The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-07-04

looked at each other in grim kind of
way.
''Well,'' said Ferd, we've got to head
off that herd, stampede and scatter
'em, somehow"
''Sure thing!" l assented.
When Florence understood the case,
she set up frantic wall. ''You shan't
go!" she almost screamed. Those
men will shoot you dead! Anyway, if
you do, Eli go along and be shot, tool"
''You will stay at home, Florry,' said
Ferd, kindly, but in his masterful way
well take good care of ourselves,
never fear
Ihereupon she ran to the house,
crying. We could not stop to comfort
her. While Ferd went for our guns,
trappings and a snack TO eat, ran to
the creek pasture, got out two of our
best riding ponies and saddled them.
When | had finished Ferd came out,
wearing his hunting jacket and carry
ing my jacket and our guns.
The big side pockets of the coats
were stuffed to bulging,- but my jacket
felt light enough, and when I thrust
hand into one of the pockets and
drew out giant cracker" of the big
gest size, | fairly whooped with de-
light. There were half dozen in each
pocket, and each one was foot IN
length. They would make enough
noise to stampede a whole tribe of
Indians, let alone 400 or 500 half-wild
horses.
We were off in a twinkling. We
knew of an old buffalo and cattle trail
half-mile distant, leading up to the
head of Black Rock, and round the
slopes of several mountains into the
north gap of Two-owe-tee. This trail
we took.
We'll plant ourselves in front of
that herd in the gap" said Ferd, land
there we'll have our celebration. / be-
leve we can counter stampede run
'em over that crowd and get away in
the dust and racket"
The very probable event of fight
against odds, however, kept us feeling
pretty sober. We clattered along the
cutoff at hard gallop, without ex-
changing many remarks.
We rode on for more than an hour,
passing up out of Black Rock and over
mountain ridge. Then we heard a
clatter of hoofs at our heels, and
turned to face Florence. Her pony
was sweating, her face was flushed
and beseeching, as she pulled up con-
fronting us. AS the trail was a plain
one, she had had no difficulty in fol-
lowing.
Il can't stay behind" she an
nounced, breathlessly. 81 should die
of fright. | don't believe those men
will fight when they see a girl along
SO that was her reason for comingl
We looked at each other in dismay
and some disgust. But she was a girl
of 16, capable horsew6man and of
determined spirit. We could not COM
pei her to stay behind
WELL said Ferd, ''when we get to
business you'll have to stay where we
put you, or Wen tie you up!'
Then we 'hit" the trail again, and
Florence followed. l looked back to
see that she was crying, although she
rode bravely, and l was truly sorry for
her.
In the course of three hours of hard
riding we came out of sharp cut into
the canyon of Two-owe-tee. A brief
examination convinced us that we
should find no better point at which
to make break in the herd and turn
them back upon the rIstlers. The gap
of Two-owe-tee was here some 200
yards in width, with inaccessible
sleeps on either hand.
We rather counted on fight, and
Ferd planned for it like general. He
even consented that Florence should
take part in cannonading the herd,
whereat she at once became a calm
and superior person. She agreed to
keep close in to the mouth of the cut,