The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-05-16

"Thcrc" he exclaimed. II thouohs ,
tpdSn't ncvcr gOnter get back"
selves in their blankets and went to
sleep. Most OF our men followed their
example. Assisted by Lee and the fore.
man the Ballet Girl was breaking pro.
visions and utensils out of the cook
wagon and arranging them in packs
ready to place on the horses The wagon
was to be left where it was for the time
We could not take it with US It would
never have been able to keep up.
From time to time men came strag.
Cling in in knots of four or FIVE or
sometimes more. None of them had
seen Spider. l asked them all.
The night was wearing on The moon
rose. showing the forms of the sleeping
men and making the glow of our d ying
fire seem redder than ever in contrast
to the silver light. The Ballet Girl had
nearly finished his preparations and
the camp became more and more silent
One after another our scouts re.
turned. each one reporting that he had
seen the trails Of not one, but several
herds OF cattle, all of them heading in
one direction with the evident purpose
OF meeting at some point farther on.
They were bound eastward, too, and
not toward the south. where lay the
Mexican line, as we expected they
would. feared that this change of di.
rection might have some dangerous sig.
niticance. and. as usual. asked the fore.
man about it.
$50 fur as sellin the cattle goes, ther
wasn't no use in cuttin across the lins
right here. said he. "They d "a had
ter pull down ter Palomas anyhow
Palomas is the neares' town in Of Mex.
ico-an the way they're goin is the
shortes' way. 1t means they think
they re strong enough to hol' Us back if
we meet up with 'em: that's all. But |
don't reckon they think we'll meet up
with 'em. I'm a-gonter turn in Won
der where that kid has got terP''
'"There he comes now." replied the
cook. "Where on top er the worl' do
you reckon he got them horsess An
an. say. what in blazes is that thing
what he's got on his saddle in front of
hims been lookin at him fer five
minutes. but cant make it out
Looks like he'd cut man in two
an was bringin half of him home" OBJ.
served Lee. 1t did look something like
that. Spider was cartering toward u.s.
leading three horses by their neck ropes
Astride Of his saddle there hung an OBJ
ject that seemed to be a pair of short
knobby legs. terminating in pair of
large boots that banged the horses
withers at every step. From the tops of
the legs something was sticking out.
"Them' 8 his chaps-the kid g chaps
said Lee. "He's stopped mp the. bottoms
er the legs with them boots, held in by
the foot straps. an he's got 'em stuffed
full er sunthin. Them things what's
stickin out are rifles
As he caught sight Of as Spider
waved his hand and forced his horse to
q faster gait. which made the legs kick
wildly
"Therei' he exclaimed as he rode M
to the cook wagon. II thought wasn't
never gonter get back Them horses
they held back all the way Couldn't
tie 'em to the horn cause the line
pinched my leg. 80 had ter lead EN-
They most pulled my arms out by the
roots He dismounted while speaking
and with great deliberation proceeded
to tie the horses to wheel Of the cook
wagon Then | saw that. besides the
boots which decorated the bottoms Of
his chaps, Spider had tied three other
pairs to the back of his saddle
l.
asleep or who were walked by the stir
left their blankets and gathered about
u.s..