The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1896-08-20
K JACK.

Every one who has crossed what used
to be known as the Great American
Desert, embracing the plains that lie
between Atchison, Kan, and Denver,
Colo, will recall easily the well known
ford of the North Platte river, at
Hawk Eye Ranch, where. in the early
days. wagon trains used to stop to re-
new their buffers stores, and where
lightning whisky was sold by the glass.
The ranch was kept by one Jack Reed,
a literal type of the adventurous from
tiersman. who bore the name of Hawk
Eye. from the wonderful blackness and
brightness of those orbs with which ma
ture had endowed him. Jack Reed,
though forty-eight years old at the time
of which l write, could see farther over
the p~rairies han the best scout that
ever squinted along the barrel of q
rifle.
No n knows this mans history pre-
vious to the spring of 1860. when he
arrived and established himself at this
ford of the North Platte, which place
has since come to be named after him.
Here he erected an adobe house. which
from time to time he strengthened into
Al immature IOii W PlotCSt lliS Az
family against the hostile Indians.
Hawk-E Eye Jack was a wonderful shot.
and especially at long range, his ex-
cellent sight giving him a peculiar ad-
vantage. l have never seen but one
man his equal as a marksman. and his
speciality was the pistol. Sometimes
strangers would stop at the ranch and
boast of their being good shots, and
perhaps challenge Hawke Jack to
a trial of skill. He let them select their
own distance and target; then. when
they had fired, he would bring his rifle
to his eye with a rapid motion and fire
instantly. His ball was always found
to have entered the same hole which
his opponents bullet had made!
Your bullet Is my mark he would
say. coolly.
You can't see a bullet hole that dis
lance" was frequently the reioinder.
Fifty dollars against twenty l cover
the two balls by another shot,"
But the strangers found they had
got a man with whom they could only
bet to lose, and so they acknowledged
beat and went on their way.
Several years ago l was taking a
large surveying party to Colorado, and
we made up our train at Atchison. con-
siSting of fourteen mule teams, hav-
ing some heavy machinery to transport
in the wagons. 1t was before the iron
horse had crossed that arid route or
a rail had been laid west of Kansas.
We could not make more than twenty
miles a day in the way of progress.
~corralling III teams at night and MAX
ing all necessary arrangements against
the rowing Indians, who were the lit
eral banditti Of the plains. AS we had
broken down with one of our teams
just about a couple of miles before
reaching Hawk-Eye Ford. l ordered a
halt for a whole day to repack the wag-
ons and leave the broken one behind.
During the performance of this duty
by the men, I mounted my sturdy lit
tie white saddle horse and went for
ward to visit Jacks establishment. 1t
happened to be a very quiet day, and
there was scarcely a sou about the
premises ave the family itself. The
ranch was fully twelve miles from
any other, and it was only when the
Halliday mail wagons passed, or an
occasional mule-train camped near by,
that any one came there at all. Now
and then buffalo or antelope hunters
dropped in, and occasionally some two
or three venturesOme miners, who
trusting to their Spencer rifles and
good horses, crossed the plains without
escort. AS I rode up to the ranch
heard some pistol shots, and loosened
my own revolver, thinking l might need
it for self-defense.
I rode round to the rear Of the adobe
to see what the shots signified which
seemed to be fired there. and beheld {
singular sight. A tall, slim, wiTy-built
man was stading by the side of a young
girl, who could not be more than four
teen years of age. The child, for sht
seemed but little more, was firing at 6
mark some thirty PAGES distant, will
a bright-barreled navy revolver. and lis
tening to the criticisms and suggestion;
of the man by her side. He turned to
ward me, and l knew in an instant, b.
those large. piercing black eyes, tha'
it was Hawk Eye Jack, though I hat
never seen him before.
"Thatl do, Minette," he said to the
child. You will shoot as well as you
father by and by
The girl seemed pleased with the com
pliment, and left us as she turned t.
go into the adobe. She was decidedly
pretty, with her fathers eyes, and 6
round, well-developed figure, clothed il
a boyish style. vet in no respect i'm
modestly dressed. She wiped the re
volver carefully as she walked away
and returned it to the leather sheatl
hanging from a belt at her side.
You camped just below. last night
stranger" said the man to me, land
saw you coming up
Yes, we have laid over for repairs.
walk in and have something, strang
err"
Thanks" said I, following him int
the dwelling.
At my request he prepared f:
couple of very large mugs o
punch, and then accepting one o
from the East, We sat and smoked ant
chatted very socially together for
long while. He enjoyed the ciga
hugely" as he said, it being of S,
much finer flavor than the Virgini;
weed which he used in his pipe. Jacl
warmed up over the punch and tobacco
and was full Of stories of frontier lf'
and adventures.
What family have you here?"
asked.
Only Minette and her old aunt" h
said, and looked sharply at me with
sort of inquiring expression.
Il should think it would be lonely"
Sometimes, but I have an object,
he said, grimly.
L make money, l suppose, like tn
rest of u.s."
Money? Well, yes. I do trade a lii
tie, but that is not my object" he sale
with a stern expression.