Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-01-11

. ". soihpeNeu TO suffer from
your stupidity and d-dnonsense >
hhla !, losingall patience.
Well, partner" the MIDNIGHT
iiorseman replied, in an injured and
disappointed tone, but free from an
onense, Il don't like TO be unsocia-
bic, and won't do nuthin' when YOU
says no, and can wait till mornin'
TOT my coffee and bacon. Man. Il
don't danger myself or nobody 4
ilttle lire In that wash there couldn't
De seen ten yards by a Injun or no
Dody else, and when / tells you there's
no lnJuns higher to us than Ave miles.
know what am talking about. i
l was born in Western Missoury.
twenty-nine years ago, when the In
Juns was tryin' to burn our cabin.
ana my good mother-leastwise. i
never seen her--died two hours after
! came into the world. Doyou think
mats for nuthin'2 Do You think a
good woinan gives up her life for a
boy who Sfows to be man and give
up. whites to the Injuns? No, Stree.
! hat9s'em, and / wish / could kill
every one OF EN-, for the whole lot OF
EN-, ten million times over. is not SO
good as my mother. | can feel 'em
y they IS nigh, and have had one OF
them Tor every hair that was in her
poor head-leastwise, il she was like
other women. Travelwit me, pard,
and there is no danger to nobndy.
rs a friend to every man as had a
white mother, and an enemy TO all
lnlnns. Goodnight to you!"
The simple and earnest manner in
which these few words were uttered
caused me to regret that | had de-
MED the fellow the privilege of build
ing fire, although knew it would
have been imprudent. They also
convinced me that lie would be AN
acceptable companion for the re-
mainder OF my trip, if he was going
that far,
] woke first in the morning, made
a fire, and was getting coffee ready,
when the stranger got up. He was
tall and slender, with a round, good
natured face, black eyes, hair, and
mustache, and appeared several
years younger than the age he gave
the previous night. His contenance
was frank and open, and his actions
simple and modest. He greeted me
cheerfully, and we shook hands.
noticed mt that time that his grasp
was what we term hearty" but the
sensation which ! experienced In my
hand was not that OF a fierce squeeze
but rather OF an indeiinable and pc
culiar nature. He gave the name OF
Dick Harbert: was going to Santa
Fe--a very dangerous trip at that
time-and was glad tohave company.
So. after our breakfast, we saddled
up aud started of together.
! learned little OF my strangely met
companion during our ride that day.
In fact, his conversation never relat-
ed to himself. He was a good rider,
excallently mounted, and wellarmed,
and the only physical popularity |
noted was that he was decidedly left
handed. His right arm and hand
may ms well have been OF wood for
the uses made OF them, vet they were
apparently sound and uniniured.
Without being able to assign any
reason, | became more and more
mystiiied with the man every hour
We Travelled together Herodealong.
so far rs ] could see, without giving
the slightest attention to his surround,
ings, but his peculiar confidence was
expressed and illustrated, whenever
he detected me inspecting the coun.
try with especial care, by some such
remark us: There's no lniuns here;
never YOU mind. partner, Ill tell you
when they is around
We had a good, hard wagon-road
for the greater part OF the days tray-
Il. and, ms water was plentiful, made
good time. We entered Peoples Val
lev toward evening and intended to
make the old station, a few miles
further up, for the night Harbert
was riding slightly ahead ofme, when
noticed him drop a switch which he
carried in his right hand and extend
that arm in front OF him. A moment
or two afterward he turned to me
and said, with smile which |
Thought unsuited to the situation:
"Tbere's Injuns about here. "
could not see the slightest thing
to Justify the assertion, and we rode
on for about fifteen minutes before
Hnrhert drew up his horse and said:
Eyes, they is to the north OF us and
not r,or'n half.mile ahead of us.
They think hey'lls'prise us, but they
won't do nuthin' OF the kind. How's
your guns, pal tner?"
| took careful look at my
weapons, while Harbert examined
his pistols, handling them with his
left hand, but did not take his rife
out olthe holster My curiosity had
by this time overcome all other con-
alterations, and could not refrain
from asking my companion how he
knew that Indians were in that vici-
nifty.
"KnowP Why, ] ullus knows.
Didn't / tell you before? l feelem.
Listen" !,
with this. he held his right hand
close TO my ear, and my nstonish-
ment was complete. His fingers,
.,,t,iob ,pora SLIGHTLY trembling, as /