Gilpin observer., 1901-08-08
An Indian Girls Fortune.

Annie Trueheart Dillon, a pretty |
Kiowa girl about IA years old, daughter
Of Black Wolf. noted chief Of hii
tribe. is sole hefress to an entire for.
tune Of $1.000,o00 and more left b,
John Dillon. a rich cattleman wht
about seven years ago was saved from
death at the hands Of a haH-breed as
sassin by this little girl, says the Den
YER Times.
Dillon was born and raised in Ire
land, and when he came to Americ,
he went to Texas and worked on 81
ranch in that state as a laborer ant
cowboy. By careful management h,
became rich. From his cattle ranch
on the Rio Grande he shipped everl
year large herds of cattle to the IndiaI
Territory to fatten upon the fine pas
ture lands of that favored region dur.
ing the spring and summer. He hai
been in this business SO long that hi
was pretty well acquainted with nearl,
all the Kiowa chiefs and various mem,
bers of the nation, and from the fac
that he had always dealt fairly with hi
red brothers he was popular. He leaset
vast acres of pasture lands every yea
and he was always prompt in the pay
ment of the rents.
Seven years ago the old Texan hat
in his employ a half-breed Cherokee
Bill Hawk. The Texan one day hat
decided to so out to pasture about tel
miles from Chickasha, where he had
fine herd of cattle that were beinI
looked after by some of his favorit'
Texan cowboys, and he asked Hawk t,
hitch up buggy and go with him. Tn,
road to the pasture passed through
small Indian village, where Dillon hat
many acquaintance. When the Oh
man reached this place several Indian
and half-breeds gathered about thu
buggy and begged him to stay owe
night.
You are just in time" said hi
friend, Black Wolf. I'VE are going t,
have dance tonight" This informa
ton pleased the rich Texan, and h,
at once got out Of his buggy.
Late in the night the old Texan fell
something pulling at his arms, an,
when he opened his eyes he found tha
a little Indian girl was trying to walker
him. AS soon as the child saw tina
his eyes were open she whispered:
"Dillion, now you go putty quick
Hawk heap bad man. Putty soon hi
come. He got big knife-kill whit
man-take hoss-take heap money. Nj
hear him talk. Him heap drunk. Yol
go now"
The child ran away and DillioI
slipped from under his blankets ant
rolled them together. After placing hi
hat at one end Of the roll and hi
boots at the other he crawled away {,
short distance and lay down under {,
tree to watch for future developments
man cautiously approach the pile o.
blankets. The drunken assassin wa
deceived by the hat and boots. HI,
thought his victim was at his mere,
and he drew a big knife from his bel
and drove 1t into the roll of blankets
with all his strength. The next in
slant Hawk sprang into the air with {
wild yell and fell dead across tn,
blankets with a bullet in his heart
Dillon had killed him.
The old Texan never afterward wa,
the same man. He continued to attend
to his business and make money, but II
was easy to see that there was a CLOUD
on his mind. He became devotedly at
tached to the Indian girl who hat
saved his life. and he finally got tn,
chiefs consent to let him educate he,
and make her his heir. She was to b,
given to him when she became IA year.
old, but he died short time ago, and
now the girls future and fortune are
in the hands OF important persons.
John Rogers Of Preside, who was In
the millionaire's employ for nearly 8
quarter Of century. is the executor Of
his will, and he says that the Indian
girl will inherit fortune of $1,000, ,Oot
in cash that is with safe deposit
company in New York. and beside.
this, when she is Of legal age or when
she marries. she will come into DOS.
session of q fine ranch on the Ric
Grande that is stocked with cattle and
one of the prettiest haciendas in Old
Mexico.
The bishop of Monterey will be the
girls guardian and he will superintend
her education. He has selected an ac.
complished young woman OF San An.
tonic to be the girls companion. She
will take her benefactor's name. He
gave to her the additional name oi
Trueheart, which seems to please her
and her parents.