The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-01-29
BOUNCER'S TRUST.

were its only occupants. the loneliness of
our position was horrible.
don't think Peter felt 1t as I did. He
was a tall, Raunt Sc%otchman. who had bsen
a shepherd in his native land. l had come
out from q full nest-a happy home; and
the awful monotony OF the Australian wi!ds
seemed sometimes more than l could boar.
For a month at least Long Peter and |
had shared the work and the danger be.
tween US; he. az the most experienced. 20
ing out with the sheep, while l kept this hut,
cooked the food and attended to the various
duties.
On this particular day l had been feeling
al amount of ~llstless weariness which l
could scarcely understand myself: but the
fact was that nervous depression 30 over
powered me that whom Bouncer rose up
from my feet with a q owl | start d ns
though some terrible danger was close at
hand.
l walked to tho door Of the hut and
anything unusual.
Still Bouncsr knew what he was about.
Bouncer had risen to his feet and was lis
tening i~ntently. Again he %growled; no, not
growled, but whined lmpatiently and
trotted TO the door.
Then l knew that whoever might ba ap-
preaching was NO enemy. but a friend.
Yet who could it be?
followed Bounoer to the door of the hut,
and, shading my eyes with my hand,
looked earnestly to the west, which was the
direction in which the dog was looking.
Presently the quick though mufh d fall
of a horses hoof became distinctly audible.
knew the canter we'll; it was that of Black.
foot. the splendid riding horse belonging to
Mr.. Ashby, the owner of the station.
Good afternoon, Jem." he said in his
usual pleasant manner Give me a light
for my pipe and u mofsel to snt, TO l must
be off again directly. ANY news going?
Long Peter is not home yet, l Gu po,?
"Ay, there they come" said the IN ster,
in a relieved tone of voice; land now, after
a few words with Prte'. l can mount and
be off. ought to be at home befo t. it Ia
quite dark.
'Jem." he added. quite impreasivelv. ~
came to-day to warn yon ana feter that
there are blacks in the neiuhborGood. They
have been lurking around the home station
for several days, and they mean mischief.
too, for their women are not with them. l
hope your guns are IN good order' DO you
want powie or !ead?"
I'VE have enough Of both" / replied.
but We have only half a dozen bullets.
III run them to-mor ow.'
This l aid with n flush of shams rising
to my cheek. for had not +, Ter asked me
that very mo ming to run t e bu4ot?
MIR. Ashby did not seem to obse We my
embarrassment. for he was standing at the
door lmpatiently waiting for Pete he h d.
however. heard my words, for he re- he'd
immediately: "DoL't ut off ANYTHING tul
tomorrow. Jem; fetch the mould. aud get
the bullets run at once; then go to the
waterhole and bring a. many buckets lull
as YOU can stow away in tn" hut"
Even as he spokr, Peter anu nls hocks ar
rived, the animals f eding gu city all the
way along. Good evening, sir" sal Long
Peter quietly to his maste "Pye hal
some trouble wi, h the beasts today; three
are missing. l found the body of one of
them. 1t had been 9. cared"
s~carcely were the words out Of his mouth
when a spar whizzsd through the open
doorway and quivered in the wooden slabs
behind.
Had my two companions been as mex.
perienoed "a ! WAS all would now have
been confusion and diImsy, but both the
master and Long Pete werc old colonists,
and had had more than one brush with the
natives. They were both es cool az o.
sible.
bar the door, Jem," said the shepherd,
and hand me the powder flask and bullets.
Here, Bouncer, KEEP to heel. good dog"
With a feeling mo . akin 20 agony than
/ had ever known before l handed the pow
de flask to my fellow servant, at the same
time telling him that l had o'gotten all
about the bullets. and that only half a
dozen remained ON hand.
He just gave me one glance, partly indiR-
nation. partly pity.
"Then we are all up q ttee,' he said:
however. let as all do our hest; two bullets
to each of us, Jem, and we'll stand by ench
other"
The good old fellow! saw by his face
that he felt for me in the agony of remorss
Tim | NJ n ~, ~ ~ vv mad {hl nd ---.. A.
make it worse for me by HIS reproaches.
Meanwhile Mr.. Ashhy was coolly recon-
noitering through the loopholes; he had
let down the windows and was preparing
for action as calmly as n shepherd. We
them back: he had a few of his own.
Take them, take them" he whispered;
'you will need them ALL" And we did.
Suddenly there was a change; three or
four of the sheep rose, looked ali around,
STAN ped their feet and hudd ed close to
gether. Something had MA med them,
some sight or sound as yet unrevealed 10
our blunter faculties.
The next moment a loud report rang ont
into a thousand echoes. Pete had fired
the first shot, a shrill death SO cam follow
figure of a man who learsd from his am
bush and fell like a clod to the ground.
"lhere, you nre ali riGhtn' he added OK
ultantlv, as both Mr.. Ashbv's gun and minis
were II ell ~ tue same moment lyon
have each fixed YOU man and the others
are d awing off for "a l'ttle. Bat mark nv
words, sir" he added, Though they are
mortally afraid of our guns, they'll find
out soon enough that orr ammunition Ia
running short; then they will ii tho hut
and We a 9 done for! sir, 1 mean to get
Bonncer to help uB."
"lhe dog7" nskrd M. Aahby, inquiringly.
II DON'T understand. What can he o?
ley will certainly kill him il you lss him
out!'
$50 they will, IL they can catch him.
reptile the she h I'd. comp, seuly; hut vs.
must tnke our chance of that, NJ If You
Will write n line to the head Rtation. telling
them whit a tx we nte in, ! sckon that
Ill dog will carry the latte .hsra In les.
tiTne than a thoroughbred hor do could do IL.
have taught HIM, sr. to fetoh and o. ~,
little thinking that at some time our lives
might depend upon him dong it. Please
write the letter. sir"
But will he go to the station with it2''
replied the master. who was bust ' writing;
"how can you get him to unierstandp"
"I.ave that to mr. air." Q lied Long Pc
ter; 1.-The only d ficnlt. 10, will ths black
fellows wait long enough before they FIRE
the hut. 30 a. to allow o, help coninpP II
IL doubtful. hut W. can only try. We ats
in Gods hands. sir
Peter pulled away a half rotten slab from
behind his bunk. thus making a holo sufl
oiently largo for Bouncor to creep through.
He then fastened the lettor securely to hi
roilar Aha uobla animal yiviou nov and