The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-07-14

quick enough. Now. shoot ahead, an lets hear
| how yer PLAYED it on them slick off 'cers"
Treasured by Berry's words that his wooing
of Eoline would speed prosperously once his
| powerful rival, the young Deputy Sheriff from
Tahlequah, was banished from his path, Nat
Black proceeded in his characteristic drawl to
give an account of his movements since their
| last meeting.
Some valuable horses had been stolen in Ar
kansas and run off into Indian Territory. The
owners of the stolen property, with Harry Red
| fern, brave young Cherokee, and posse of
daring Indian officers. had followed the trail of
/ the horse thieves to the Sans Bots. Here all
trace suddenly ceased. 1t was impossible for
those unfamiliar with the wild, intricate
mountains to track the gang to its strong
| hold.
Acting on Harry Redfern's advice the little
! party of officers encamped in the Sans Bots.
With dauntless persstency, the young Chero-
kee turned spy, but with success. Days
| passed. Their search was fruitless. The others
(, gave evidence of yielding to despair, and would
have gone home had not Redfern prevailed
| with them to wait.
"Don't hurry" he had said. "We're Just
| beginning to learn the ms and outs of the Sans
Bois and who knows we may stumble onto the
very thing we've been looking for-the horse.
| thieves den-before we know it,"
So they remained The officers had been
several times up to Berrys little cabin, from
their camp mile down the bayou. Harry
Redfern had an acquaintance with Mrs. Berry
and Eoline, antedatiDg their settlement in the
Sans Bots, and being in their neighborhood he
hunted them up.
Mrs. Berry had been a widow when Ben
Berry married her. Eoine was her orphan
| niece. Both women were Cherokees, and,
though poor, had received fair educations in
the public schools supported by their Nation.
Their natures had yielded readily to the rein.
ing influences which had early surrounded
them, and it was amid their better surround
| ings that Harry Redfern, who belonged to one
of the best Cherokee families, had first become
acquainted with them.
1t was not until after Eoline had gone with
her aunt to their new home in the Sans Bots
that the young fellow understood his own
heart-that he loved the girl with all the
strength of his manly character.
1t was a singular coincidence which had
again thrown him in the vicinity of her whom
he loved, but whom circumstances had pre-
vented his seeing since she had taken up her
residence in the Sans Bots, six months before.
If Mrs. Berry had been deceived in her
second marriage she made no complaint. She
bad wanted a home and some one to look after
herself and niece. She had married too hastily,
she now saw, but that was too late to help. If
her home and husband were not all she wished
them to be, her old friends never knew it
from her lips. She and Eoline lived an isolated
existence. They neither visited nor received
company such as they cared for. Except men,
bers of the mountain gang, with which Berry
had some secret connection, no persons had
even called on the lonely women until Redfern
and his friends had presented themselves
To divert suspicion from himself, Ben Berry
had bestirred his stolid self to make an effort
toward hospitality, though in his wicked heart
he would have reioiced to see tho last of his
self-invited guests lying crushed and shapeless
on the sharp rocks below Dead Mans Cliff He
did not, however. withhold his welcome from
the young Deputy Sheriff, whenever he chose,
which was nearly every day, to leave the Off
GERS camp on the bayou and come up to the
cabin to catch glimpse, if no more of Eolines
beautiful face and starry eyes,
Nat Black, from his hidden retreats in the
mountains, had watched with jealous eyes the
frequent meetings between Eoline and Red
fern. He chafed not a little because of the
juxtaposition of the officers which placed q
heavy restraint On his own movements and on
the coming and going of the entire gang. At
last he had matured bold resolve to sweep his
rival from his path forever, and at the same
time, secure the safety of his allies in lawless-
ness from the danger which menaced them in
the sturdy invaders of their Businesses.
Itwas to this plot that Eoline listened, crouch
ing so white and quiet on the floor of the loft
Wullc tue blOrfU continued 10 beat VeugefuilV
around the wild cliffs and rocky Lodges of the
Sans Bots.
AS briefly as he could, Nat related to Berry
how he had that morning entered the officers
camp down the bayou, and offered, for a liberal
reward, to guide Redfern and his posse to the
secret rendezvous Of the gang His disguise as
cowboy, coupled with his plausible speech,
had led the officers to place faith in the fellow
and, after short consultation among them
selves, they had accepted his offer.
You've played 'em plumb fine, Nat"
chuckled Berry.
Didn't l thought" returned Nat, grinning
over his own cunning. "Them blamed officers
nibbled quicker'n / gin 'em credit fur. But
that durn Redfern nigh spilled my game; he
so cautious erbout employin' me as guide /
could see the others put great confidence in his
Judgment.
But Their owners o. Their HOSES argied that
my bein' cowboy an used ter cavoortin'
Ground these hyer mountains huntin' strayed
critters, was Their very chap ter sarve EN-"
When yer goin' to lead them inter ther trap
Nat? asked Berry, his dull eyes lighting with
an expression of strong inward satisfaction.
fortnight An hain't it er splendid night
fur er job O. that kind up thar on Dead Mans
Cliff? 1t couldn't er pleased me better if it
had been made ter order"
That's wot! But wot excuse did yer gin ter
git of from Their officers camp without creatin'
suspicions?"
81 told 'em / had ter ride back ter Their
ranch an report ter my boss. They think this
very minute I'm lynn up thar ermongst Their
cliffs in thcr Sans Bois keepin' eye on Their
movements o Their gang" and Nat Black gave
voice TO low, sardonic laugh that made the
listening girl over his head shudder Erbout
midnight Pm ter meet Capt. Redfern, as Their
men call him, down at ther bend o. Roarin'
Fork. I'll guide him an his men from thar
up inter thar mountains, inter ther narrer
passes ter Dead Mans Cliff. Their boys air
posted an ready fur 'em. Their ambush must
be done up quick an slick, as soon as gin Their
signal. They might gin we-uns plumb hard
tussls OF 1t In Their pass, every last hooter o.
the gang must be thar. / flowed you could
take yer Winchester an mosey over ter Their
Cliff and help we-uns put ,Redfern and com.
pany over them rocks up thar. Nose Dibbs is
in command O. the east end O. Their pass. You
kin report ter Nose"
All right" returned Berry, knocking the
ashes out of his pipe and putting it in his
pocket. "Ef we-uns don't red ther Sans Bots
o. them prowlin' houn's O. Their law, we.uns
materially deserve ter be flung over Dead Mans
Cliff ourselves.
But we-uns hain't been bidin' our time IN
hyer, like tremblin' rabbits in Their bresh, fur
ten days or more, ter 20 an fail now Their
chance we-uns have been a-hungerin' fur is er-
bout to be offered. Nav, sir!
ut be plumb time fur we-uns ter be rackin'
out" announced Nat, putting on his steaming
coat and hat. They'll be spectin' me at Their
Pitchers Caatorla.