proceeded more slowly
About hall M hour after meeting the
frci~htcrS ! halted nj one of the n,mcr-
Gus creek crossings, and dismountcd to
drink and to cai Il part If The lunch of
and dried beef which | had
brought from the commi>sary tent As
| had no cup | stretched myself out upon
the rocks AT the edge Of the current, and
buried my nose in the cool water of tho
springfield stream
As lay drinking, it'll my head just
above the water, distant sound of
hsrscs' hoofs struck on my ear. ceased
10 drink, listened intcntly, and soon
heard distinctly the noise of horscmcn
coming rapidly up to the canon.
sprang To my feet in alarm. Nv first
impulse was 20 mount my pony and apply
IL, spurs, but as his gait. IL racking cal
Inp. was very slow one, came to the
sudden conclusion Ia dodge into the
brush and lei the horScmcn. whoever they
were, 90 10y. There were "A few box
a.icrirccs and several clusters of plum
bush CLOSE uc,lcr the rocks on the RIGHT
| .raspcd The bronco's rein, and led him
in behind the ihickcst Of the thorn and
tied him.
had little time TO think or act before
The horSemcn came up ut y gallop. [
pccrcd through the leaves us thcy ratified
OF, and discovered that there we're six
riders. and that the iwo strikers were in
The ical. They passed my hidiny-placc
without an apparent suspicion that [ was
there, and, though still much
alarmed, was com"ra!ulatin. myself that
| had ouiwiiied them when. lust ;s they
rodc Into the wafer. my pony lifted mp
his head and uttered a shr;ll, inquirin.
wiiinny
The party instantly halted. Every
rider turned his face eagerly in nv
direction and half-dozcn rifles and re.
volvcrS were ierkc,l into readiness for
action. Ny pony whinnicd again before
could ret Grip upon his mlzzlc, and
.cii mat unless some unexpectedly fortu-
nate circumstance interviewed | should
lose the money and probably my life.
the horscmcn were determined, villain
""s-looIinG men, and ms glanced about
| say they had II great advantage over
me. The scattered patches OF pine scrub
on the steep bare sides of the gorge
offered me but little shelter for II retreat.
and the bushes behind which stood
we're bat slight protection against hcav,
bullets. Al second whinny OF my
horse The men dismountcd and stood be-
hind their animals.
"Iic's in there, sure, heard one of
them say. "Sprcad out, boys, an let's
surround them bushes
Without waiting to hear any more I
thrust the Winchester through the tops
of plum bush and fired at the nearest
horse aiming at its body back of the
shoulder. The animal went down with
Il groan, and the man behind it spranr
back with fierce oath
My only hope now lay in swift action
and certain aim 4 ouicl, motion or iI,o