The Louisiana populist., 1896-12-04

her name was Mary
Joe Baker was hunter, Indian fighter
scout, prospector and miner, and b,
bad o cabin and a home up in th,
Three Buttes of Idaho, to the west O
Fort Hall. Father and daughter wer,
all alone-he man of fifty and she {
girl under twenty. We at the For
knew HIM well, and we saw the cir
quito often, but no one knew Jo,
Baker well enough to question him
about the past. For reasons OF hi,
own he had taken up his abode beyond
civilization, and though the life was
wild and lonely and full OF danger, the
daughter seemed to prefer it.
A girl of about eighteen when |
knew her-slighs, blue eyes, short,
curly hair, strong face, dressed for
climbing, riding and walking, ard one
who commanded both admiration and
respect the moment you laid eyes on
her. She had handshake for officer
and private alike, and to us and all
others who came that way she was a
border queen. We said to each other
that it was a strange thing for Joe
Baker to make his home among the
dangers OF the mountains, miles and
miles from the nearest settler, and to
expose his daughter to the hardships,
privations and perils of frontier life,
but no one questioned him or her, nor
did either volunteer any explanations.
The cabin ives in bit of valley way
up the East Butte. and was built
mostly OF stone and contained three
rooms. There wero days at time
when Baker was prospecting or scout.
ing in which the girl must have been
lett entirely alone, but she rode.
hunted and fishcd. and now and then
was the guest OF the Colonel's wife at
the fort for two or three days at
time. The woman may have found
out more about the girl than have
told You, but, if so, the information
did not cross the parade ground to the
barracks.
For weeks the Indians of Idaho had
been sulky and sullen and threatening.
The force at Fort Hall had been in
creased by fifty men, oil wagon trains
were doubly guarded, and every sol.
dier or citizen who understood Indian
character fell, that an outbreak was at
hand. One day, when Joe Baker was
at the fort consulting with the Colonel,
the latter advised him to abandon his
home and take refuge among MS. The
old man realized the situation, but
said he would wait and see. He hated
contact with the world-even that in.
iinitesimal portion represented by a |
people at frontier post
md the daughter knew no fear. We
saw him two or three times o week, as
be was then scouting among the Indi-
ans and bringing in reports, but we
had not seen the girl for q month, |
when q sergeant's guard was de-
'patched to East Butte to cut and haul
telegraph poles for the line which was
% connect the fort with the outside
world. There was danger that we
night be cut off if an outbreak oc-
'urred, but there was also need of
taste In completing the line. That
Vas our first glimpse of the cabin, as
re went to- our work ON the mountain.
ide, and Mary stood in the door to
hake hands all around and inquire
bout those who were absent. She
ntlclpated an outbreak on the part of
ne Indians, but expressed no fear.
)nly the day before she had received
visit from three sullen warriors, who
lad demanded food, and seemed on the
'oint OF committing violence, but she
lad ordered them away at the muzzle
t her Winchester, and had no thought
+ leaving the place until her father
and advised the step. H
Two miles east of the cabin we made
ur camp and began work, but the
indians we're ready sooner than we
ad planned for. On the second night
I our stay we were fred into at mid.
light and routed out of camp with
he loss of two men killed. We we're
alling back in the direction of Bakers
abin when We were joined by Mary.
q rocky pass, crouched down behind
owlders and being fred upon eyery
ioment by thirty Indians in our front
he girl told her story and assumed
he command in place of the poor SER
cant lying dead. Indians to the
lumber OF dozen had made sudden