Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1891-05-07
thatof Blackfoot the splendid riding horse

thatof Blackfoot, the splendid riding horse
belonging to Mr.. Ashby, the owner Of the
station. Yes, there he was cantering over
the waving grass and making straight for
Long Ridge. "Good afternoon, Jem," he
saidin his usual pleasant manner. "Give
mea light for my pipe and morselt to eat,
for Unjust be off again directly. Anynews
going? Long Peter is not home yet,
suppose"
Even as Mr.. Asnby spoke we could rec
ognize the bleating of the flock and could
dimly see the white aeeces of the
sheep as they emerged from the sombre
shadows of the trees. SAY, there they
come," said the master, in relieved tone
of voice; land now, after a few words
with Peter, can mount and be off.
ought to be home before it is quite dark.
Jem;'' he added impressively, Il came to-
day to warn you and Peter that there are
blacks in the neighborhood. They have
been lurking round the home station for
several days, and they mean mischief, too,
for their women are not with them. l
would have sent Sam and Jerry here to
help you and Peter, but it is impossible
now to do so; my wife and children must
be protected. and we need all the hands
we have. hope your guns are in good
orders Do you want powder or lead?'
1--WE have enough of BOTH" l replied,
"but we have only half dozen bullets.
I'll run them tomorrow" This said
with flush of shame rising to my cheek,
for had not Peter asked me that very
morning to run the bullets? Yet l had
spent the long summer day listlessly read
ing letters, because, forsooth, saw no
immediate need OF the bullets; and now,
THINKS to my carelessness, we were prac-
tically unarmed.
Mr.. Ashby did not seem to notice my
embarrassment, for he was standing at the
door impatiently waiting for Peter; he
had, however, heard my words, for he re-
piled Immediately, "Don't put off anything
till to. morrow, Jem; fetch the mould and
get the bullets run at once; then go to the
water-hole and bring as many buckets
full as you can stow away in the hut"
Even as he spoke, Peter and his tlocks
arrived, the animals feeding quietly all
the way along. "Good-evening,, slg;"sa
! II.sag Peter oui4asAs,y to his master. GIVE
had some trouble with the beasts to-day;
three are missing. l found the body of
one of them. 1t had been speared.
Mr.. Ashby looked full at the man, con-
sternation clearly written in his face.
."Are they so near us as that, Peter ~ he
said. II must get home tonight; only
came to warn you and Jem."
| Il don't think that you can possibly go,
SIR" responded the shepherd, coolly filling
a pannikin of tea; "they are too close to
us.''
We looked at the man lnquiringly; his
| face was pale but misunderstanding, and his
voice sank to whisper as he added: After
seeing the spear-wound in the sheep l
looked about me pretty sharp, you may be
sure, but l saw nothing till l was just
clear of the timber, then sighted one Of
the blacks wriggling through the grass
| like a snake. would have fired at him,
butt saw another, then another, so l
thought it best to return and warn Jem.
| They did not guess that had seen them,
or would have had spear through my
back. AS it is, I expect they will attack
us tonight"
> Scarcely were the words out of his
| mouth when spear WhiZZed through the
open doorway and quivered in the wooden
slabs behind. Had my two companions
been as inexperienced as I was, all would
now have been confusion and dismay, but
both the master and Long Peter were old
colonists, and had had more than one
brush with the natives. They were both as
cool as possible.
"Bar the door, Jem," said the shepherd,
s'aAd hand me the powder-fask and bull
lets. Here, Bouncer, keep to heel, good
dog"
| With feeling more akin to agony than
I had ever known before I handed the
powder-fask to my fellow-servant, atthe
same time telling him that I had forgotten
all about the bullets and that only a half
dozen remained on hand.
He just gave me one glance, partly In
dignation, partly pity. "Then we are all
up tree" he said; "however, let US do our
best; two bullets to each of us, Jem, and
we'll stand by each other"
The good old fellow! saw by his face
that he felt FOR me in the agony of remorse
was enduring and did not mean to make
it worse for me by his reproaches. Yet
| Long Peter had wife at home among the
heather mountains, and a daughter, curl
of whose golden hair had often seen In
his pocket-book. All, Long Peter could
not afford to die yet!
Meanwhile, Mr.. Ashby was coolly recon-
NOTHING through the loop-holes; he had
let down the window, and was preparing
| for action as calmly as the shepherd. We
had handed him two bullets, but he push
ed them back; he had few of his own.
"Take them, take them" he whispered;
.you will need them all" And truly we
did. By this time the moon had risen, its
| light gradually growing on the landscape
till we could see the outlines of the trees,
and the long grass waving white in the
| rho,tlx, obo1ouc. hut oil was siIant-nOtfl-