Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-03-17
A NIGHT RIDE.

tlOn, ana are kllIH7 "i" 'N"' 'f'Ho W.
beat thunder, met scout terday,
over in thcr Big Coolies, an he posted
me.
.'How many are thar of EN-, Jack?"
"Wal, as near as he could tell, tlar
was somewhars erbout thirty er thirty
five"
"How are they off fer shooting irons?
or didn't yer find out:'
81 should say they was all heeled fer |
keeps The scout told me that they all |
had Winchesters, an hull lot of EN-
had six-shooters as well. And now, boys,
we've got ter ride like sin ter-mowow,
an gether in all the critters, an push EN-
over into the Deep Creek country fer
safety. | hardly think the reds will
navigate thet way. So here's fer
smoke, and then bed. ="
The speaker, big Jack Burns, foreman
of the |. C. Horse Outfit, leisurey pro-
duced pipe and tobacco as cooIy as if
the murderous Apaches were thousand
miles away instead of thirty.
We were only seven men, C uniting the
Mexican cook, in the dug out attached to
the corral and were employees of the big
|. g. Company; and well we knew what
an Apache outbreak meant, for we all
had suffered more or less from their cruel
raids. But we had been intrusted with
the horses, and we intended, if possible
for human power to keep them out of
the clutches of the redskins, to do 50;
for we had all received many little kind
nesses from the company, and from the
highest to the lowest there was mutual
goodwill and friendly feeling, very
different from some outfits, who treat
their vaqueros with far less consideration
than they do their horses or cattle.
Jimmie did yer go down to the Cactus
Ranch fer the six shooter cartridges:"
''Yes, bet | did, an got purity close
ter thousand rounds"
"Ihet's kind er comforting Did yer
here tell of any news down thar"
Nothing pertcler They was a-talk-
in "a out thet thar settler over on Ante
lope Flat; they allowed thet if trouble
come with the reds, he would be in IL
purity tough place, specially as he are Il
tenderfoot. I'd hate ter see anything
happen ter 'em. passed thar the other
day, and his leetle gal come out, and
says, sorter anxious like:
Mister, hev you got leetle gala
$50 | says, No, little sissy, hain't'
"'Nor no leetle boys?' says she.
Nary one says l, and | told her
thet she VIZ the fust leetle un I'd seen
fer many day, an we he'd quite leete
confab an then her mother come out,
an she war very pleasant lady, she
war, an sho said she allowed tibet the
leetle un war lonesome for other leetle
uns ter play with. They've got right
young baby thar, too, but the leetle gal
says that baby can't do nothing but
sleep, an laugh, AM
CLARK! listen, men, listen" and in
second big Jack had pushed open the
door, and was looking intently out over
the moonlit prairie.
"What is it, Jack?" asked the boys, as
they gathered outside.
"Did yer hear shooting?"
"No, but thars shod hoss a-coming
like blazes."
Yes, the thud thud, thud, of ironshod
hoofs were now plainly heard, and away
out faint glimmer of dust could be
discerned
Boys I'm afearod thet thar's tr ,ublo
somewhar's' continued Jack
''WaI, jedging from the way thet hoss
is a-hitting the trail, we can mighty
soon tell now, said Hank Shower
And soon the sight that greeted our
eyes showed us that there was trouble
somewhere, for out of the dust and
glimmer sprang a powerful white mare
while on her back, securely tied to the
heavy frontier saddle, was the new set
tiers ''leetle gall
With astonshed and anxious faces, we
sprang to the mares side, and lifted the
little maid out of the saddle and big
Jnck carried her tenderly ino the dug
out, while with wondering faces the rest
of us quietly followed
"Please, Mr.. Big Jack. I've brought
a letter from pap"
"a letter, child. You've brought n
letter twenty miles fer me. What in tho
name O. tie Great Medicine war Yer dad
u thinkin' erbout tor send Il baby like
you with it?"
- don't know, please, Mr.. Big Jack
perhaps he's hurt, cause his ewes were
wet and mamma was crying Then
papa wrote a letter and put me on old
Nan and told me to keep on the wagon
trail till | got to the lone tree, and then
head for the Black Canon, and ho gave
INC switch to beat old Nan, cause he
said If Nan didn't run good baby Frank
would never laugh any ore,-and that
would be awful. SO beat her all the
way, and camo drefful quick, and
Judging from the mares heaving sides,
the little one had ridden her for all she
was worth.
Wal, give me ther letter, leetle un.
an We II mighty soon see what's wanted"
he letter had been securely fastened
to tho little ones dress, but It was soon
in Jack s hands.
Sissy, don't yer feel like eatin bite
ofgrab, and drinkin' cup of coffeo?"
No, thank you, sir, but am sleonv
and very tired, and" ~
Juan, keep the child sort Of amused
Ter mint, an boys come; and bic
Jack led the way to the far end of the
room.
Boys, here's the deuce ter paw"
In low voice, he read the letter:
To the Boys at the Stone Corral:
was out on the ridge at the back of nv
shanty, and not over twenty miles owov !
saw big band of Apaches coming. Thev
vii be here inside of three hours NV littio
girl is good rider, and the mare is sure
fooled and fast, so send this by her, asking
you for aid. MAY God guide her to you
II You cannot help us, our doom is sealed
MY rel tives live in L., Michigan; write to
them in regard to my little daughter.
Hoping and praying you arr in sufficient
force g. aid us, FRANK STANTON.
God knows would not want help for INV.
self but think Of my wife and baby.