The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-05-17

chandise far exceeding in value any
price which had ever been paid for a
horse in that country.
The corrals and stables had been built
just outside of the fort and were COM
manded by the cannon in two of the
great bastions. Here the horses owned
by the company were shut up every
night. During the daytime they were
sent out on the prairie to Craze In
charge of a herder, who at this time
was boy of fourteen years named Jo-
seph Kipp, now one of the prominent
citizens and cattlemen of Montana.
When Joe came in with the herd that
evening the major sent for him and
said:
Well my boy, I've finally bought
that Snake horse. Wen call him
Snake, Now, 1 want you to take him
out with the herd daily and watch him
closely until he has made friends with
the other horses. Ride him occasional
creased and expenditures for the good
before long. Be careful, now, and see
that you don't lose him. for without
question he Is the best bred animal this
for I'm going to have buffalo hunt
ly, enough to keep him in good trim,
side of the Mississippi river, and I value
him highly"
Yes, sir" said Joe. It'll watch him
as you say. No danger of his getting
away from me-"
About two weeks after this conVersa-
ton took place the herder corralled the
horses one evening and then entered
the majors Office with a most detected
air.
Snakes gone" he said shortly, and
with suspicion of sob in his voice.
why, joel" exclaimed the major;
chow We're you so careless as to lose
him?'
II didn't lose him and I wasn't care
less; he's been stolen.' Then the boy
broke down; but the major spoke to him
kindly, and after a little he told how it
had happened.
At noon he had driven the herd to the
Teton, a small stream three miles north
of the fort, and given them ample time
to drink while he ate his luncheon he
had then driven them back on the beach
land to Craze. 1t was warm day and
y
thirsty, he rode back to the Teton for
another drink of water. He was gone
from the herd perhaps twenty minutes
or half an hour, and on his return he
Immediately missed Snake. Scanning
the country with his telescope he saw
the horse, ridden by an Indian, just as
they We're disappearing in the breaks of
the Missouri several miles east of the
fort.
The major, of course was greatly dis
appointed at losing his valuable horse,
but he was a kind and just man. and
after comforting the boy the best he
quarters for supper.
Nearly all of the employees of the trad
ing company were married to Blackfeet
women, and hardly a day passed but
some of the relatives of their wives Wis
tied the fort. Through some of these
visitors it was soon learned that Owls
Head himself had stolen Snake After
the big trade the camp had moved back
south few miles to the Shonkin where
wood and grass were more abundant,
and there the buffalo horse was run
ming with the Indians herd. But that
didn't help matters much. There was
no such thing as law. Within the walls
of the fort the trading company was SUI
preme. Beyond the range of the cam
non and howitzers the Indians ruled the
land; might was right. Also it was the
policy of the traders never to quarrel
with the Indians. Perhaps the major
soon forgot his loss; he had great af-
fairs to keep his mind busy; but it was
different with the boy Joe. During the
short time he had kept Snake in his
charge he had learned to love the beau
tiful animal, and longed to regain pos
session of it. Then again the taunts of
I'D Four Bears, a great gossip, who was
always riding back and forth between
The camp and the fort, fairly set him
wild. The old fellow brought almost
daily reports of the number of buffalo
OWLS Head was killing with the aid of
MS swift horse.
"Such horse. Never was anything
seen to compare with it. What power
If endurance what speed, what sagac-
ty that wonderful horse hast" With
l malicious leer he would say to Joe:
!Ah, boy, you ought to see that horse
f once you saw him 1 know you would
want to own him."
This was too much for Joe, and, his |
leart almost bursting with Indignation |
md injured pride, he would rush from |
he room out into the cool night air lest |
lie should be tempted to strike the old |
indian dead where he sat. One evening |
Four Bears was more tantalzing than |
yer in his stories of the wonderful |
orse, and when, as usual, he drove Joe
rom the room, the boy went straight |
o the majors office and asked to be
REUSED from herding for day or two, /
aging that he was not feeling very
yell; he did not dare say what he really |
tanted a holiday for, as he feared re-
usal. OF course the major granted his
equest and Joe left the office with
ghter heart than he had had for many
day. First he went to notify man
he major had designated to take the
erd out in the morning and then he
apaired to the quarters Of old Baptiste
,ondin, the companys hunter, to con-
ult with him about his plan, which
'as no less than the stealing of Snake
ut of the Blackfeet camp. The old
oyageur entered into his scheme with
and bidding his wife pre-
are a small sack of food and fill a can
zen of water for the boy, he began to
lao tho Tropnr rourse IN p11rs11a Toe |