The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-10-10


Fearing a repetition of the alarm, !
ripped up old blanket. and muffling
the horses hoOfs. we led them out whers
the others were waiting, trying to account
for our long delay. Then all cOmme nced
arranging their things on their saddles.
finished first. and mounting my horse,
with my rifle on my knee, placed myself
as a scout to watch the hotel. / confess
that l then felt comfortable for the hrst
time that night. 1t was well / did, for
no sooner had / mounted and my horse
moved a few steps away than one of the
other horses sounded a neigh that reused
all the occupants Of the house We had
left. F'linging open the door so that the
light fell full upon me, some one yelled:
They are getting away" and emptled
his revolver at US. We could hear the
bullets sing about US, but no damage
was done, and as the others were ready,
Bob called u me to pull out This
I would have been glad TO do, but my
horse refused TO bulge a step. / think
ne was dazzled by the flashes from the
revolver. 1 never thought of d!smounting
but receiving another salute, 1 opened UP
with eight Of my heavy cartridges at the
doorway. When l finished it was vacant.
/ heard the bottles break as the balls
went crashing into the woodwork Of the
bar. Dick in the meantime had ridden
back to Zee what the trouble was and
was firing his fOrty-four rifle as fast as
ne could. l. l. was certainly being
"
ing all along the street. But no one came
our way on account of the bullets. /
think the people thought we were the
hndl0rd's party in the woods attacking
the unruly guests.
One fellow I shall never forget. He
came out Of the house and was just aim
ing 10 fire as I shot. He made a perfect
picture Of the tragic as he gave little
spring. his rife fe.l 10 the ground and soon
he himself staggered into a sitting posture.
Z
later I saw a flash from the barn and felt
a burning sensation In my neck. Jabbing
my spurs into my horse. to my surprise
he started on a run after the others. Dick
lost no time in following. We found VIII
son suffering from a severe wound in the
cheek. A ball had glanced from a tree
and cut him quite badly. My neck had
just a scratch.
We pushed the horses along at a sharp
gall0p for some distance in spite Of the
mud. and then halted for a consultation.
II was perfectly silent in the woods. 1
advised going on TO Id. Dick, how
ever raised objections. saying there were
lots Of short cuts by which the L.
I-ites could get ahead of us, especially
as they had fresh horses and they
would certainly try 10. He knew Of an
cd claim up n creek which the road
crossed a little way ahead where we
would be perfectly safe, If we could
throw them off our trail. This we de-
creek, Dick sent Bob and Wilson up the
creek. telling them to keep in the water
all the time. The creek was one Of those
shallow. rapid streams common TO the
section. and the directions were not Citii-
cut to follow Having started them. he
and / crossed the creek and continued
on the road for nearly 4 mile Then we
came to a rocky ridge. Riding 10 the
top of This. we followed IL until we
reached the creek, about half mile be-
low our first crossing. We continued up
to the roadway and over the same route
again and at last on and after our
friends. Thus we left a pain trail go
ing along the road from the creek,
should the searching party examine our
tracks.
As we turned up on the creek l thought
1 heard voices back of us. but was not
sure. We hurried along, the rushing %
the water drowning the rattle of our
horses hoofs against the stones 1t was
soma time before we overlook Bob and
Wilson. and all were feeling tired out,
horses and men, when Dick led the way
up the bank, through the red-woods, GO
our goal
We found there a fair cabin. lettering
our horses, we went inside and built a
big fire of dry wood and. arranging our
saddles and helmets. lay down to rest
How we did sleep! 1t was broad sunlight
and a gorgeous day when at last We
awoke. After a wash in the creek, had
IL not been for Wilson's cheek. it would
have been hard to realize that our pre-
vious evenings experience was more
than a dream. The horses were
feeding on the rich bottom grass and
this reminded us that he had nothing 10
eat. To shoot would attract attention,
and although we had seen deer about,
we left them alone. Bob's ingenuity
came to our rescue. He had noticed sev-
eral covey Of quail in and about the clear
ing, which on his approach scurrle1
. through a gap in a thickct. Acting on
this idea. he constructed a fence in shape
OF a " and at the apex fixed cage
! trap, so that by pulling a string il locked
the quail in. We went cut as btdters
and soon had fine covey running along
his new roadway, and when he sprang
the trap we were possessed o. over
twenty fine quail. These we broilci, ana
no one objected because they had not
been hung up two weeks before.
We rested all day undisturbed and re-
| tired TO another nights rest. Getting up
early the next morning. we ate a break
fast Of cold quail and started for Id.
! When w came to the road il looked as
though a small army had crossed, but
as the freshest tracks pointed toward
L. L., we kept on toward Id,
confident OF not being disturbed. Once
there we felt perfectly safe. as old Id
was noted for his sterling qualities and
Dick knew him well.
Nil buI arrival HIS SlGetlllE was llfltSI
cordial. They had heard Of the L.
L. affair." and hearing nothing of US
feared we had been captured by the pur-
suing party. We remained with him two
days During that time the rumOr be-
came current that the Il L-ites hSd
got wind Of our wherea bouts and We're
coming up TO clear us out and Id, too,
If he made any objections but we never
saw anything of them On leaving we
asked for our bill and were surprised TO
be told there was none, with the add-
tional remark, ANY one who can clean
out L. L. travels free at Id"
Dick L persuaded to remain with US,
promising him work. Wilson was for
starting home at once. but after his face
healed he enjoyed many a months hunt
in the woods.
The twenty-dollar gold piece I pur-
chased of Dick and keep as a memento
of a very trying time.-N. Y. Post
Unhappy Binks.
There is a telephone in their residence
and. as it is used principally by Mrs.