The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-02-16

those who were for running away he
said:
''See here. If airy one of youse are
afraid of getting hurt, just get down
there in the "drink" (creek) and we'll
protect you-but if you cut and run
for the foot hills I'll be the first man to
take shot at ye."
Upon investigation it was found that
there was in Camp rifle, l shotgun. l
army musket and several revolvers,
The prospect Of making much of
fight was slim. The position was the
worst Imaginable. From the top of
the bluff on the other side of the creek
the Indians could pour shot right
amongst them. All spoke in Whispers
Pale face peered anXiosuly between the
wagon spokes out across the moonIit
flat. The top of the bluff was outlined
against the sky. With beating heart
the men kept their eyes upon that line.
Tops of trees a mile away were mis-
taken for Indians approaching on po-
MES. Tex had the shotgun poked be-
tween the wagon spokes clutching
Bill by the arm he whispered:
"There comes one! See! Shall l fire 2"
Bill looked, and sure enough there
was form stealing up from the di-
rection of the dugout. Bill was about
to say "let her CO." when he happened
to think of Charlie. Grabbing the gun
he gave Tex push to the rear, shout
ing, "I ou d-n fool that's my partner" )"
-Aadasa4it.sawas. Charley had taken
another nap and was leisureIy coming
into camp blissfully unconscious of
how near he came to eternity that
night. There were those in camp who
had fought Indians before, and it was
their opinion that the Indians would
make the attack at daylight-and so
they waited. Perhaps some prayed.
Others thought of the dear ones at
home that would never greet them
again as they returned. l am certain
that every man there thought his hour
had come to face death. But all had
determined in some vague way to
make the best fight he could. What
pen can portray the agony of suspense
of those long night hours. But dawn
comes even though a man be awaiting
death. The gray in the East appears.
After the gray the silver and then the
golden glory of the autumn dawn, and
still no Indians. When the sun was
up and the prospect of another day of
life made them more comfortable,
Haines said to "Palouse," "We'll take
the horses and do little reconnoiter-
ing down the creek and see what we
can see,"
There would be no work on the grade
that day so the stock was turned out
to Craze. In about an hour the scouts
returned. There was a peculiar ex
preston upon their faces that didn't
exactly invite questioning.
"Wher's Jim Buckeye" said Haines.
Jim was in the cook tent attending
to his feet. Thither they went, and
there we will leave them.
The boys at the tie camp had met
our boys with peals of laughter, and
this is what they told them: "Jim
had Dragged so much that they had
gotten their heads together and put up
"job" to cure him or run him out of
camp. Jim and the old man slept in
tent by themselves. The old man was
carefully instructed in the part he
should play. When it was reasonably
certain that Jim was asleep the re-
mainder of them about a dozen were
to practice their war whoOps and turn
loose into the air with all the shooting
irons they had. 1t worked like charm.
AS they ran the old man managed to
give the dog kick, aud then fell with
a first rate death grOan. Jim jumped
over clump of willows into the creek
and succeeded in swimming across in
six inches of water. When they saw
him scambling up the opposite bank
they concluded the fun had had gone
far enough and tried to call him back,
but Jim had Indians on his mind and
business up the creek. So the joke
came near to causing a stampede in