The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-02-01
The Sheriff Of SiSkyOu.
By BRET HARTE.
copyright, 1891, by the Author.l
CHAPTER |.

On the 10Th of August, 1854, what |
seemed to DO tho entire population of |
Vineyards Par was coll, c; ID uoon |
little bluff W hich ovcrlo, X d tn, ride .
wagon road That was the only aplrc ich |
to the settlement In general app var
arce the men differed but little from or
binary miners, although the fore gu el-
ement-shown in certain Spanish pc
culiarities of dress AMI co c pr domi |
mated, and some of tho meu were fur
Their distinguished by the del.cacy Of
education and sedentsry pursuits. Yet
Vineyards Bar was q city of refuge
and comprised among its inhabitants u
number who were wanted" by the
state authorities, and its actual attitude
at that moment was one of open rebel
lion against the legal power and of
particular resistance to the apprehen-
sion by warrant of one of its prominent
members. This gentleman, Major Over
stone, then astride of n gray mustang
and directing the movements of the
crowd, had a few days before killed the
sheriff of Siskyou county, who had at
tempted to arrest him for the double
offense of misappropriating certain cor
porate funds of the state and the shoot
ing of the editor who had imprudently
exposed him. The lesser crime of hon.
icide might have been overlooked by the
authorities, but its repetition upon the
body of their own overzealous and mis-
guided official could not pass unchal-
lenged if they expected to arrest Over
stone for the more serious offense against
property. So it was known that a new
sheriff had been appointed and was COM
ing to Vineyards Bar with an armed
posse. But it was also understood that
this invasion would be resisted by the
Bar to its last man.
All eyes were turned upon fringe of
laurel and butternut that encroached
upon the road half mile away, where
it seemed that such of the inhabitants
as were missing from the bluff We're
hidden to give warning or retard the
approach of the posse. A gray haze
slowly rising between the fringe and
the distant hillside was recognized as
the dust of cavalcade passing along
the invisible highway. In the hush of
expectancy that followed the irregular
clatter of hoofs, the sharp crack of
rife and sudden halt were family
audible. The men, scattered in groups
on the bluff, exchanged smile of grim
satisfaction.
Not SO their leader. A quick start
and an oath attracted attention to him.
To their surprise, he was looking in an
other direction, but as they looked, too,
they saw and understood the cause. A
file Of horsemen, hitherto undetected,
were slowly passing along the little
ridge ON their right. Their compact ac-
couterments and the yellow braid on
their blue jackets, distinctly seen at
that distance showed them to be an es-
cort of United States cavalry
Before the assemblage could realize
this new invasion a nearer clatter of
hoofs was heard along the highroad,
and one of the ambuscading party dash
ed up from the fringe of woods below.
His face was flushed, but triumphant.
"a reg lar skunk, by the living
hokey" he painted, pointiI g to the faint
haze that was again slowly rising above
the in visible rofd. "They backed down
as soon as they Jaw our hi nd and got
hole through their new herifi S hat.
| Bat what are you lookin at? WHATS
up?"
Tho leader impatient,y pointed with
darkenlng face to tho file.
"Reg'lars, by gum" calculated the
other. but Uncle Sam amt in this
game! Wot right have they
DRY upl" said the leader
The escort was now moving at right
angles with the camp but suddenly
halted, almost doubling upon itself in
some evident connection. A dismounted
figure was seen momentarily flying
down the hillside, lodging from bush to
bush until lost in the underbrush. A
dozen shots were fired over its head, and
then the whole escort wheeled aud came
Gathering down the trail in the direc-
ton of the camp. A single riderless
horse, evidently that of the fugitive,
followed.
"Spread yourselves along the ridge
every man of you, and cover them as
they enter the gulch!" shouted the lead
er. 'But not a shot until give the
word Scatterp'
The assemblage dispersed like a star
tied village of prairie dogs, squatting
behind every available bush and rock