Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-02-07

to fly, fly, for the avenger OF oiood was
at hand.
No need to be told whom he sought.
The. two gamblers-the two murderers
the brutes we had suspected; but
where were they? Where TO be sought?
We hailed the mail train. 1t was but
hundred yards before Us over the
ridge. Jake chamberlain and his party
returned to learn what delayed US.
The haggard horsemen stared at them
all in silence.
"I've seen you before, stranger" said
chamberlain.
YES" said the man, in his shudder-
ing whisper.
''Its Armstrong from Oregon, from
the Umpqua, amt it? You don't look
as if you were after cattle this time.
Where's your brother?"
Murdered.
81 allowed something had happened,
because he warn't long. l never seed
two men stick so close as you and he
did. They didn't kill him without get
tin lick at you, IIsee. Who was it?
IndianS?"
"Worse."
81 reckon / know why you're after Us
then"
81 can't waste time, chamberlain, B"
said Armstrong, in hurried whisper.
"l'll tell you in two words what's hap
pened 20 me, and p'r'aps you can help
me TO find the men / mean TO find"
"I'll help you, il | know how, Arm
strong. ! hain't seen no two in my life,
old country or new country, saints or
gentiles, as I'd do more form you and
your brother. I've olluz said, eff the
world was chuck full Of Armstrong;,
Paradise wouldn't pay, and Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob mout just as well blow
out their candle and go under bushel
basket, unless a half bushel would kiver
'em."
The stranger seemed insensible to this
compliment. He went on in the same
whisper, full of agony, pain and weari-
ness. While he talked his painting
horse drew up his lip and whinnied,
showing his long, yellow teeth. The
spirit OF his rider had entered him. He
was impatient OF this dalliance.
1--WE were coming down from the
Umpqua, my brother and l." said Arm
strong, 'goan across to the States to
drive out cattle next Summer We was
little late one morning, along OF our
horses havin' strayed off from camp, and
that was how we met them men. Two
on 'em Their was-a tall, most ungOdly
Pike and a little, fat, mean-lookin' runt.
We lighted on 'em just to the crossin'
Of Bear river. They was comm from
Sacramenter, they said. kinder allow
ed they was horse thieves and wanted
20 shy off. But Bill-that was my broth
err
Here the poor fellow choked little.
"Bil, he never could think wrong OF
nobody. Bill. he said: No. Looks was
nothin',' he said and we'd jine the fell
lerS.' So we did, and rode together all
day, and camped together on a branch
We cum to. | recken we talked too
much about the cattle we was goan TO
buy, and suppose Their amt many on
the Pacific side that amt heard OF the
Armstrong;. They allowed we had
money, them murderers did. Well, we
camped all right, and went TO sleep, and
| never knoweG nothin, ef IL warn't a
dream that grizzly had wiped me over
the head, till woke up the next day
with the sun brilin down on my head,
and my head all raw and bloody, as ef
I'd been scalped. And there was Bill
my brother Bill-lyin dead in his
blankets"
a shudder passed through our group.
These were the men we had tolerated.
sat with at the camp fire, TO whose
tened. Brent's instinct was true.
Armstrong was evidently an honest,
simple, kindly fellow. His eyes we're
pure, gentle blue. They filed with
tears as he spoke. But the stern look
remained, the Rhedamanthine whisper
only grew thicker with vengeance.
"Bill was dead" he continued. THE
Ratchet slipped when they come TO hit
me, and they was too skeared, sup
pose, to go on chopin me as they had
him. P'r'aps his ghost cum round apd
told 'em 7 warn't the fair thing they'd
ben at, and 7 warn't. But they got our
horses, Bits big sorrel and my tlu-
head horse, what's made hundred and
twenty-three miles betwiXt sunrise and
sunset of a September day, goan for the
doctor when Ma Armstrong was tux 10
die. They got the horses and our
money belts. So when found BIZ was
dead l knowed what my life was left
for. / tied up my head, and somehow
| crep and walked and run and got to
Box Elder. I don't know how long it
took nor who showed me the way, but |
got there"
Box Elder isthe northernmOst Nor
mon settlement, or was in those days.
IN never say another word agin the
Mormon religion, Jake" Armstrong
went on. "They treated me like a
brother to Box Elder. They QUILTED
me with pistol, and this ere horse.
They said he had come In from train
what the Indians had cut of, and was
a terrible one ogo. He Is, and believe
he knows what he's goan for. I've ben
night and day riding on them murder
ers' trail. Now, men give me time to
think. Bills murderers amt at Bridger.
They passed there midnight. They
must be somewheres within fifty miles,
and I'll find 'em, so help me Cod"
His hoarse whisper was still. No one
spoke.
Another rush OF hoofs down the slope
behind!