The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1895-03-30


tn hui lot OF us is goin' ter smash"
emphasized the one next him. as he
swung his lariat %nervously around his
head and bringing it down with a
"swish" on his pony's TANKS caused
that animal to leap supposedly for
ward, only to be viciously jerked back
to its place.
II don't know, boys, about this
hangin' business, "spoke up a swarthy
figure near the porch. He was q
southerner and his voice had a cool
incisiveness that commanded atten-
ton. "There's such a thing as going
too fer, an l am in favor of investi-
gatin' a little before we take any rash
measures"
1--WE don't need ter watt" said
Markham, the first speaker. 1.-THE
case is clear. Sixteen head of cattle
air gone from the Occidental Cattle
Comp'ny's herd an Jim Blake sold
jest sixteen head at Wakenny on
SaJ'd'y. That we know, an he's got
ter swing. We're goin' ter see that he
does ter Knight, too, amt we boys?"
The dozen wide-hatted cowboys
nodded approval and one or two
snake whips were snapped with re-
ports like pistols, as if the sound were
exclamation points to emphasize the
decision.
They huddled closer together and
were so busy discussing their plans
for the proposed vengeance that they
did not see the white face that peep
ed around the corner OF the store
building.
1t was Merl, the 1s:year- old
adopted daughter Of the store-keeper.
Born in an emigrant wagon, she was
made an orphan by one of the old
time Indian raids, and Fleegle had
drought her up" She was comedy
and graceful, but neglected, and she
had little companionship among the
young people OF the settlement. Blake
had smiled on her and petted her on
Lis frequent visits to the store, but
| the week before she had seen him walk
ing with the new school-mistress of
the neighboring settlement and her
heart was filed with bitterness to-
wards him. Now, however, she was
frightened and had q vague wonder
what she ought to do.
HE hain't no use fer me an never
did have" she exclaimed half defiant
ly as she slipped away from the group
in the fast-falling prairie twilight.
"But he didn't take 'em," she con-
tinued as che brushed aimlessly
through the brown grasses. 81 don't
know where he got what he sold but l
know he couldn't her. done that"
The crime of cattle stealing seemed
to her to exceed in Nervousness any
other in the catalogues. The battle
was setting the scanty supper table,
and it was not decided until she
heard the group of horsemen canter
away from the front of the building
and she realized that they had start
eb for the rendezvous.
"Go in an tend store, Merl, while I
eat" said Fleegle angrily, coming into
the room. He had wanted to Join
the party but could not leave. His
wife was i'll and the children were
small.
The girl was off on her GRAND in an
instant and before Fleegle had taken
his seat at the supper table was be.
hind the counter awaiting a custo-
mer. it such an unlikely thing as
ones coming should occur.
The frame building shook in the
wind and the floor WAS whitening
about the door where a fine sleet
came through the cracks.
Selling some heavy boots she drew
them on, and throwing an overcoat
from Fleegle's stock around her, she
glided noiselessly through u side door
and stood alone in the night.
The nearest house was two miles
away. She could sec it's lamp
twinkline over the level prairie which
stretched far to the dark horizon
- g.-mEa"-".. " ..- +sE & EE%r -rEEs- -~E E%A