The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-06-17


men very much surprised at the unusual
coincidence OF meeting as If By appoint
Heat al such place. When il was made
known that II was men and not bu6aloes
the leaders were after, two Of the men,
! who had come in the company with Ev-
ans, declared that they were friends Of
the Talbots and would not assist in their
capture Then they became bolder and
threatened to inform on the men if any
further move was made in the man-hunt-
ing scheme.
That's just what invited you to come
along for," replied Frank Evans. i sEs-
picioned that YOU were the fellows who
have oeen keeping the TaIbots informed,
and so got you here TO keep you out Of
mischief"
Throw up your hands" he continued.
producing handouts. The men grasped
their weapons. but found half a dozen
revolyers covering them. In a few days
they were deposited for safe keeping at
Fort Reno. with the promise Of the COM
mander that the two prisoners should not
be allowed TO speak to any one for g.
least ten days. Three other men, though
above suspicion, begged 10 be excused
from the man-hunt. and the remaining
ten entered with professional enthusiasm
into the dangerous work.
At Cantonment they found that q man
answering the description Of Budd Hin
had been there the day before laying in
a supply Of ammunition. All signs proved
that their information relating to the
place where the Tal5ots were was correct.
Travelling chiefly at night, in order TO
surprise the enemy, they crept up through
the Blackjack range TO the foothills where
was TO be found the abandoned Bell ranch
in which the Talbots were said to be
making their headquarters. When within
a mile Of the place they hid themselves
in a guIch, and each man with the halter
OF his horse in one hand and his revolver
in the other slept through the day and
awaited the friendly Offices Of night in
which 10 approach the hut Of the out
laws.
At midnight they left one man in charge
of the horses and the other nine cEept
UP 10 the house stationing themselves
so as to command it from every point.
One of them discovered several horses
back Of the house, and another crawled
up TO the door. where he was able TO
hear men breathing. A cold rain began
to fail, and in the greatest discomfort
and suspense the men waited at their
| stations until daylight. Every mans gun
was trained on the house for the slightest
sign Of life within. The hours wore on
until o'clock. and still no one appeared.
Lets wake them Up with a volley to
let them know how many Of US are here"
said Frank Evans. The order TO fire was
given. and there was a roar, leaving eigh-
teen holes through the door as a greet
ing.
A v-afy 10 han It-aT
chief appeared through the window.
Orders were given for the men in the
house to throw the door open and come
out one at a time without weapons and
their hands up. The first one 10 appear
was a deputy marshal from Caldwell. fol-
lowed by some well-known citizens of
Sumner count
Hello. Bob" cried Frank Evans start
ing up: what does this mean?"
Explanations soon disclosed the fact
that they too, had organized a secret ex-
petition. and. not knowing the exact place
OF the Talbots. had run on them Unex-
pectedIy and in the fight had TWO of their
men wounded and one killed. a little
later they had stumbled upon this unoc-
cupied house and taken possession Of it
while one Of their number went forty
miles away to the nearest military camp
tor q doctor.
Late in the afternoon the doctor and
the messenger arrived. both Of them re-
porting that they had kept a careful look
out and had seen no signs Of the outlaws.
One of the men went out to put away
the two horses and in a few minutes the
I'hunrers were startled By the sound Of a
| rife shot out at the corral followed by
. dozen more that came through the door
and windows The outlaws had evidently
returned to find their house occupied and
were not disposed to give it up without
a contest The chance 70 Kill the man
putting out the horses had evidently pre-
I cipitaJed the attack. Port holes were soon
picked through the mortar between the
legs. and an effort was made to draw the
/ euemy's fire so the uarksmen could find
them and pick them Of but the outlaws
We're too wary.
Night came on and with it the problem
Of how TO clear the way for escape. Seven
OF the most experienced men succeeded in
craw ing out Of the house and working
their way to different places, where they
could watch for enemies and. perchance.
~ oIever sharpshootlns. reduce their
numbers OF drive them away
Frank Evans crawied up on to the top
of the hill and with no m5re noise than
a snake, wedsed himself in between two
low rocks 10 await the coming Of day.
4 drilling rain had made the night one
Of misery. and when the iEht OF morning
had advanced enough 20 make surround
ing objects visible he cautiously arose 70
take q careful survey Of the field The
first object he saw was the muzzle of
/ revolver within ,hree feet 90 mis- head and
behind it the grim visase Of weIl-kuown
outlaw.
Good morning. Ben" said the man
hunter. "Beast-y weather. amt it?''
Surprised AT being spoken to. the des-
perado hssi-ated a moment and the hest
tation cost him his life. Al the crack Of
Z rifle half Vzy down the hill he sank
down. the lifcless hand discha-giug the
revolver into the ground Subsequent in
vestigsyion showed that Ben Gourley had
been left TO watch tne Ear-h1nte.s and
report their movements so that the bs d
could keep well out Of the way. The Tai
bots were gone like hares among the in
ttrminable hills. and the disappointed
hunters had 70 return home with their
dead and wounded men
For the Eagle
POPTLEsM at REST.
CBy POM
Once thou War- -atr child or Light.