The morning call., 1893-06-11

miner, a COW DOy, q SolnleI, IdnCHtr anu
a freighter, and always and everywhere a
reckless daredevil. gambler and in ordinate
drinker of fiery compounds.
His hard features and twinkliDg blue
ewes limited Of an Irish strain in his an
cestry, but, as far as any of his associates
for forty years had known, Cavuse Johnny
was indigenous to the great West, wherein
lie had been so ha-d ridden by the fantastic
imps of Chance and Circumstance that he
was now as t, ugh and gnarled as an old,
wind-whipped sagebrush.
He had been more or less useful ap-
pendage to Happy Valley Camp ever since
there had been camp in that desolate
canyon that was little more than a ragged
defie in the heart OF a spur o. the Rockies.
With true mining sarcasm the camp had
been dubbed Happy Valley" because it
was so devoid of natural beauty. and the
name cluug to it. Poker Smith voiced the
sentiments of the community when lie terse-
ly remarked There amt none of us here
fer scenery.you betyer bottom dollar" And
so they subslsted unc0mplainlngly on bread
and bacon and no one thought of the heart
breaking roads that separated them from
other camps and the nearest stage point
That is no one but Cayuse Johnny. AS
packer for the camp he was brought into
more Intimate ASSOCIATION with the
deep depravitY OF the sO-called trail to
Banner than any of the miners. Ii
took Johnny and his stout little
burros (no horse could lave kept his
footing on places on that winding, treach-
erOus iraiD the best part of week to make
the trip from Banner into the camp, and
perhaps il was no wonder that the mans
nature, tried and twIS ed by such a road,
had in it streaks of devltry which earned
him the enmity of more than one in the
camp in spite of much that was good and
noble in his nature
Even his best friends had TO acknowl-
edge, while asserting that his heart was
all right and tina; he never went back on a
friend, that Cayuse Johnny was .'apt to
he too - handy with his shootin'
irons"
This. however, was a fault that leaned
SO far To virtues side that the old resi-
dents of Happy Valley camp were easy on
Johnny'S lapSeS of decorum.
The Superintendent, genial Jim Horton,
whom his men called Colonel jim" be-
cause they both loved and respected him,
tolerated Johnny and his mad pranks
much as we pass by the frolicsome but
rough antics of mongrel dog whose chief
claim to our forbearance is long co III
paniOnShip.
But there came a new foreman into
Happy Valley one day. huge fellow
speedily dubbed him 'Big Bcb." and he
was known only by that name in the
camp.
Big Bob could see no good in the sturdy
little rowdy, Cayuse Johnny. 1t angered
BOD to hear the packer come into camp
singing such rlbald songs as ION, don't
you remember Sweet Betsy from Pike 2"
emphasizing the melody with rafting fu-
sillades from his repeater that woke the
grim mountain echoes lar and near. He
fancied, too. with the suspicion of a small
mind, that Johnny held him up to ridcule,
Tnb yub ban
they met.
Big Bob might have contented himself
with sour looks and hard words had not
Johnny's love of a joke led him far be-
yond the limits of liberation.
Johnny stood idly in front of the Ell
Monte saloon one evening when his rest
less glance fell upon the bnrly form of
Big Bob, who stood al little distance in
earnest conversation with a friend. He
held one hand clenched straight in front of
him as he talked, and his large thick thumb
stood up in belligerent kind of way that
tickled J0hnDy's vagranttancy with mad
idea.
''He shan't waggle his - thumb at
me!' he exclaimed, lifting his right hand,
and instantly pistol shot rang out. fol-
lowed second later by savage yell of
pain and astOnshment.
The crowd that quickly gathered GEN.
tered about Big Bob. who, after his first
spasmOdic outbreak, stood looking at his
thumb, the tip of which had been taken
of as neatly as IL by a surgeons knife.
johnny came up with the others, and was
at first disposed to be jOcular over his neat
shot, but when he heard the curses, loud
and deep, that poured from Big BOb's lips
be marched his sc awny figure up 10 the
giant, and shaking fist at him shouted.
What dye go shakin' yer - old thumb
at me fur, then?"
Big Bob aimed furions blow at him,
but ne lodged out of re ach, and turning 10
the crowd said. with taunting drollness:
Huh! Big Bob makes more fuss over
losln' the tip end of his big hunk of a
thumb than most men do over bein'
killed"
The crowd laughed at its TESTERS poor
wit and Big Bob, made perfectly senseless
with rage, started after Johnny, who
easily outran him, and added Insult to in
jury by hurling detisive taunts at his vic
tim until friends of the latter persuaded
him to go home and cool off.
The following Sunday court was or
ganized IN the camp, Il jury duly impan-
eled and Cayuse Johnny was brought in to
answer to the charge of Assault with a
deadly weapon with intent to kill"
Big Bob'S lawyer was the butcher, his
claim TO legal standing being based on the
fact that he had at some remote period of
his career been hotel clerk.
Unfortunately for the cause of Justice
he couldn't think on his feet, and when he
sat down after presenting his case every
body cbeerfully acknowledged that his
man agement of the case vindicated his
reputation As firSt-cl butcher.
Cayuse Johnny was ably defended by
Gambler Bill, who took high ground
against The preferred charge from the very
start declaring that II was q deadly insult
to the well-known skill of his client to in
slnuate that If IL had been his intention TO
kill be could have failed at that distance
and with the mark presented by Big Bob.
The Jury laughed al the whole thing and
acquitted JohDuy, recommended Big Bob
10 the mercy Of the court and all hands ad-
jourDed to he El Monte at Johnny's treat.
All but Big Bob, who went home chew
ing bitter thoughts of revsnge.
For the next six months the routine of
camp life went on about as usual. Few
suspected, johnny least of all, that events
were tending surely to the final act OF
many tragedies.
The crisis came with unexpected sud-
denness.
Colonel Jim was awakened from his
peaceful slumbers one October night by A
respectful touch and the voice of Gentle
man Mike saying anxiously, Colonel
Colonel! the boys 'ud be moighty obleeged
10 ye Ell ye'd Jlst step down the holler 10
the El Monty. beyaut."
As was natural, the colonel protested
and demanded to know what the bows
wanted Of him at this blasted hour of
night, but getting no satisfaction he
finally dressed and followed his guide
10 the only leyel spot in the camp. arough
and rocky place behinO the saloon. where