Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-02-15

pretty, with her fathers eyes, and d
round, well-developed figure. clothed III
a boyish style. vet In no respect Inn
modcstly dressed. She wiped the re-
lyolver carefully rs she walked away,
and returned 1t to the leather sheath
hanging from belt Mt her side.
You camped Just below, last night,
stranger" said the man to me, "and I
saw you coming up"
Eyes, we have laid over for repairs"
"Walk In and have something, strang-
err"
Thanks" said I, following him into
the dwelling.
At my request he prepared
couple Of very large mugs Of
punch, and then accepting one of
from the East, we sat and smoked and
chatted very socially together for q
long while. He enjoyed the cigar
hugely" as he said, it being Of SO
much finer flavor than the Virginia
weed which he used in his pipe. Jack
warmed up over the punch and tobacco,
and was full of stories OF frontier life
and adventures.
what family have you here?" 1
asked.
"Only Minctte and her old aunt" he
said, and looked sharply at me with a
sort of inquiring expression.
II should think it would be lonely"
Sometimes, but have an object"
he said. grimly.
$40 make money, I suppose, like the
rest Of u.s."
Money? Well, yes, I do trade a lit
tie, but that is not my object" he said,
with stern expression.
what is it,"
'Vengeancew he replied, with look
so savage, and so hoarse a voice, that
IL was startled.
ION whom?" I asked.
'The redskins!"
We had finished our cigars and punch,
and at my suggestion both were renew
ed. Ny host became more and more
communicative as the stimulant warm
ed his veins and the tobacco assembled
to the brain. At last he said, casually:
"Never been along the Platte route
before?"
"No"
II thought so, else you would know
something of me and my RANCH" he
replied, swallowing the smoke and
blowing it out of his nostrils.
''How long have you been here?'
'Well, 1 settled here in the latter
part Of some seven years ago, and had
a pretty comfortable time Of it till the
red devils spoilt ALL"
'sHow was that?"
''Well, stranger; to make long story
short, l came here with my wife and
three children from Nevada in that
year, and set up q sort Of trading post
here. Things went on very well for q
considerable while; business was good
with Travellers miners, and now and
then the Indians. Every one who came
to the ranch went away satisfied, and
everything went on the square. I didn't
know as had an enemy in the world,
and I'm sure I never injured man, wo-
man or child till five years ago. One
day our little girl AIinette had bad
tooth. which set in to ache so bad that
I took her with her aunt about twenty
miles up the Platte to u government
stocllade, to get the surgeon to extract
the tooth, which he did, and we came
back the next day. What do you sup
pose we saw when we got here?''
''What was it,"
ga smoldering ruin! Excuse me,
stranger" said the man, covering his
face with his hands; II don't tell this
story often! Destroyed-wife and two
children stolen away-al goner' he
sobbed.
What did it I. ean?'
''The red devils had been here They
knew I was absent, so they stole what
they could carry off, and burned the
rest. There was nothing left
standing. My first step was to get
a half-dozen men could rely upon aud
to follow their trail, to get hack my
wife and children. We overlook the
devils. They would not parley or I
should have tried peaceable menas, in
order to insure the safety Of my wife
and wife and children. No; they show
ed fight Mt once. And uring the scrim-
mage brought out my wife and killed
and scalped her before our very eyes,
then dashed out the brains of my two
children. That was pronouncing their
cWn doom! There were but fifteen of
the gang, and we killel thirteen of them
within twentyfollr hours, two only es-
Gaping after we had pursued them near
ly a hundred miles.
1--WE buried the mutilated bodies Of
my dear wife and children, and came
back to this spot. The first night I Law
Oh the ground and tried to pray, but it
was no use. I couldn't do it. The next
morning l swore an oath that would
be fearfully avenged upon the hated
race of treacherous devils. I took a