The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-08-05
A COWBOYS RIDE.

1t was a lively time at Pine Ridge.
or at least at the agency, being tissue
day" and pay day also The agent
would order steer Or a fat COW driven
from the corral, and calling the name
of the Indian to whom it was issued
turn it loose upon the prairie and tho
mercies Of tho 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 mon i'll the busy throng, and
when Joe started toward the commits.
sary the Sioux stealthily followed him.
1t was apparent that ne was the person
watched.
Strange was partner in the business
of the Flying S Cattle company and
would draw large sum Of money from
the governments representative at Pine
Ridge in payment for beef cattle fur
nished to the agency on that day.
Tho 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
n couple Of cowboys wero lounging and
said somthing in an undertone, after
which the trio separated. Tho men
were Duno Moore and a fellow whose
real name was unknown, but who re-
Joiced in the elegant sobriquet of Smoky
Bill. 1t was plain that the fellows
were working a scheme, and Joe deter
mined to be on his guard, for the
money must be in Chadron OIL the fol-
lowing day.
AT tho time of this incident the coun-
try lying between the agency and Chad
ron, Neb.. was "a waste of wild grass
land, and tho better thoroughfares of
today were represented by dim trail
A fleet horse and trusty six shooter in
tho hands of lone cowboy were the
only express and insurance company,
but those were generally reliable, and
Joe Strange intrusted his money to
their care
Calling to Charley Ray, dashirg
young cowboy, he sauntered carelcssly
down the trail and unfoldcd Il plan to
outwit tho Indian and his white allies.
Charley was to ride out with tho night
herd, and when well ont of sight of
camp Strange would join him and turn
over the money. Then Charley was to
make dash for Chadron.
= Tho start was made, but subsequent
events proved that Pink Eye had kept
the conspirators posted
Ray was mounted OH the best horse
IN the section and was armed with six
shooters and IL fayorite rifle. His in
structions were to deliver 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
1t was $3.50 when he started, and he de-
terinined to make the trip, distance of
so miles, by daylight.
The first ten miles were passed without
mlshap, then, looking back, the messen-
ger could see in the moonlight trio of
horsemen just descending long ridge
and riding at keen gallop They were
Dunno Moore, Smoky Bill and 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 filled
with tough COW horses. What if the rob-
bers changed horses there? Well, the old
pinto he was riding was full of nerve,
and, as the rider observed, sit would
be cold day when COW horse passed
him." Besides, what were the shooting
irons for? Dune Moore was good shot,
but he couldn't shoot till he came in
range, and right there lay the difficulty,
If tho pinto held out. Talking of thar,
that's what the pinto was there for, and
Charley Ray leaned forward in the sad
die with an exclamation that was partly
a word of encouragement and partly an
honest cuss word. while the good horse
galloped, OH.
The robbers secured 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 well, al
though the robbers were nearly always
i'll sight. Forty miles, 61S hours, and
the race is not yet finished. The pinto
travels more slowly now, but the pur-
suers make squirt, and something must
be dol.e. The only thing to do is