The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1900-12-29

For sure. See, here's some he's
wore out" and he drew them from his
pocket. '"The dry prairie grass wears
his skin on his feet thin and sore, then
l make him moccasins."
! remarked 1t as strange that he
should carry only shotgun in that
wild country.
Shotgun? Ball-gun, too. When
want for Kill big game l load with
ball"
But it won't carry ball far"
"No-so l get close up"
| ut would be poor weapon against
Indians. l should think"
From far on-yes. But I ride good
horse always, and laugh at the
Sioux"
| Aren't you afraid the gun will burst
when you shoot ball!'
| Never burss yet. She's the best
English gun money could buy In st.
! Louis. l give two hundred and fifty
dollars for this gun sixteen year ago"
Doesn't it kick like sixty when you
shoot ball?'
Beauchamp seemed to be surprised
| out of his English; it was as If had
asked him whether the gun made a
| noise In being fired; 1t would kick
hard, Of course. 'Oui. monsieur" he
said, with the patient smile one might
give to foolishly inquisitive child.
We rode in silence for long time
before he turned down 4 sag In the
bluff that led into the valley above n
spur that jutted out toward a creek.
Soon we had reached the creek bottom
where the grass grew high, and made
our way to the outward point Of the
spur.
"We'H picket here and 60 the rest OF
the way on foot" he said, dismount-
ing.
REST Of the way! Where tor
ITO the antelope, Of course"
"Where are the antelope" l was
surprised.
Right where they were, around the
point"
Il haven't seen any antelope
He looked at me strangely, as II he
suspected me Of Jesting or lying. AS
he had seen the antelope from the
bluff, he took it for granted that l had
seen them, too. When he perceived
that | was sincere, he was too much
astonished for utterance. Then a pity
ing look came into his face, and he
indulgently proceeded to point out to
me my own lariat, from which sur
missed that he had concluded my eyes
were impaired.
While l loosened the lariat and
picketed my horse, Beauchamp drew
his charges Of shot and felt In his coat
pocket, where he usually kept six or
eight bullets. He found none; they had
wore a hole through the old lining, and
were all gone. But he had one ball
In his trousers pocket, and this he put
into his gun, saying, I'll have to kill
two antclopes with this bullet"
YOU'D better take my gun; It's much
surer than yours" said.
"You want sure gun more as do,"
he said.
Il guess that's So" admitted, and
waited for him to lead the way.
We went cautiously around the spur
of the bluff, Pierre following close at
his masters heels, and l saw six an
telope grazing not one hundred yards
distant. There we dropped on our
hands and knees, and worked against
the wind toward a tall tuft Of grass
within thirty yards Of the game.
Here Beauchamp motioned me to
crawl up alongside of him. He cooked
his gun, muffling the lock with his coat
tail as he did so; then he whispered
to me:
I'll wait till 1 can hit two with my
bullet. AS soon as fire, you shoot at
them running off,"
He lay watching for few moments
more, and then whispered, III hit one
through the heart and the other IN the
ham," With that he fired.
One antelope dropped dead, the
Others fed. Pierre sprang forward
and l, forgetting my part, junped up
and yelled excitedly, Isle EN-! sic EN-!
sic 'em!'
"shoot! Why don't you shoot!'
shouted Beauchamp.
This brought me to my senses, and
fred. One of the antelope seemed
wounded; at least, the others left him
far behind.
"Hurrah, hit him: My first ante
lope!" cried, as Pierre caught up to
the little deer and pulled him down.
"You hit him-yas?' said Beau
champ, amiably. Where you hit
| him?'
"Oh, most anywhere" said, in seme
confusion. Il just aimed at him in
general"
"Well, mebby you hit him in general
But sIose he's hit in the ham, what
you say:''
| In the ham we, found the only
wound, and Beauchamp's bullet. He
extracted it, placed the distorted lead
against the stock of his gun, pounded