Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-06-07
MISCELLANEOUS.
COMPENSATION.
BLACK MATS LAST GAME.

boy of about sixteen rode rapidly
toward little cabin recently built
on a claim in Oklahoma.
Mother" he cried, refining in
before the door, and calling to a
plucky looking woman busy with
in, BLACK Nat is up to his old
tricks. He's been running cattle
out of the settlement again, and
ten of ours are missing"
"Has any one else lost any?"
asked Mrs. McCune.
Eyes, at least seven of our neigh
bors have lost from five to a dozen.
There has been quite drove taken
from our ranch"
"What are the settlers to do
about it?" asked his mother.
"They are organizing a band to
pursue the cattle thieves and re-
cover the stolen property" answer
ed the boy. "And mother, they
want me to join them"
when do they start?"
"In half an hour. I'd like to go,
but | hate to leave you alone" he
said thoughtfully.
"Fll get along, Webb, if you
want to CO." said his mother.
Dora and l can go over and stay
nights with Mrs. Fulton"
"All right then. | really ought
to go, because so many of our cat
tie are taken"
Eyes, | suppose So" said Mrs.
McCune. How long will you be
gomez"
MAY be several days. Now,
mother. do me up a sack of bread
and dried meat, and Dora," to his
dark-eyed sister of eleven, "you get
me double blanket. Well have
to rough it like regular cowboys"
While his mother and sister
FASTENED to do his biding, Webb
McCune, like a veritable young
soldier, secured his ammunition
pouches to his person and examin-
ed his revolvers.
His blanket and provisions were
strapped on behind his saddle, and
kissing Dora and his mother he
mounted his trustworthy Indian
pony.
"Now, my boy, be careful. Do
not rush into danger" said Mrs.
McCune; "And may God favor
your mission
"T'll remember your words,
mother" and waving his hand in
good-by to the dear ones at the
cabin door, he rode away to the
place where the men were congre-
eating.
Mrs. McCune was a widow.
Webb and Dora were her only
children. She had for several
years kept house for an eccentric
bachelor uncle, in Kansas, but his
marriage had made her services no
longer necessary to him. How
ever, he did not cast her away en-
tirely unrewarded. He had given
her some nice young cattle, and as
her husband had left her good
team and several cows, Mrs. Nc
Cune was considered very FORUM
ate.
But she had no land, and as
Webb was old enough to farm, she
resolved to accompany her old
friends, the Fultons, to Oklahoma
and take claim for herself. Mr..
Fulton had helped her secure a
promising piece of land, which
Webb had at once begun improv-
ing.
Their surplus stock was needed
to go toward further improvements,
and they could ill afford to lose a
single hoof. Other settlers were
like them in this respect, and no
little Indignation was manifested
when it was discovered that Black
Nat had been driving away cattle
again.
Black Nat was notorious char
acter, for his daring and wicked
acts committed on the border of
Oklahoma and No Man's-Land.
For two or three years he had
lived in public lawlessness, cowing
or frightening every man who had
ever tried to arrest him. Lately he
had retired from civilization en-
tirely, organizing band of cattle
and horse thieves, with himself as
chief.
Two or three times before, Black
Nat had been seen lowering like a
vulture around the settlement, and
as cattle and horses were always
found to be missing next day, it
was plain that they had been run
off by some of his band.
Seven settlers and Webb McCune
under the leadership of a deputy
marshal followed the trail Of the
cattle thieves leading westward.
Two days they were able to dis
Germ the trail very clearly, but on
their third days ride, all trace OF it
was suddenly lost in some heavy
timber which stretched away for
many miles on either bank of a
gocdly-slzed creek. Here it was
deemed wise to separate into small
parties of twos and threes, and try
to find the trail again.
Webb was assigned to the charge
of Bob Fulton, a young claim
holder near the boys frontier home.
They were the best of friends, and
Webb was highly pleased over the
arranpement which Let him recon-