St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-02-05
LONG PETERS DOG.
Denver Times.

Long Ridge station was very solitary
spot indeed, even at the best OF times;
but just at present, when Long Peter
and | were its only occupants, the lone
illness of our position was horrible.
don't think Peter felt it as did. He
was a tall, gaunt Scotchman, who had
been a shepherd In his native land. L
had come out from full nest-a happy
home, and the awful monotony of the
Australian wilds seemed sometimes
more than | could bear.
For month at least Long Peter and
had shared the work and the danger
between US; he, as the most expert
enced. going out with the sheep. while
| kept the hut, cooked the food and
attended to the various duties.
On this particular day | had been
feeling an amount of listeSs WEAKNESS
which | could scarcely understand my
self, but the fact was that nervous de-
preston so overpowered me that when
BOuncer rose up from my feet with
gr0Wl | started as though some terrible
danger was close at hand.
| walked to the door of the hut and
looked keenly ali around, but could not
see anything unusual.
Still Bouncer knew what he was
about. Bouncer had risen to his feet
gruwIed: no, not growled, but Whlned
impatiently and trotted 10 the door.
Then | knew that whoever might be
approaching was no enemy, buta friend.
Yet, who could it be?
followed Bouncer to the door of the
hut and, shading my eyes with my hand,
looked earnestly toward the west, which
was the direction in which the dog was
looking.
Presently the quick though muffled
fall of a horses hoofS became dis
tinctly audible. l knew the canter
well; it was that OF Blackfoot. the
splendid riding horse belonging to MIR.
Ashby, the owner of the station.
Good afternoon, Jem," he said in his
usual pleasant manner. Give me
light for my pipe and morSel to eat,
for must be off again directly. Any
news going? Long Peter is not home
yet, | suppose"
'-Ay. there they come" said the mas
ter. in relieved tone of voice; land
now. after few words with Peter, l
can mount and be off. ought to be
home before it is quite dark.
"Jem.'' he added, quite impressively,
81 came today to warn you and Peter
that there are blacks in the neighbor-
hood. They have been lurking around
the home station for several days, and
they mean mischief, too, for their WON
eD are not with them. L hope your guns
are in good order? Do you want powder
or lead?"
1--WE have enough OF BOTH" l replied.
''but we have only had dozen bullets.
I'll run them tomorrow"
This | said with flush of shame rs-
ing to my cheek, for had not Peter asked
me that very morning to run the bull
letS?'
Mr. Ashby did not seem to observe
my embarrassment. for he was standing
at the door impatientIy waiting for
Peter; he had, however, heard my
words, for he replied immediately:
Don't put off anything till tomorrow.
Jem; fetch the mold and get the bullets
run at once; then go to the water hole
and bring as many buckets full as you
can stow away i'll the hut"
Even as he spoke Peter and the flocks
arrived. the animals feeding quietly all
the way along. Good evening, SIR"
said Long Peter quietly to his master.
GIVE had some trouble with the
beasts today; three are missing. [
found the body of one of them. 1t had
been Speared."
Scarcely were the words out of his
mouth when spear Wlizzed through
the open doorway and quivered in the
wooden slabs behind.
Had my two companions been as in
experienced as l was all would now
have been confusion and dismay, but
both the master and Long Peter we're
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 shep-
how'd hand hand mo the nOw6pp fla Sly
and bullets. Here Bouncer, keep heel,
good dog"
With feeling more akin TO agony
than | had ever known before | handed
the powder flask to my fellow servant,
at the same time telling him that | had
forgotten all about the bullets and that
only half Il dozen remained on hand.
He just gave me one glance, partly
indignant, partly pity.
Then we are all up in 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! l saw by his
face that he felt for me in the agony of
remorSe that [ was enduring, and did
not mean to make it the worse for me
| by his reproaches.
Meanwhile Mr.. Ashby was coolly re-
connoitering through the loopholes; he
| had let down the windows. and was pre-
| pairing for action as quietly as the Shep-
| herd. We handed him two bullets, but
| he pushed them back; he had a few of
| his own.
Take them, take Them" he whis-
| pered; ''you will need them ALL" And
| we did.
Suddenly there was a change; three
or four of the sheep rose, looked all
| round. stamped their feet and huddled
| close together. Something had alarmed
| them, some sight or sound as yet unre-
| yealed to our blunter faculties.
| The next moment loud report rang
| out into thousand echoes. Peter had
| fired the first shot, shrill death scream
| following it, while we could dimly see
| the dark figure of man who leaped
! from his ambush and fell like a clod to
the ground.
There, you are all rightr' he added,
eXultantly, as both Mr.. Ashby's gun and
mine were fired at the same moment.
"l on have each fixed your man and the
others are drawing off for little. But.
mark my words, sir" he added,
though they are mortally afraid of our
| guns, they'll find out soon enough that
our ammunition is running seort. Then
they will fire the hut and we are done
for! Sir, l mean to get Bouncer to help
u.s."
The dog?" asked Mr.. Ashby. inquir-
ingly. 81 don't understand. What can
he do? They will certainly kill him if
you let him out"
80 they will. if they can catch him."
replied the shepherd, composedly; but
we must take our chance of that, sir.
If you will write line to the head sta
ton, telling them what a fix we are in,
| reckon that my dog will carry the let
ter there in less time than a thorough
bred horse could do it. l have taught
him, sir, to fetch and carry, little think
ing that at some time our lives might
depend upon him doing it. Please
write the letter, SIR"
''But will he go to the head station
with % replied the master, who was
busily writing, show can you get him
to understand ?"
| ssI cave that tn ma cir rapIiad T ono