River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-09-12

forms of antelope and elk-Of cattle
and wild mustangs.
All at once his flying steed plunged
downward through the darkness, and
in another instant stood quivering and
painting in the bed ofea dry water
course.
Overhead the blizzard thm.Lered
and rOared, but here at least was
shelter from the blast. Yet even here
the very earth was tremulous with the
power of the blizzard. which
nothing but typhOon in the China
sea can approach in intensity.
1t was tEe longest night that he ever
passed. but the gray, murhy day-dawn
came, and with it a gradual subsistence
of the blow. As his eyes accustomed
themselves to the dim light, he saw
that flock of antelope had taken
refuge not far distant, and so thorough
liz cOwed by the storm that thoy did
not seem to mind his presence.
But TO what avail the thought of
antelope steak for breakfast His
pistol went off, literally N his saddle
holster, while his have1sack, contain
ing matches. pepper. salt and. alasi
his pOcket-cOmpass. had followed his
wide-brimmed sombrero.
Leading his pony up out of the water
course, Dick for the first time began
10 realize his more-than-unpleasa
position. Though the blizzard had
subsidized % an ordinary mount Ia
blow, the sun. aud even its dim where
abouts, was hidden under a murk of
cloud. The location of the points of
the compass were as insolvable a prob
lem TO him as the differential calculus.
Mounting. Dick allowed the pony to
take his own course with a vague hope
that instinct might lead him to water
And chance or instinct or both turned
the pony's steps toward a distant range
of bluffs behind which rose what might
or might not be McLary's range.
Toward nightfall, Dick and the pony
pFicked up their ears as the far away
popping of rifles came family 10 them.
That the reports were made by the
guns of some hunting party Dick was
assured in his own mind He heard
more or less concerning occasional
raids made by playful Apaches on
white settlers in the more remote sec
tons. but regarded them as exaggera-
lions. Indeed Hick was rather in
clined to regar 10 as an abused and
much maligued individual.
So he pressed his pony forward with
what speed he might in the direction
OF the distant shots, which, however,
mad ceased long before he reached a
belt of cottonwood and willow firing
ing stream that flowed down from a
defile in the rocky sleeps which rose,
barrier-lile, before the mountain slopes.
But-what is this? Behind "a spur of
the bluff an overturned mule wagon
with the canvass-cOyering cut into
Sits, Four dead mules in the traces
two with Threats slit from ear to cart
The ground, torn up and trampled as in
a conflict, was strewn with broken
boxes and canned provision tins-with
stores laid wantonly waste. with
And here Dick Prater began to feel
sick and faint Death he had seen in
its usual form like most men. But
death by violence-mutilated after
such fashion, as only fiendish ingenuity
could conceive. never-sent a thrill of
horror through the young mans
healthy. vigorous frame.
One, two. three, four dead whites
lay stretched, with ghostly uniformity,
side by side, Three were presumably
MeXicans -the fourth a gray-bearded
guide in a well-worn hunting suit. All
had been scalped as a matter of course.
But the further atrocities perpetrated
Ou the lifeless corpses viii not bear
recital.
The mighty oath which Dick Prater.
forgetful alike of hunger. thirst and
fatigue, ground between his set teeth.
will, 1 hope and trust. never be re-
corded against him ON high.
While his pony was eagerly shaking
its thirst, Dick looked about him. hop
ing TO find among the scattered Debris
some overlooked weapon. with, Heaven
only knows what. wildly-vague plans
for pursuit and vengeance.
Put. all in vain. Even the bodies Of
the slain had been plundered of their
revolyers and hunting-knives
As. sick at heart, Dick turned away.
his foot encountered a hard substance
in the short grass. Ii was a very
new and elabOrately-m hunting
knife with six-inch blade and ivory
haft, in which was inserted a silver
plate bearing the not-unfamiliar name
Of Cyrus Manning. Esq the Esq"
settling its ownership beyond the shad-
Ow OF a doubt
Then Dick remembered having once
heard Millionaire Manning declare his
intention OF building a hunting-IOdge
in the wilds of Nebraska. where he
owned few thousand acres of land
''some day"
Some day had come. and presumably
on his way to the lodge. the train was
attacked. his guide and wagon crew
we're massacred. and he himself taken
away prisOner-peFheps with others.
Dick reverently covered the multi
lated fragments OF humanity with what
was left of the wagOn-tilt- Then the
claims OF very healthy appetite as
serted themselves vigorously.
The red men had evidently not been
educated up to canned provisions
Tins Of various comestibles strewed
the ground on every side. Cold
chicken. ham and dessert of English
plum pudding, with preserved peaches.
made a most satisfying meal for man
who had tasted nearly twenty-four
hours And Dick arose from n cracker
box like = giant refreshed.
As he turned his eycs in the twilight
toward a more distant range OF bluffs
he saw the dark base Illumined by
sudden rudy glow. That il was
fre-the campfire Of the Indians who
had attacked the wagon. was his most
natural conjecture.
Dick was nc hero OF the Roaring
Bisbe Of the Range order. Far from
il Bat he had uluok and determine