The St. Johns herald., 1896-10-17
The Sheriff Of SiSkyOu.
By BRET HARTE.
ICopyright. 1894. by the Author.l CHAPTER I.

On the 18th of August, 1854, what seemed to be the entire population of Wynyard's Bar was collected upon a little bluff which overlooked the rude wagon road that was the only approach to the settlement. In general appear ance the men differed but little from or dinary miners, although the foreign el- ement-shown in certain Spanish pe- culiarities of dress and color-predonli- mated, and some of the men were fur ther distinguished by the delicacy of education and sedentary pursuits. Yet Wynyard's Bar was a city of refuge and comprised among its inhabitants 8 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 a gray mustang and directing the movements of the crowd, had few days before killed the sheriff of SisLyou county, who had at tempted to arrest him for the double ofense 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 hom- 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 new sheriff had been appointed and was con- ing to Wynyard's 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 chatter of hoofs, the sharp crack of a rife and a sudden halt were faintly audible. The men, scattered in groups on the bluff, exchanged a 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 ao- 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 chatter 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 hokeyP' he panted, pointing to the faint haze that was again slowly rising above the in visible road. ''They backed down as soon as they saw our hand and got hole through their new sheriff's hat. But what are you lookin at? Whats up?"
 The leader impatiently pointed with a darkening face to the file.
 "Reg' lars, by gum!" ejaculated the other. ''But Uncle Sam ain't in this game! Wot right have they''-
 'Dry upr' 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 its head, and then the whole escort wheeled and came clattering down the trail ill the direc- tion 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 gulchP' shouted the lead CT. ''But not a shot until give the word. Scatterr'
 The assemblage dispersed like star tied village of prairie dogs, squatting behind every available bush and rock