The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-09-14


from the saddle and silently extended
the bucket to the driver of the tank,
who as silently took it.
The stamp Of the horses, restless at
the stoppage, emphasized that instant
of waiting. The dangling toggles on
their straining tugs tangled their
clear suggestion, and Steve gave one
glance before him at the road.
"Fill up that bucket, young feller"
a surprising voice rang out imperiously
at the rear wheel and electrified the
motionless driver of the tank. "And
be quick about itl' added the speaker,
impatient of further sort of disguise,
as he significantly raised his rifle. His
voice, surely not that of an Indian,
rather than his action, startled Steve
upright on the foot-board.
"Well, if you're bound to have
water, he said, raising the bucket in
seeming fuster, II reckon I'll have
to - Hikep'
With the exploding word the bucket
shot from his hand, well aimed at the
fellows head. With the word, also,
the tank was jerked nearly from under
him by the forward leap of the team,
and he had parting vision of fall
ing rifle, reeling rider and u startled
pony trampling on shattered bucket.
The vigilant rider stationed directly
in the road, few feet in front of the
team, wheeled to evade the tanks ir-
resistible onset. Quick as he was
with spur and rein, the iron-ended
tongue caught his wheeling pony in
the shoulder, and whirled the two,
sprawling, rod from the road. Steve,
as the tank bounded past, saw the
horse struggling and the man stretched
in the sagebrush.
From the opposite side of the road
behind came the flash and roar of O
heavy rife, as the fellow with the
eagle-feather, reader than his COM
panions, took snap shot at the ven
turesome driver of the tank. The ball,
striking behind the seat, glanced from
the carved iron tank and shrilled over
Steve's shoulder its call to halt.
Unheeding it, Steve grasped the
lines shorter and dropped low on the
foot-board. His head and shoulders
thus alone showed above the tank,
and in the lessening light presented Q
moving and uncertain mark to the
rifles behind.
Steve's action had been in accord
ance with orders. But now, as the
tank bounded unchecked over the
desert, he began to see that its stop
page and the demand for water were
only preliminary to secoud and
much more important stoppage and
demand.
The stage with the money for the
mines In its treasure-box would be
along in few hours, and these pre-
, tended Baunocks had not hung about
4 Lost River and trailed across the des
ert simply to shoot jack-rabbitsl
They had taken tho cool of the
morning for it, too, knowing well he
> would have to pass with the water
r tank. Waterl that was it-they mus
1 have it. For without water theil
) horses, famishing now from thirst
after the long wait in the desert
would soon be useless.
To obtain water they would surely
s pursue him, but hardly into Red Hole
q where nightly parties of emigrant'
and freighters camped.
/ 1t was matter of few miles. HI
had the start. Could he keep it? ht
r asked himself, glancing from hi
/ horses in harness to the horsemen be
s hind. Two of them he saw, had dis
, mounted and stood over the third, ly
ing by the road where he had beer
: thrust by the tongue of the tank.
"Hold up, there!" one of then
{ shouted, and q second rifle-fash Ii
9 up the darkening desert.
q "These scoundrels can shoot!'
( thought Steve, "and they amt go
" pop-guns, either"
: The heavy ball struck squarely il
the end of the cylindrical tank anC
penetrated the riveted iron head lik,
4 so much paper. Instantly q jet o
water shot out twenty feet behind the
jolting tank.
Steve, glancing back, saw the vast
of that precious fluid with regret
It With regret, also, he noticed that tn
d fellow unhorsed by the onset of tn,
b tank was now able to set up, and wa
}, leaning against sage-bush. Hi
g two comrades, sparing him nj
o further time, were mounting, evident
It ly to pursue Steve.
k Their delay had given him start
Is but still he was within range of thei
It rifles. Tie bullets pumped from thei
magazine guns shrilled by on this side
10 on that, and overhead. The team
/ frightened by the shots, kept the tan
10 bounding target, and shooting frol
9. the saddle at an equally furious pac
It behind, the desperadoes could not all
.e accurately.
Still shot struck the rear end
r the cylinder, and three jets of watt
playing backward were rapidly ligh
,s ening the tank Of its contents. Th
4 team would soon show the decreasin
r weight by their increased speed. Th
Q tank was actually gaining, but il
le driver, Notwithstanding, looked b.
v. hind ruefully.
III "This sprinkling-cart business hi
ID got to be stoppedl" Steve said, seeir
re the squirting jets laying the dust f.
le the two coming on behind. "What
I left of this water has got to go to Re
Hole" he said again aloud, thinkir
is of orders.
f- The horses. sbarers of his excit