The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-31

|
western plains They stopped at the
well to give their horses water, and
then rode up to the station.
Each of the three was man who
would be remarked if seen in any crowd
Of cowboys On the plains. All Of them
were young. One was large, powerful
~ built, staggering fellow, with tru-
culent expression TO his countenance.
which gained nothing in pleasantness
from the thin, black mustache that was
carried down To the jaw on each side of
his mouth. The second was a youth
whose appearance was more romantic.
He was dark of skin, with long, black
hair, a handsome face. eyes of velvety
brown, catlike suppleness of move
ment, and manner and address suavely
smooth and treacherous. Ii was later
that we learned the names by which
they addressed each other which | may
as well introduce at this point The
first of the two was known as Phoenix
the second as Dave.
1t was the youngest Of the trio that
was unmistakably the leader A slen
der, smooth faced boy. not past his
teens, he exercised over the other two a
tacit and unquestioned authority. Hi,
eyes, cold gray of tint, were singularly
quick, keen and fearless and confronted
the gaze OF others with a suddenness
and penetration that were almost star
fling This STRIPPING seemed In one
glance to discern every purpose and pos.
sibility and TO estimate advantage or
harm to him in the person thus scruti
niZed. Another feature, even more than
the eyes, gave a suggestion of savage
cruelty to a face which in other respects
was not unpleasing of expression. This
was the downward length of the chin
below the mouth, in which the two
white, front upper teeth, longer and
49,. prominent ta,a Inc others, inn
l~I,.i ~ the cCht-..aLCc suggestion
If fci JciTy lis slight form was mus
rular and well knit, lis movments as
1.-THE and active as panther's His
pervadIng expression Of alertness, self
confidence and relentless readiness to
kill should be mentioned 10 give fair
presentation of one who already had
entered on his career as the most dread
ed outlaw that ever figured in the red
annals of the far southwest These
characteristics / have described ! noted
at the time, for his personality impress
ed me strongly at the first glance 1t was
not until later that knew that in our
gathering at this haven Of refuge on
the desert our strangely mingled com
pany included the bandit desperate al.
ready famous as Billy the Kid One of
the two accompanying him was his cho.
sen lieutenant and companion, Dave
Rudebaugh
At the station they passed some re.
( marks with the keeper about the raiding
| Apaches and Billy expressed the belief
that they had not yet finished their
work on the San Simon plain. Beef the
three strangers had freshly killed, wrap
ped in gunny sack behind the saddle of
the man called Phoenix. Flour and sugar
and coffee they wanted, and i was not
surprised when the station keeper found
( that he could spare them some of all
! these things and declined to accept pay
for the same. After receiving their sup
plies they went away TO little distance
from the station, and soon we saw the
light of their campfire blazing in the
| dusk and could dimly distinguish the
forms of their horses picketed oat to
Craze.
The station keeper made no comments
upon these dangerous visitors until he
CHANGED TO fall to talking with Felix
and me apart from the others Then he
| cDol.o of tho,,, cautionClv nc ono mi q Inf
who feared TO say too much and must
guard that his words be not overheard.
"They are rustlCrs talsin their har-
vest III the wake of the Apaches, " he
said. Its q toss up which are the
! worst. 1t is their chosen time to steal
| stock and rob and murder and cut up
deviltry generally. Ais laid to the &c.
count of the Indians at such times, you
understand. How much they mean by
comm to the station no one but them
selves can tell Ii may be that they
want only somethin to eat and place
to pass the night. But if they don I
Tighten the outfit of some of the people
here, it's because they've got somethin
bigger in view and can t waste the time.
We shall see. Hello, that tent lights mp
we'll Looks as if the show might be
about ready to begin
We all looked to where the Mexican
travelling company had raised their
small tent, structure Of the circus
side show variety. The interior. light.
ed by two kerosene torches, was at
this particular time closed to outsiders
while the performers were arranging
themselves in their stage costume-a
proceeding made evident by the shift
ing silhouettes displayed in animated
motion against the canvas sides. A
dressing room for the charming Lupita
had been created by hanging up blan.
ket near the side opposite the entrance.
and the same apartment during the
performance served for the exits and
entrances of all the performers
1t was approaching the hour when
the mail blackboard was due from the
eastward, and there was much specula
tion as TO the chances that il would ar