Mesa free press., 1897-09-03
A COWBOYS RIDE.

1t was lively time at Pine Ridge,
or at least at the agency, being tissue
day. and pay day also. The agent
would order steer or 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 the
mercies of the gentle red man.
The excitement was great, but Joe
Strange observed that one of the In
dians 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
sary the Sioux stealthily followed him.
1t was apparent that he 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.
The money was paid before the eyes
of the watching Sioux The Indian
hastened 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 were lounging and
said somthing in ali undertone, after
were Dune Moore and 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 Oh his guard, for the
money must be in Chadron on the fol-
lowing day.
At the time of this incident the coun-
try lying between the agency and Chad
ron. Neb.. was waste of wild grass
land, and the better thoroughfares of
today were represented by dim trail.
A fleet horse and trusty six shooter in
the hands of a 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, dashing
young cowboy, he sauntered carelessly
down the trail and unfolded plan to
outwit the Indian and his white allies.
Charley was to ride out with the night
herd, and when well out of sight of
camp Strange would join him and turn
over the money. Then Charley was to
make dash for Chadron.
The start was made, but subsequent
events proved that Pink Eye had kept
the conspirators posted.
Ray was mounted on the best horse
in the section and was armed with six
shooters and favorite 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 running fight.
1t was $3.50 when he started, and he de-
termined to make the trip, distance of
80 miles, by daylight.
The first ten miles were passed without
mishap, then. looking back, the messen-
ger could see in the moonlight a trio of
horsemen just descending long ridge
and riding at keen gallop. They were
Dune 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, cit would
be cold day when a COW horse passed
him. Besides, what were the shooting
irons for? Dune Moore was a good 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 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 on.
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
in sight. Forty miles, 51a hours, and
the race is not yet finished. The pinto
travels more slowly now, but the pur-
suers make squirt, and something must
be done. The only thing to do is
promptly done. The three rifle balls fol-
low each other in quick succession in
the direction indicated by the sound of
galloping hoofs. This checked the rob-
bers for time, but they did not give
up the chase.
The country now became more roll
ing, and the robbers could safely ap-
proach within 800 Or 400 yards by keep
ing the ridges. Just how the robbers
would attempt to secure the money the
messenger did not know, but that they
were desperate characters was we'll
known throughout the section. Ray did
not think that they would murder him
as long as chance remained to secure
the money by a less dangerous course,
but his position was such that he did
not care to risk his head to the marks
manship of Dune Moore just for pal
try 1900 or so, which, after all, was
no matter of his He resolved to hit the