The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1896-10-08
The Sheriff Of SiSkyOu.
By BRET HARTE.
Copyright, 1894. by the Author1
CHAPTER I

On the 18th of August, 1854 what
seemed to bs the entire population Of
Wynyard's Bar was collected upon
little bluff which overlooked the rude
wagon road that was the only approach
to the settlement. In general annear.
ance the men differed but little from or.
binary miners, although the foreign el.
ement-shown in certain Spanish me-
cullarities of dress and color-predomi
mated, and some of the men were fur-
Their distinguished by the delicacv of
education and sedentary pursuits. Yet
Vineyards Bar was city of refuge
and comprised among its inhabitants a
number who were wanted by the
state authorities, and its actual attitude
at that moment was one of open rebel.
hon 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 a gray mustang
and directing the movements of the
crowd, had few days before killed the
sheriff of Sissyou county, who had at
tempted to arrest him for the double
ottense 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 a mile away, where
it seemed that such Of the inhabitants
as were missing from the bluff were
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
rifle 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-
GOVERNMENTS 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 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 regular skunk, by the living
hokey" he painted, pointing to the faint
haze that was again slowly rising above
the invisible road. "They backed down
as soon as they saw our hand and got a
hole through their new sheriff's hat.
But what are you lookin at? What's
up?"
The leader impatiently pointed with
darkening face to the file.
Reg lars, by gum" calculated the
other. "But Uncle Sam amt in this
camel Wot right have they
Dry up" said the leader.
The escort was now moving at right
angles with the camp, but suddenly
halted, almost doubling upon itself in
some evident commotion. 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 it's head, and
then the whole escort wheeled and 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 shot until give the
word. Scatterl'
The assemblage dispersed like star
tied village of prairie dogs, squatting
behind every available bush and rock