Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1901-07-04

seats, however. as our ponies were
gun-broken to firing from the saddle,
and would not shy even at cannon
shots. They were. in fact. accustomed
to the crack of dynamite and black
powder, used in breaking rock and
splitting logs near our house.
The foremost horses Of the herd
were soon close at hand. Ofcourse the
dust they raised completely hid us
from view of the rustlers in their rear.
They were coming at a free trot on
each side of the creek channel. We
waited until the leaders had halted.
snoring, in front of us. Then we light
ed our crackers and flung them-eight
or ten-one after the other. Florence
took her part in the cannOnade, throw
ing her crackers as far as She could
toward the horses.
For half minute the canyon roared
and reverberated with an astounding
racket. This thunder and smoke flung
the leading horses back upon their fell
lows until all were punched like a flock
of scared sheep.
Then we rode at them, each of us
flinging n final cracker upon their
heels, and all Of us yelling like crazy
BannockS at frolic. In no time we
had them going-just hitting the
wind" in the widest kind of "coun-
ter-stampede." We followed aware a t
first of the active operations Of
rustlers in our front. The swerving
lines of horses told us plainly enough
where they were. The dust and con-
fusion prevented our seeing anything
more than half a dozen yards distant.
BY great good luck, we came togeth-
er in crossing a curve of the creek bed.
We rode at the tail of the herd until
assured that the frightened horses
would run as long as they were able
that our stampede could not be coun-
tered for an hour or more. We knew,
from the time which had elapsed. that
the rustlers, not fearing immediate
pursuit, had saved wind and speed for
a long chase.
And now we turned back, determined
to take our stand in the mouth of the
cut and guard the pass until the stock
men should begin to come in from
Lander. 1t was only through the gap
of Two-owe-tee that the rustlers could
hope to run stock off our range.
Dust hung heavily in the gap. and in
order TO dodge the rustlers, if possible,
we rode back down the creek channel
which held only here and there pools
of water.
But luck turned against us Just as
we had reached a point nearly opposite
the mouth of the cut. While riding
across a fiat where the ditch was en-
tremely shallow, we sighted four
horsemen scouting cautiously, evil
IDENTIFY trying to discover the cause of
the tremendous racket which had
turned the stock. They might easily
have thought that miners were at work
blasting rock somewhere near--doubt-
less they had come to some such con-
clusion.
But they saw us before we could get
to cover. They were between us and
the mouth of the cut, and they whe eled
in an ugly fashion, holding their
Winchesters at "ready." We slipped
out of our saddles and got behind our
ponies.
The fellows were suspicious of a
larger force close at hand, or they
would doubtless have charged us at
once. They looked about rather
anxiously, scanning the creek banks
above and below.
AS the dust had cleared somewhat,
we could see their faces quite plainly.
They were not more than 80 or 60 yards
away. Three of them were dressed as
cowboys and looked like ordinary line
riders. The fourth, and apparently
the leader, wore blue wooden shirt
and stiff hat. He had a dropping
black mustache and long hair.
Presently the four got in line and
began moving slowly towardus. They