Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-02-20

Lis grixsled countenance. After he
went out I told the editor about him.
"Why don't you take the old villain
out to the mine, and straighten him
out, II you're going to be there
awhile" asked Sherman. Hes good
for years II you can keep him sober;
but he nearly died after his last jam
boree, few weeks ago. He's about
due again, by now"
Just then Bills head emerged from
the doorway. SAY, sonny he remark.
ed, "1ve got somethin' t tell ye, ef
y're round t.night. It's a corker, sure,
this time"
IAN right, Bill. Come over and take
supper at the hotel with me-"
Bill readily accepted the proposition
held out to him to 60 out to our camp
and work. He liked the prospect Of q
change Of employment, and also that Of
being out Of reach of his old enemy
when one Of his "spells" came on. 30
when drove out next day, was &C.
companied by this cheerful old repro.
bate, who seemed happy as boy over
the outlook. He had one or two pilots"
to unfold, too; but he did not seem
hurt when I failed to cnthuse over
them.
1911 had been with US ut White Hawk
about three months, and during that
time had succeeded not only In stand
Ing of "the enemy" but in making
himself the most popular man In camp,
besides. So 1t was with genuine re-
gret that everybody heard TINT he was
about to pull up stakes and move on.
But the rowing fever had him, and
nothing we could soy or do would In.
duce him to reconsider.
without his knowledge. "thc boys"
bestirred themselves In his behalf, and
on the eve Of his departure he was de-
coyed up to Higgins boarding-house.
where grand BALI was being held In
his honor. And when they presented
the old fellow with o handsome watch:
This II addin' insult Z injury" said
Bill, with grateful tears In his blcary
old eyes.
About midnight. when the ballc was
Mt It's height, came startling news,
brought in by late arrival from the
Arizona line. The notorious kid" and
his cut.throat band Of reds were out
on the war.path, and It behoovcd those
prcsent-thc men, at least--to get to
their respective ranches and look after
their buildings and stock. ..
A week later found Us, mere hand.
full Of men, hampcrcd by the presence
Of half q hundred women and children,
besicgcd In garrison by hundred or
moro agcncy.fed redskins, who had Oh.
viously succeeded In heading OF cour.
iers going toward the military posts.
and proposed to starve Us out. AND
we were in sad way. There was
plenty Of water. but provisions were
getting distressingly low, and worse
still, our supply Of ammunition could
not hold out much longer.
It was q very detected lot Of men
that gathered together that August
morning In Higgins. which was our
fort" and discussed the situation. Il
had come to the pass that. unless help
arrived very, very soon, We must man.
agc to get courier through to the
fOrt-an undertaking that. more than
likely. meant death to tho man ut.
tempting It. In this emergency arose
old Bill.
"I'll 20. t'.night." said Inc. II got no
body Z keer f'r me; no chick mr. child.
I'm nearly 20 years old. an not long
f'r this world, anyhow. Course. I'm
a tcndcrfOot, but en- try Z git
through. anyhow"
1t must bc confessed, to our ever.
lasting discredit. that We saw the logic
Of Bits arguments, and the protests
against Ills proposition werc few and
insincerc. That night, mounted on the
best horse In camp, ana heavily armed,
Bill Ijams went out into the darkness,
to give up what remained OF his miser.
able. mistaken life for others.
He iaust have got lost In tho hills
that night; for when the reds sighted
him. next day, he was only a few
miles on his way. He gave them run.
ming fight for several miles. but was
finally hit by stray shot aud obliged
to seek cover In the rocks. He made
good fight for his ebbing life. as the
empty cartridge.shclls around the rock
where he had sought refuge amply
proved. We found him the second day
after he left us. stark naked and hor.
ribly inutilated. In his tightly clenched
loft hand was a scrap Of paper, evi.
IDENTIFY overlooked by his murderers.
On It was hastily written
Boys: They've got me, and I can
see them crawling up Good-by.-Bill
+. S.-Just got one. Maybe Nibsy Gun
make a story out OF this"
There was more. but II was undo.
ciphernble. thought that. with bis
eye on the enemy, he had tried to out.
line another plot. Lester Ketchum, In
San Francisco ArgOnaut.
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| 'The Hounds" and "the ROvcrs."
| ssrho IVnuulsV mud DovouSs,