Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-12-29

TOLD IN HIS DREAMS

TOLD IN HIS DREAMS.
PECULIAR VISION or A RANcHER ON
A NEW MEXICO PRAIRIE.
His Partner Appeared to Him Dur
ing Sleep and Informed Him OF the
FeaysSl Fate That He Had Met AT
the Hands OF the Indians.
NO. Ican't say I go much on super
stition and that sort OF thing, but I'd
like some OF these wise chaps to ex-
plain a little incident that happened to
me down in the Pecos valley, in New
Mexico, a few years ago"
Grizzled Bob Morrow, veteran cow
boy, ranchman, globe aotter and phi
losopher, took another pull at his cigar
as he sat comfortably in his seat in the
hotel lobby. a thoughtful look came
over his face, and his companions at
the table awaited in silence his further
utterances. After q pause Bob con-
tinued:
we sign riding, Lee Wells
and I. Know what sign riding is?
An imaginary line is drawn on the
prairie. Two men. ~ stationed at
each end, ride toward each other at q
given hour. Any cattle that have
crossed that line are rounded up and
driven back. The idea is to keep the
cattle together as much as possible
during the winter.
sOur line was about ten miles long.
Lee and I used to meet half way every
day, and if no cattle had crossed we'd
sit down and#smoke and chat a BIT.
Sometimes we'd visit each others
'dobe and generally chum together as
far as men can when ten miles apart.
We:each had six horses, the pick Of the
herd. and mighty proud we were too.
OF 'em.
Bout that time the Indians were
rather troublesome. They generally
went in small bands. and occasionally
the loss Of bunch of horses would be
reported by ranchmen thereabout. Lee
and I didn't fear 'em much. They car
ried only bows and arrows. and if it
came to a chase u horses could cas-
lily outrun theirs. The greatest danger
we had to fear was the loss OF our
horses.
Lee and / had talked frequently
about the Indians, and both were Of
the same mind-if attacked, kill the
horses rather than let the marauding
thieves get 'em.
81 left Lee at the half way mark, as
usual. one day, got back to my ,dobe
and after eating dinner turned IN. |
hadn't been asleep very long when !
was awakened by a sort Of feeling that
there was somebody III the room. !
CROPPED under the pillow for my gun.
turning over as i did so. and there ID
the doorway stood Lee Wells. The
feathered shafts of six arrows were
| sticking from his breast, and his face
in the moonlight looked drawn and
ghastly. There was a smile Of salts
faction on his face, though. as he said
quietly:
We'll, they got me, Bob, but they
didn't getStbe horses
Il was out of bed in an instant. The
minute my feettouched the foor Lee
vanished. The door was shut and lock-
ed just as i left 1T when ] went to bed.
Pondering over the realistic dream
or whatever 1t was, ! turned In again.
but it was a long time before. i got to
sleep again.
"a second time was awakened by
the sane vision. There stood Lee in
the doorway. and again he pointed TO
the arrow shafts and said:
g They got me. Bob. but they didn't
get the horses.
mo more sleep for me that night |
looked around the 'dobe, thinking per-
haps Lee was playing me q trick. i
went out to the corral. The horses
| were all right, and there were no signs
OF anybody having been around. I sat
up and smoked and thought a WHO'S
SET of for the half way mark. Lee
wasn't there, and there was no sign Of
his coming, SO I rode on to his 'dobe.