Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1900-09-20

ed Otherwise they might be STAN
peded, and many yearlings would go
to swell the ranks of other herds. To-
gether with eight cowboys and four
wagons, covered and containing the
supplies for several weeks, Acy set
forth on the roundup. Nothing oc-
Cured for the first week. They were
forty miles from the fort, and had
heard no more about the alleged In
dian troubles.
One afternoon, as Acy rode slowly
along, one of the boys came in for in
structions, and as he logged beside
the bay pony, he observed her quick,
irritable motions.
"Your beast is powerful fractious,
Acy,'' he said, as she stopped and
snorted uneasily, her soft, velvet muz-
zle twitching as if she scented danger.
Acy nodded, and turning in his sad
die, looked searchingly over the bare,
brown plain. There was absolutely
nothing in sight except a few cattle
his own men, and miles of sage-brush,
buffalo grass and sand.
II reckon she's got nerves. contin-
ued the cowboy. "All women has
'em. Nothing the matter with her
just plain nerves.
Acy got down and unsaddled. There
wasn't the smallest crease in the
blanket. Not a strand in the double
rope cinches had been twisted.
Il don't know he said, ''but If
there amt Indians within ten miles,
it's the first time she ever fooled
me-" The pony muzzled up, shivering
little, and he combed out her forelock
with his brown hand. "Sho, now, lit
tie 'un,'' he said, kindly, ''can't We tell
me about it?''
Its nothing but nerves. repeated
the cowboy, harshly. 'All female
critters are alike"
You may know heap about wom-
enfolks." answered Acy, dryly, "but
that's no sign you know horses; and
even if you did, it's no sign you'd
know the little 'un. She amt a COM
Hull pug, sic IolhS, anu WACh oAC
acts hathaway, it means Indians.
Tell the boys to come in and look
sharp about EN-
When Acy used that tone there was
no more to be said. The puncher rode
away
The sun was sinking slowly in the
west when the men came in and un-
saddled. They arranged the four wag-
ons in a hollow square, and put the
saddle horses in the corral thus form
ed. AS they did SO, Sweetheart, who
was standing a few feet from the
campfire where the cook had supper
almost ready, lifted her head and gave
a neigh, so strange and prolonged that
they all started and looked at her. She
was trembling and staring out into the
dusk with terrified eyes. -
Nerves. said the puncher who had
already delivered his opinion. Had
'em all day.
DRY up!'' said another of the men,
politely. That's not the kind of
nerves you can buy at Madigan's sa-
loon. Hi. Look at that, will your
He pointed toward an arroyo that
lay between them and the hills. They
could see but indistinctly, but even in
that uncertain light, men used to the
warfare of the West, where any
stranger might be a foe, and the red
man was always an object of sus-
picion. could make no mistake. White
horse-thieves did not wear feathers.
Il knew it, said Acy, stroking the
mares neck. ''She never gives ME a
false alarm. Now there's no telling
what they will do first, but it's easy
guessing what they allow to do last
He made a quick circular motion about
his head Drive all the horses you
can in between the wagons; there's
eight of you, two to side, to keep
watch. Take turns till you get your.
supper. They won't do anything till
after dark, likely, and there's no telling
when We'll eat again"
The men followed instructions, max
ing as complete barrieade as possible.
They worked silently, remembering
that two weeks before a party like
their own had been left on the plains,
stark and cold, not fifty miles from the
fort
AS the stars came onr and the new
moon lent her feeble light, they saw
they were completely surrounded. The
circle closed, the Indians began slow
ly riding round and round their pris-
oners, their purpose being, with the
smallest peril to themselves, to pre-
vent escape. AS they drew closer,
chanting their weird and hideous war
song, volley from the little fortress
sent them again out of rifie-shot, and
Acy called council Of war.
NO use. boys" he said There's a
hundred of them if there's one, and