Connecticut western news., 1893-08-24
A TEXAS NORTHER.

We were riding along the middle fork of the Concho, Lieutenant Ward of the Tenth cavalry, Caswell, chief clerk at the post suffers, and myself. We had been out after antelope without success and late in the afternoon found ourselves some 20 miles from Fort Concho, men and mounts tired with days pounding over the plains. Private Bilkins, whom the lieutenant had taken along to spread our monday lunch and lead the pack horse, rode at the rear, his big gray fol- lowing with the faithfulness of troop horse, while the pack animal bore no heavier burden than pair of jack rab- bits which Caswell had ignominiously potted.
 A blast of air, so cold that it seemed to almost freeze ones blood, rushed over us just as the sun was hidden on the horizon by the advancing cloud. A band of cattle, 200 or more in compact mass, plunged madly past, their heads near the ground and their long horns shining in the glow of the false twilight. Crash, through the underbrush, splash, through the stream, and then wildly on toward the southward tore the cattle.
 Over swell of the plains came other herds all running like race horses. An telope, whose fleet feet and farreaching vision had been their own protection and the cause of our failure all the day, skinned the ground, their white tails bobbing with their nimble bounds. To the southward, always to the southward La 1e 4l,<~, ~1n,x flight lay safety from the blast, as if flesh and blood could outspeed the ice wind.
 "She's comingp exclaimed the lieuten- ant. Inelegant, perhaps, but save in its unwarranted designation of meteoro- logical gender entirely truthful. Turn ing our horses sharply to the right and restraining at the beginning their sym toms of desire to bolt, we rode into the thickest of the timber and then east ward at gallop which lacked little of a lively run. Colder blew the north wind. Blast driven drops of rain began to slap our cheeks with their stinging picket warnings that the storm was nearly up on us, and we were anxiously looking for some embankment along the stream which would partially shelter us under it's lee when Bilkins wantonly broke the rules and regulations of the service by treating his superior officer in most flippant and unmilitary manner. His big gray bounded by, the packhorse keeping noble time to giant leaps. "Come on," yelled Bilkins. There's house.
 He doubtless added something more, but his words, like the cattle, went to the southward. We overlook Bilkins in 50 yards and i'll 50 more ended wild race to miserable shanty which the sharp eyes of the soldier had seen.
 Before we could dismount half dog en men came out, and the cheery voice of Captain Hall was heard: "Just in time, lieutenant! Boys, help the gentle men with their horses"
 Five minutes later the animals were safe in corral near the shanty, from which they could not escape during the storm, and we were in the house, where Captain Hall and a detail of state rangers had taken refuge. A fire was soon roar ing in the old fireplace, for the fierce wind without caused a magnificent draft.
 Darkness and the storm. Men rolled in saddle blankets and sleeping on the dirt floor. The dreary drip of drops which came through the leaking roof. And the roar added to the blast, and the ground trembles as herd of believing cattle thunders past.
 "What a night and what stormI' said Captain Hail. II pity any cowboy
 
 could live through such a mortimer un- less he was muffled like an Eskimo"
 We didn't know it then, but later we learned that all alone a woman was rid ing through the night, while we huddled in the shanty The bitter wind, rain which froze where it fell, even death in the darkness, were defed by love which bore woman to warn as worthless a scoundrel as lived in Texas.
 A long time Captain Hall gazed at the fire, his big eyes looking bigger in the blaze. Very innocent eyes were his, mild and liquid like a maiden's. This leader of the rangers, captain of dar- ing band of reckless riders whose mis- sion was the capture of desperate out laws, had the face of a poet and the eyes of schoolgirl. At length he said, un- consciously using the local vernacular:
 "You all better see this thing, out. We are after man who is wanted for some score of crimes, big and little. Life at Fort Concho must be rather dreary. Get up, guard, mount, drill, the sunset gun, taps, go to bed. Isn't that about the routine? Come with us in the morn ing and see us catch Jack Brown. He's at ranch some four miles from Johnson station and about eight miles from here We'll surround the ranchhouse as soon as it's light, and if there's any shooting you can watch it from the timber. Then we'll all go back to the fort together. We'll have breakfast at the ranch, and that will be worth staying over for. See us capture Brown and get your break fast"
 "You forget I am soldier" replied Lieutenant Ward, somewhat nettled, ''and would hardly hide behind tree while dozen men captured single out law" .a
 "Pshaw," said Captain Hall. Ut isn't in the line of your duty to expose your self to the bullets of any cattle thief the rangers may arrest. I don't suppose there will be any resistance, but 1 never could forgive myself if any of you gen. flaYna,, oayna n harm I rao1yo,, r x,,o.