The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-08
nr11r nAsrEns,s rrl1G
Mn Ee.s ana RsosyerJ " n, ana the Rstrfsp-
tisn That Berell the Thieves.

tisp That Beren the Thieves.
"He was putting mp no game on us-he was as
simple and innocent as he looked-but he pulled
| out OF dihiculty and got his own again In a way
that would have won the admiration Of the
oldest timer from the west bank OF the Missouri
River TO Klondike."
J. c. Emery. who has mined, ranched, and
hunted east and west Of the Rocky Mountain
"diyide' for twenty-five years. was telling some
rtories Of the Far West in an uptown hotel last
night. and the men around him were glad of the
chance to listen.
"Whon / first saw Milt Masters, in 1879, he
was driving a pair of horses, a gray and a blaze
faced roam. in his own wagon and alone, head.
ing west from Larned. Kan. The horses were
likely animals, the wagon and harness were
brand new, and Masters himself seemed consid- |
erably newer than his outfit. He was an unso-
pbisticated young fellow OF - or thereabouts.
who had passed oil his years In an eastern Mis-
souri farm, and having at last got the Western
fever had packed up and started to seek his
fortune In Colorado. My partner, Tim
Stayton, and / were on our way to
Pueblo In a prairie schooner, and we
camped at the same water hole with Masters
one night. We had considerable fun on the
quiet out Of his vordency, and rccompensed
him by giving him some pointers about the
country and people he would he likely to en-
counter as ho travelled westward. He told US
of the 'socials' and singing schools in hia old
Missouri homo, OF the girl he expected to return
for and marry when he should have got settled
on the homestead he proposed to take up in Col
orado. and, altogether, was so innocent and
conhding that we felt sorry for the hard lessons
he would have tc learn before his freshness wore
I'VE saw Masters next, about a fortnight
later. on the Arkansas Valley wagon trail. a
hundred miles east of Las Animas, ~ploddins
along afoot and crying. Horses and wagon. all
his outfit, were gone except the clothes he wore,
and the roll of blankets on his back. He was
hungry and footsore, and we took him into our
wagon. His story was sad enough. Three days
before he had fallen in with a party OF emf
grants hailing from somewhere in the south
western part OF Missouri. who had invited him
to travel with them, and he had gone on in
their company. They had been very friendly
and obliging through the day and evening.
When the next morning came his team and his
wagon and everything in 1t were missing.
None of the emigrants seemed able to give him
any Information in the matter. or 10 account for
the absence of two yonng men OF their party
before. The party gave him his breakfast, and
then hitched up and drove away from MIN, ieav-
Ing him atoot on the prairie without provisions.
I've ed the young fellow. gave him a stout
we could. promising to take him along with US
to Las Animass where he could Icy his case be,
fore the Sheriff. mat ne would ever get MS
property again we thought about as likely as
that wings would Spro rasS on his hi shoulder Guide lie
, such things often went unpublished, and that
was all there was to be said OF 1t. Tho next day
f ms o ssnisa u the w MI'i iRem S s@l LIZA M, Dssrs, to BE fe
down in the wagon out OF sight. and we passed
Then! then w without 'ous she ioos sHsef iSi. and N fy l Rrs' ioot:
Of their faces Stayton and / made no houh; that
the whole party had connived at the robbinE OF
Masters. and would help the thieves escape with
their booty.
east OF Las Animas. We were getting supper
when two cowboys rode up and we invited them
to havs a cup Of Ot s0fe sseu As + they hey a 6SG .s their n
wagon team driven by two men, and described
, "a gray and a blnze-faced roam. and a new
) turned to his companion. Why, Bill. that's the
/ kansas River. They came from OF the prairie
and went straight across the trail, and we Won
/ a tSe riv wRS With XXX Tie w water u Ph at i ranni SnS to Sdas.
> and they're still on this side OF the Arkansas IL
pointed as he spoke to bleze and smoke
! the coitonwoo3s ave miles away he said. "A
mile to the right of the trail j.,
been Sitting with his face bent down into his
!: hands. looking as i be had lost every hope on
3 stole my outfit are over there at that Dire : he
no sign before that he had heard q word that
0 had passed while the cowboys were at our camp.
$ there tonight il viii be an easy matter fof the
r Sheriff at Las Animas to track them down.
Wen make AN early start tomorrow so as to
H got up from the roll OF blankets on which
: i ns Sa at 'sm. E. said. lie w y toFt Starting atm rig light
away, but Stay;on stopped him. ,
9 you have no shooter; II You think best to go
EemsmbsaT not TO let them hH :, 6p H'T you yo%'T e., 'Fp hax
Won Ouf nj the yay of trout ug them any more.
b Take this along 10 use it Il worst comes TO
: " S He But Baf S Snn'. sell L MS going Tss0t Unless Ss' yo as
n have TO. for they're two TO one against you, and
the chances are they know how 10 shoot better
HE handed his revolver and bel, to Masters.
and helped him buckle them on. Masters was
y in a bee line for the distant ire. Remember:
o don't get near enough for them TO see you, l
My partner and | talked the matter over,
It and were half inclined TO blame ourselves for
pi letting him go. Whether he blnnsers on the
. thieves or some other camp he's likely 70 catch
10 a shot thatll end the business for him. Stayton
n But / shan regret this i he drills one OF the
lie fellows that stole his OUTFIT.
a We kept the trf g3tns 50 that Masters could
10 rolled ourselves each in his blankets and lay
lS down away from the trelight and near oui
Or very safe one for leaving live stock out of the
e. owners sight. We dozed and woke. put NOR,
Is asIeep. some time late in the night we wer,
W wakened by the sound of wagon wheels conini
~ down the trail. 1t was a whiJetopped wagon
II drs wn by a span OF horses, and it stopped oppo
l. site our amp. The driver hailed us. Haliool
~ "'It's Masters said staytoP, jumping TO hi
ID luck I
" five got my outfit came the answer
le There's a prisoner aboard. wish you'd hell
re me get out of the wagon.
ne I'm the body OF the wagon, lying as he hat
40 happened to land when thrown in among th,
OF dunnagc, was a man. tied hand and foot ant
ly every way TO make It sure that he could not re
Ut loose, We pulled him out and laid him on tn,
ground like a sack OF meal. He was half dea'
o. with pain and numbness from the strain OF tn,
AZ cor,is that he was tied with. put ne mad Voic'
OF enough left 10 swear with and beg us to let VI
no on the faslenings. Masters took u comfortable
. look at him, then turned 70 US.
Ne "'That's one OF the fellows that stole m.
q team. he said,
a "'Where's the other asked.
IL ..nh has hlcl thare MhGre / found 'em n