Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-03-25

1t made me savage weth rage FIRST an
then turned me into TIL weakest coward
tibet ever looked danger ia til fare an
then turned tail an ran away. Run we
would, as fast as Wineton's best stock
could carry us, an leave tn ranch t. burn.
Twas pretty place, too, an looked
peaceful enough, nestled betwixt tn hill
an TIL river; fanked on one side by
stables an corrals, an shacks an bunk
rooms fer the cow-hapds on tn other,
weth out cellars, milk room an icehouse
built in t TIL hill at TIL back, shown
how comfortable it all was. Th' Conclo
IVES big outfit an Perry-beiu' part
ner-had fixed things up deal ahead o
tn average ranch house, an it seemed
pity T. leave it Z make a bonfire fer tn
cussed redskins, but all could think of
then was tn safety of Mrs. Winston an
her baby, an when Tartar brought weth
a grunt ag'in' tn gate O. tn corral; an
| saw, at glance, tibet it, an tn stable
beyond was bare O. hoof er heel empty
as an alkali hole in August turned
nigh sick with fear an dread O. whut
WAS before us.
Well, l rode on. felt pretty sure
tibet Mrs. Winston's own saddler--a big
Oregon horse, as fast as anything on TIL
river-must be somewhat about tn place;
most likely they had him up close t tn
house fer some reason er other.
rode up t. tn open door. cd catch
a glimpse through it o. Wing Lee, tn
Heather Chinese tibet did TIL cooSin',
settin' tn table fer supper, an cried out
t Mrs. Winston, who came outside t
meet me.
"Whut horses is tn on tn place2"
''Not one left" said she. perry
sent over fer Bueno yesterday, two of his
string have fallen lame and one got
kink in his neck. But what's the matter,
! Steve, that makes you want to borrow~
sprung off O. my own horse an took
look at him. His head went down an
his TANKS was workin' like force pump
with every breath; if I'd only saved him
up little he might o been able t git US
a mile or two up into tn hills, but it
want no use t think about tibet now.
the baby tibet came toddlin' up t me,
ian come into tn big room. We've got
t barricade it ag'ip tn Piegans!'
The Silver Conano was one o tn few
frame buildin's on tn Argall, made o
some O. tn first lumber ever turned out
by tn sawmill over in Pine Tree gulch.
But whut they call tn "big room" was
older N the rest, an was made o hewn
logs, well built an pointed, an weth
good strong shutters t. tn doors an win
dows. In tn first place Perry used it fer
a saddle room, but it was SO large an SO
comfortable-w warm in winter an cool in
summer-thet his wife took fancy to it I;
an how it was tn regular Twin room O.
tn family. Twas far stronger than tn
rest o to- house, an saw thet there was
where our stand 'u'd have t be made.
They got into it through narrow pas.
sage way which was shut off from TIA
dinin' room by good stout dor. Stout
enough; but not like t stand long ag'ln
TIL hatchets o. a dozen Plegan braves
An knew thet little entry was where
TIL battle 'u'd be fougat out t. th' bloody
end.
Well, we didn't stop t think or talk
much, but just got hard ut it, doin' tne
work before US. Mrs. Winston din't
need t be told anything, sac was so
brave an so ready; an tn Chlnamln
buckled to in way that [ hadn't be-
lieved was in him. If he'd dol ei into
some hole err crawled out t. save his own
skin by givln' US away t the Biac1feet,
[ shouldn't a wondered at it; but there
he wus, workin' like white man :;
helpin' me t drag tn mattresses off O.
tn beds, an jam EN- ag'in tn outside
door, turnin' tn piano up on end t.
hold EN- in place; an crowd tn win
dows full o pillows an bed blankets, an
barricade EN- tn best We could weth TIL
rest o tn furniture; hopin t deaden tn
force o tn ballets tae5 we knew d be
flynn like hail in big storm before
long.
All this time Mrs. Winston had been
ransacxin' tn mems quarters, th' bunk
house an Perry's saddle room, an
bringin' in all III guns an cartridges she
could lay hands on.
Shed led Tartar into tn safest corner
an close t. his head pulled her baby's
cradle, an there tn little one sat CROWN
an' rcachin' out her tiny pink fists t tn
. tired broncho tibet only blinked his eyes
at her, bein' too dead beat by his eight
mile run t raise his head, though he
: knew her we'll an tn Jumps O. sugar her
mother d taught her t feed him. An
then, spreadin' out big table, she got
all tn guns together, an putin in fresh
charges laid 'em out in order, ready t
; hand when came t. need EN-.
= Tn was quite show. Perry's Win
chester an mine, an an old fashioned
muzzleloader tibet looked Liable to do as
much harm at one end as TIL other; two
good sixshooters, left at home by some
| o. the boys, mounted Smith and Wessou
besides TIL two tibet was in my belt; an
an old powder-an' ball Colts tibet she
could mt find any caps fer, an so want
want no good, except I club. Sac put
EN- all in as good shape. as she knew
how, an then looked t me fer fresh
orders. BY this time I'd got things as
near on war lOottH rs COutu, du
| turned t. take look at tn China boy
I "'D'y'know how t fire gun, Wings
I said |. en- y shoot an Indian dog
thet'll surely kill you if y let him gof
, Wing Lee shook his head. Islw how
: it was; he'd stick by me, an obey or
ders, but l couldn't count on him fe
4 much more then thet. looked at Mrs
2 Winston.
"Steve, said she, "what is itl Car
S | do iii"
: ''It's tn windows" said |. 9Th
doors pretty safe fer while anyhow
= but they'll crowd t til windows, an tn
c first hand or head tibet shows must be-
t riddled quickly. I've got my work Gu
| out; list hold th' entry, an want 20,
t stand behind me, Cut O. range, {
, course, an load an' hand til guns. Y
a must 90 TIL rounds an give 'em chanct
t. cool off little, ar above everything
a else, " mustn't let me wait til hundredtl
t part O. a second; fer they've got t b.
kept out O here an prevented from com
/ ia t close quarters at any costl Ii the.
find out tibet tbs only one man here
, they'll make big rush an it'll be all u
e weth US. Bat, thank the Lord. tn
Y plenty o. cartridges, an weth you t loaC
5 fer me, en- stand EN- of all night au
.. shoot til whole band, il they'll only Civ