The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-09-07
A RIDE.

@-@~ - H. &@S @AS%SR
or az least at the agency, being tissue
day" and pay day also. The agent
would order a steer or a fat COW driven
from the corral, and calling the name
Of the Indian to whom it was issued
turn il loose upon the prairie and the
mercies Of the gentle red man.
The excitement was great, but Joe
Strange observed that one OF the IN
dams took no part in the bloody sport.
Old Pink Eye was narrowly watching
some men In the busy throng, and
when Joe started toward the commits
ssry the 8ioux.stealthily followed him.
lC was apparent that he was the person
watched.
Strange was g partner in the business
of the Flying s. Cattle Company and
would draw q large sum of money from
the government representative at Pine
Ridge In payment for beef cattle fur
nished to the agency on that day.
The money was paid before the eyes
of the watching Sioux. The Indian
fastened from the commissary, and
then it was Joe's turn to go a-spying.
Old Pink Eye made his way to where
a couple Of cowboys we're lounging end
said something in an ~undertone, after
which tho trio separated. The meu
were Dune Moore and q fellow whose
real name was unknown, but who re
Gced in the elegant sobriquet of Smoky
Bill. 1t was plain that the fellows
were working q scheme, and Joe deter
mined to be on his guard, for the
money must be in Chadron ON the fol
following day.
At the time of this incident the coun
try lying between the agency and Chad
ron, Neb was a waste of wild grass
land, and the better thoroughfares of
to day were represented by a dim trail
A feet horse and @ trusty six shooter in
the hands Of q lone cowboy were the
only express and insurance company,
but those wer generally reliable, and
Joe Strange intrusted his money to
their care.
Calling to Charley Ray, a dashing
young cowboy, ne eauntered csrelessly
down the trail and unfoIded a plan to
outWit the Indian and his white allies.
Charley was to ride out with the night
herd, and when we'll out of sight of
camp Strange would join him and turn
over the money. Then Charley was to
make a dash for Chaldron.
The start Yves made, but subs quent
events proved that Pink Eye had kept
the co~nspirators posted.
Ray was mounted on the best horse
in the section ond was armed with six
shooters and q fGvorite rife. His in
structions were to & oliver the money to
the Elkhorn National Bank at any cost,
and Joe limited that it might be advisa
BILE to be prepared for a running fight.
Il was $50 when he started, and he de
termined to make the trip,.a distance
Of eighty miles, by daylight.
The fret ten miles were passed with
out mishep, then, looking back, the
messenger could see In the moonlight
a trio of horsemen just descending a
long ridge and riding at a keen gauop.
They were Dune Moore, Smoky Bill
AID the half breed Pink Eye.
Two miles more and the Hat ranch
was abreast, and there the flying horse
man noticed that the corral was filed
with tough COW horses. What If the
robbers changed horses there A! Well,
the old pinto be Was riding was full Of
nerve, and, as the rider observed, lit
would be q cold day when a COW horse
passed him" Besides, what were the
shooting irons for Dune Moore was
e4good shot, but he couldn't shoot till
he came in range, and right there lay
the difficulty, if the pinto held out.
Talking Of that, that's what the pinto
Wes there for, and Charley Ray leaned
forward in the saddle with an exclama-
zion that was partly a word of encour-
ment and partly an honest cuss word,
while the good horse gaIloped on.
The robbers secured a relay of horses
at the Hat ranch and began the pursuit
anew, but Ray had got the start in the
meantime and kept it pretty we'll, al
though the robbers we're nearly al ways
in sight. Forty miles, 81 hours, and
the race is not yet finished. The pinto
travels more slowly now, but the pur-
suers make a squirt, and something
must be done. The only thing to do is
Dromptly done. The three rlh3 balls