Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1898-08-12
OCHE, THE CHICKASAW.


his small, gray eyes were set unusually
close together. His chin was clean
shaven, and on either cheek he wore
thin and formal whisker. Perhaps
it was to this severe exterior that
Colonel Bailey ewed his appointment
as deputy sheriff of Guthrie district;
but be this as II may, everybody knew
him to be capable and fearless, and
so when an elusive young Chickasaw
bandit was seen in the vicinity Of Le-
high it was the colonel who was chosen
to run him down.
Colonel Bailey selected me as one
of his associates For the other he
picked ont an unsociable fellow,
known in the community as ''Frozen
Pete" suspect that he had no
great confidence in our ability to catch
the thief For when we reached Lee
high and found the outlaw under lock
and key, he seemed very well satisfied.
1t merely remained for us to bring the
prisoner safely to Guthrie and lodge
him in the county iail.
After short delay, we started
on our return journey, aud so it
happened that one breezy autumn
evening we four encamped in a
hollow of the Washita Hills, Okla
homa, with more than half our ride
behind Us.
Our prisoners name was Oche-a
Chiekasaw word meaning call right. -
Never was name less appropriate. Ex-
cept in his youth, his vigor and the
marvellous quickness of his motions,
Oche was anything but ''all right. -
Though he stood five feet ten in his
moccasins, his extraordinary leanness
left his weight scarcely hundred
pounds. He spoke little English aud
was wholly without education, but his
high reputation for cunning had been
thoroughly earned A pair Of frayed
buckskin trousers and dingy blanket
made up his simple costume. He
looked a typical Indian outlaw, but
his face was kind, and there were
men who said his gratitude for favor
was keen and lasting.
As professional horse thief Oche
had small claim upon the kindness Of
honest men, and he must have ex-
pected the severest justice at official
hands. But at the outset the Indian
had reason TO be surprised, for CON
trary TO his appearance Colonel Bailey
was generous to fault, and his kind
consideration for prisoner was in
variable. Frozen Pete ani followed
his example. We had no wish to be
discourteous, and it seemed only nat
ural and right to offer Oche such little
attentions as were within our power
to bestow. | remember in particular
that last night when the Indian was
shivering beneath his scanty blanket
how the colonel drew off his heavy
weather-coat and spread it carefully
over him. Oche merely raised his
head and stared hard into the rugged
face of the sheriff
The hollow in which we had halted
was natural basin, situated on the
west bank of branch Of the Washita
river. Eastward between us and the
stream very narrow wall of shaly
earth rose precipitously to the height
OF full 80 feet. To the north and
west the low hills were almost perpen-
dicular. Thus on three sides the
basin was entirely shut in by cliffs.
On the fourth alone to the southwest
the view was open, and through the
gap we could see stretches of the il
limitable prairie.
The tall prairie grass grew abun-
dainty on the floor OF our camping
ground, and here and there along the
hard, dry walls chung an occasional
patch of stubbly buffalo grass or a
siekly cluster Of yellow cacti. Ger
tainly it was not a pretty spot, but the
tall banks were rampant against the
chill breezes Of the northwest, and
the basin had long since been favor
ite haliing- ground for travellers.
On this night, however, the wind
had vesred round until it swept unre-
sisted through the mouth Of our three
walled fat. All night long its vio-
lence steadily increased, and when
- 49, - - - - cHoVto
OF "heusel kouse! 1t was blowing a
gale.
i started mp and began to draw on
my heaVy boots. Inc colonel was all
ieauy making eohee over a glowing
heap OF brush stlcks' by chance my
eyes wandered 10 the opposite side OF
sne oasin' where we had picketed our
ioat Droncos. Ihey were gone.
IN p'ank amazement ! pointed to
tne spot Inc colonel followed the
alrection oil my gaze ana understood.
Ineh oy a common impulse we ran to
whefe MS oyereoat lay. he snatched
y from the ground. Beneath were a
blanket piece OF neavy rope and a
par OF locked hahaeans. oehe had
gone 100
haa 'he oiow oeen less severe, the
eoionei mlght nave given expressive
vent TO ms feelings, but as 1t was, he
merely dropped upon the blanket and
began 10 examine the discarded man