The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-02-26
will not be compelled to suffer from

will not be compelled to suffer from
your stupidity and d d nonsense,
said I, losing all patience.
"Well, partner" the midnight
horseman replied, in an injured and
disappointed tone, but free from all
ofense, II don't like to be unsocia-
BILE, and won't do nuthin' when you
says no, and l can wait till mornin'
for my coffee and bacon. Man, T
don't danger myself or nobody. A
little fire in that wash there couldn't
be seen ten yards by Injun or no.
body else, and when tells you there's
no Injuns higher to us than five miles,
l know what / am talking about. /
[ was born in Western Missoury,
twenty-nine years ago, when the In
juns was tryin' to burn our cabin.
and my good mother-leastwise, 7
never seen her-died two hours after
I came into the world. Doyou think
that's for nuthin'? Do you think
good woman gives up her life for a
boy who grows to be man and give
up whites to the Injuns? No, stree.
| hates'em, and I wish I could kill
every one of 'em, for the whole lot of
'em, ten million times over. is not so
good as my mother. I can feel 'em
if they is nigh, and have had one of
them for every hair that was in her
poor head-leastwise, if she was like
other women. Travel with me, pard,
and there is no danger to nobody.
rs a friend to every man as had a
white mother, and an enemy to all
Injuns. Goodnight to you!''
The simple and earnest manner in
which these few words were uttered
caused me to regret that I had de-
MED the fellow the privilege of build
ing a fire, although knew it would
have been imprudent. They also
convinced me that he would be an
acceptable companion for the re-
mainder of my trip, if he was going
that far.
Invoke 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. l
noticed at that time that his grasp
was what we term "hearty," but the
sensation which I experienced in my
hand was not that of fierce squeeze
but rather of an indefinable 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 to have company.
So, after our breakfast, we saddled
up and started off together.
/ Learned little of my strangely met
companion during our ride that day.
In fact, his conversation never relat-
ed to himself. He was good rider,
excellently mounted, and we'll armed,
and the only physical popularity I
noted was that he was decidedly left
handed. His right arm and hand
may as we'll have been of wood for
the uses made of them, yet they were
apparently sound and uninjured.
Without being able to assign any
reason, I became more and more
mystffed with the man every hour
we Travelled together. Herode along,
so far as I 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 as: "There's no Injuns here:
never you mind, partner, I'll tell you
when they is around"
We had a good, hard wagon-road
for the greater part of the days tray
ell, and, as water was plentiful, made
good time. We entered Peoples VAL
ley toward evening and intended to
make the old station, a few miles
further up, for the night. Harbert
was riding slightly ahead ofme, when
I noticed him drop 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 a smile which I
thought unsuited to the situation:
"There's Injuns about here.''
l could not see the slightest thing
to justify the assertion, and we rode
on for about fifteen minutes before
Harbert drew up his horse and said:
eyes, they is to the north of US and
not morn half.mile ahead of US.
They think they'lls 'prise us, but they
won't do nuthin' Of the kind. How's
your guns, pal tner?'
l took a careful look at nv
weapons, while Harbert examined
his pistols, handling them with his
left hand, but did not take his rifle
out ofthe holster. My curiosity had
by this time overcome all other con-
siderations, and I could not refrain
from asking my companion how he
knew that Indians we're in that vici-
nifty.
"Know? Why, I allus knows.
Didn't / tell you before? I feel'em.
Listen.''
With this, he held his right hand
close to my ear, and my astonish-
ment was complete. His fingers.
which were slightly trembling, as I
first supposed through fear of excite