The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1898-01-29
OpanWinge.

" - "loI "a t'" AA sAAOS>
Point" being the second timber bend on the west
side of the river Missouri above Fsrt Stevenson.
Both were looking into the blaze in silent cogni-
ton, but werher dreaming over the past or into
the future the chronic,er cannot divine. With
each Of these men past dreams we're far from
pleasant lingerings, and it was we'll for their peace
of mind that their dreams of the future were in
wide divergence from the actually. But as before
stated their dreams were known only 20 them
selves, but the coming Of what was to be. as far
as their earthly tenure was concerned, became a
part of the records Of their surviving con,ernpor-
aries, Had the veil of actually of the future been
raised to them beyond the burning brands in which
each Of them were silently gazing, each could
have beheld a ,horny path i'll their few remaining
years. One could have seen himself shot to
death, his body placed in a shallow grave with a
blanket both for shroud and coffin. The site that
marked his grave now mark the path of swift
flowing. channel waters. His companion had lin
gered in life 4 few years later A gloomy forest
shrouded him; alone and unseen by mortal man
he died a maniac's death. Buzzards Toasted upon
lis decayed flesh; badgers sported with his scat
tered bones.
Il seed the shadow of that lnjun to night agin,
and don't like it." said one of the men without
Withdrawing his gaze from the burning Goals. lie
was the larger and older Of the two.
kind a queer answered his companion. 'if
he belonged up in the village and not come around
here. Been poking about the bluffs for five or
six days.
"Jist a week to night since l first seed him"
Ibid you cache the stock in a new place to
night"
Yes"
1--WE ought to- rest easy then "
They did, but in going out to their stock cashe
,ext morning the. stock was gone. Two good
mules and two work ponies. The loss of stock
forced the abandonment of the w'odyard.
The mules we're the property Of Trader NAL
norie, of Fort Berthold. In about four weeks
from date OF disappearance of the animals the
trader received the following note througha scout
dispatch bearer. The language was in French
with the following English Interpretation:
FoRT RICE. mo date.)
Mr. c. Misunderstanding says he found your
mules. Send a man down with 5000 and take them
home. Yours with regards, Il. L~AFRoMBo1sE.
The man arc money was sent and mules came
home.
81 guess. III try vocd-yardirg a little nearer
home said Trader Malnoria when his mules were
brought TO his stables at Fort Berlhold. He had
some wood GU: opposite 10 The fort. The same
mules were sent across the river to do the wood
hauling and the same man sent with them who had
charge of their Keeping at Point ONT a luck.
man known as Jimmy Deer and two red mat
rons crossed over the river in a bull boat to pile
the cord wood brought to bank. The trail of the
,auler led through a line of willows for half a
nile or more. For two or three days all went
we'll. But it was a dangerous neighborhood The
driver from Out-a luck had provided himself with
a Colts army and a double barreled shot gun
heavily charged with buck shot. One fine morn
ny the driver hicned mp his mules as usual and
rotted the team over the rough bottom road gaily
20 the crib pile. His pistol and shot gun were
up and down in the wagon box as he
an old French song. At a point where
he willows lined a sand ridge a naked Indian
arose quickly, pointing a gun at the wagon box
fred away. The driver, forgetting all about his
gun and pistol. dropped his lines and
from the wagon on the opposite side to
he indian dashed into the willows. The red man
topped into the wagon, catered up the lines Of
he now excited mules drove out toward the bluffs
Is far as the wood trail led, unhiched and unhar-
,essed the mules. gathered up the pistol and shot
run, Jump astridc of one Of the animals. and was !
IF on fast time over the hills. Meantime the shot :