The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-08-13
A SWIM FOR LIFE.
"NAY, stranger, there's some
thing wrong yOnder, ain't

~ thereW
Thus spoke a rough-looking miner, on
the outskirts of the camp, to Mexican
who was walking hastily past. The
stranger understood but imperfectly
the remark addressed to him, but re-
piled, Horses STOLE" and proceeded on
his way, his long spurs jingling at
every step.
The miner looked after him anxious
ly, and when he had disappeared down
the hill, turned toward the saloon, NUT
tering something about horse thieves
and hanging. and strolled, or, as he
would have himself said, 'loafed" into
the bar, where an excited assembly
was gathered.
"Wa'all, they're gone clean away"
cried the owner Of the missing animals;
"and my bosses nor donkeys don't stray
by nature. There's bin some thieves
around, You betw
Like enough: but who's the man
Howsomeyer, II We ketch him, gentle
men, we'll shoot him fair"
"Give him a trial and rope him
that's the cure" said the owner. "And
now tew business. My treat, gentle
men. Drinks round, and then III fol-
low the tracks bit, and let you know"
Such an offer was not to be sighted.
The drinks" having been fully. appre-
ciated by all present, at the expense
of their health and brains, the owner of
the missing beasts departed to follow
the trail, which led toward the canyon
up the river.
Ogden Smith, or soft" Smith, as he
was not unusually called, had that
very morning taken his horses to water
down stream, and left them in a safe
place pending their disposal. Ogden
had been unfOrtunateinh his prospecting.
He was neither quick-witted nor quick
tempered, though ready enough with
his six-shooter when circumstances
seemed to warrant its use. But for this
trait, soft" Smith would have been
stamped with q strong variation of the
term idiot"
He followed the tracks mechanically,
and after about half a mile, finding
they still led up toward the hills, he re-
turned;a ndas he strobe back, breathing
vengeance against his spoilers, he no
ticed human footprints ON the farther
side Of the trail-heavy boot and spur
marks. He felt inclined to track these
again, but knowing the trail would lead
to the river, then flooded with melting
SHOWS, he decided to return to the
camp, and enlist the vigilants In his
cause.
1t has never been correctly ascertain
ed why horse-stealing was then, and
may be still, regarded as worse crime
than the taking of human life; but that
this was the case in the West is I'M
doubted. Many a rough digger was per-
mitted to add to the notches already
cut In the pistol-butt, but horse thief
was hunted down and executed sum-
marily.
Notwithstanding a gathering storm,
the men In the saloon, as soon as they
heard Ogden Smiths report, determin-
ed to do vengeance on the criminal. The
sufferer, meantime, met with much
sympathy, and dust" gold dust, which
passed for currency was freely shaken
into Ogden's hat In the bar-room. The
discussion as to who the thief might be
was waxing warm, when a voice cried
Reckon some Mexican's had a hand
In this game"
This suggestion was at once adopted
and Bill, the miner, said:
AYE, then can show him. saw him
on the hill above this morning. Did ye
notice any tracksT
II did," replied Smith, eagerly
Large boots, and spur marks, too
That's the manv'
"We'll go for him. Who knows bis
placer
Several present did, and one man
added:
Hes mighty quick shot. you may
depend"
sWe're more If rs than him." wal