Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-06-06

gings, grit with cartridge belt and re-
volyer, and carrying the brown carbine
In hand, halted for breath at the very |
summit Of the divide between Keogh's |
park and the deep gorge in the south. !
eastward hills. Perilous, indeed, had |
been their journey. Leaving their COM
rades we'll below the position of the In
dian camp, they had slowly scaled the
cliffs to the north, then crept along
among the pines until Immediately
above the rejoicing Indians, and then,
slowly and cautiously through the scat.
tered timber, followed westward by the
stars until at last in depression they
came upon the trail, easily recognizable
in the occasional patches of moonlight
Then, eager and cautious, they followed
up, up the winding way, ever alert for
sound of hoof beat, until at last they
reached the crest and Hunters watch
proclaimed it midnight.
From rocky point they could see
outspread beneath them to the north
ward beautiful park country, family
pictured in the silvery light, and lay
ing hand on his compartments sleeve
Hunter pointed afar down to their left
front.
1.-The springs lie just south of that
high butte" he murmured, "and there
We'll find their camp, if only we can
dodge the Indian watchers on the way"
Aye, there was the rub, and there
was no time to lose. Ever watchful, as
before, they began the gradual descent,
peering from tree to tree, fitting like
shadows from rock to rock, until at last
they reached the lower limit of the tim
Der line, and there before them lay an
almost open valley, two miles wide,
destitute Of "cover" except along the
stream that nearly equally divided it,
and up that stream, perhaps two miles,
some white objects cleaned in the
moonlight near clump of trees. and
there at Keogh's Springs, just as Hunter
| had predicted, lay the threatened camp.
But how were they to reach it unob-
served, for here and everywhere the
| Kid could point out fresh pony tracks,
and even as they paused at the belt of
pines away out on the slopes beyond,
hidden from camp by Intervening rises
in the ground, dark forms of horsemen,
three or four, were plainly visible, and
the Kid could tell from old experience
that nothing living would escape those
watchers eyes
But up the slope the trees were thick.
er, and again, though YEARLY, they
sought their shelter and slowly crawled
from clump to clump until toward
o'clock they we're nearly opposite the
sleeping camp, lying out there in q
lovely glade, barely long rifle shot
away.
Twice, thrice they had seen an Indian
on nimble pony, moving cautiously
about, we'll out of sight of camp. Tim
and again the coyotes yelped and lout
J mouthed challenge was bayed by suspi
cious watchdogs near the tents, bu
still the Saxons slept, all innocent Q
danger. and time was getting fearful,
short
"What's to hinder cur crawling GU
as far as we can CO. then if we're seel
shoot the sucker that tries to stop q
and run for it?'' muttered the Irishman
"It's the only chance / see
The moon was we'll over to the west
but still SO high her light betrayed ev
cry moving object in the open ground
but, as the Kid explained, there SCENE
to be no other way. Down went the tw
fiat upon their stomachs, and the slow
tortuous process began. Before they ha
3 made 100 yards Celtic patience gay
out "D--d if can stand this!' sal
: the Irlshman. "There's not an India
] in sight now. Come on. Let's run fc
. it,
Suiting action to the word, the littl
sinner was on his feet and in anothe
minute skimming away like a racer
g the goal.
Q And then as Hunter started to folio
be saw sight that made, him thri
5 with dread. AS though they sprar
from the bowels of the earth, two L
dams ON swift ponies darted into view
and, bending low over their charger
necks, flashing them to mad gallop, the
fairly shot across the resounding, tn
= clad prairie, swift and straight towal
. . the scudding form.
u "Look out Kidd Look outp' rar
" Hunters voice in a yell that woke ii
. valley. Bang went the Paddy's reat
. carbine in reply. Dogs, coyotes, ca
U bines, rifles, Indian yells and Sax
y blasphemy burst upon the silence of q
y night. An Indian pony plunged al
u tossed his rider sprawling within do
. en- yards of where the Kid had turn'
y at bay, and Hunter, rushing to the re
y !. cue, had just time to kneel when two
=. = three revolvers seemed to crack at ono
. and the air was rent with fire flashe
= But the soldiers aim was true, and o
~ ~ tall warrior toppled heavily forward al
~ bit the dust as Hunter sped on to
= comrades aid. He found him claspi
~ his hands about his knee and rolling
: agony on the turf.
N "For the love of God, don't stop
a cried he. They've smashed my Il
10 and I'm done for. There's dozen
- one of us. Dozen or not, they were
for it now, Hunter knelt and thou