The National tribune., 1901-06-13
ROUGH RIDING.
Continued from frat pags.)

was just on the point Of turning cut o!
my course to hunt another crossing when
sharp, stern voice few steps ahead OF
me sung out:
| "Are you white man or InjunY Al
the same instant the click-click of suu
being cooked struck my ear.
White manP l hastened to answer
and then asked:
| Who are your
White man-wolf hunter" said the
voice, and then added, Come this way
l was not yet fully satisfied that he
| was a friend, for 1 had heard of a white
man who lives among the kiowas, an
| Englishman, known as English Jim,
who has the reputation of being the worst
about accepting his invitation to come
nearer when l heard him let down the
hammer of his piece as he remarked:
Took me some time to make you out;
you wuz wrapped up so | couldn't tell
whether you wuz an Injun or not but
thought I'd give you a chance to speak
for yourself afore | pulled trigger. But
eff you hadn't a-spoke up in plain English
in another second I'd put ball through
you s big as your thumb He evidently
hadn't heard of English Jim," or he
wouldn't have been SO well satisfied with
me.
As I rode up near him, still retaining
my pistol in my hand, but hidden in the
fold of the blanket by my thigh, he con-
tinued:
II heard the clatter OF your horses
hoofs as you come across the prairie, an
| jist walked across the holler an tuck
stand whar l could git the drap on you
afore you could see me. | felt most
shore you wuz an Injun by your comm
cross the prairie, fur white man gin
erly follers the road"
By this time we had crossed the hol-
low through the little strip of timber bor-
dering the creek, he walking alongside Of
me, and as we came up the bank on the
other side | could see the outlines of the
wagon of my new acquaintance, with a
horse tied near. Not till then was L suf-
ficiently satisfied of the mans genuine
amity to quietly slip nay pistol back in the
scabbard on my belt But l had kept the
drop on him from the time he uncocked
his gun till we reached his camp. My
bare hand in which l had been holding
my revolver was getting so cold l had to
put on my glove and flop it about my body
vigorously to start the circulation.
Hadn't you better light an stay with
me till mornin'T' he asked. Its power
full unpleasant travelin' sich cold night,
an q little dangerous, too"
/ told him that it was necessary that
should reach Walnut Greek before day.
fight, but did not think it necessary to
inform him of my errand. He then, in
a few words, while / had dismounted and
was stamping around to warm my feet,
told me his situation:
'Me an my pardner's bin over on the
river a few miles from here a pizenin'
wolves an skinnin' 'em. Bin out bout
month. Done purity well. But a few
days ago we seed some strange sign in
the neighborhood of our camp. | got
Uneasy, hut he said twas all right; that
ef thGr suz any Injuns round they must
be friendly ones, fur thar hadn't bin a
Kiowa seed long the river er the road
fur good while. He started off on one
to some bats we had put out over in the
sand hills on yon side of the river, an
that's the last / seed of him, an I'm
afeard the KiOwas has got his hair, 'kaZe
he orter bin back in three er four hours
at most. | darsent leave camp to go an
look fur him, an a'ter waitin' an waitin'
and he didn't show up, / got Uneasy an
concluded I'd better light out an go to
Peacock's an git some help to look him
up, or the scraps OF him. So | packed
up an hitched the one boss SOS he could
pull the wagon by hissef, an wrote
few words on piece of paper an stuck
it up SOS he'll find it eff he comes back
thar, telln MIN Ia gone TO feacOck s
Ranch, and then ! waited till a'ter dark,
fur fear the Injuns mought be a watch
in, an pulled out here onto the road. I'd
jist got unhitched when l heerd you a
comm. I'd start fire fur you to warm
by, but it wouldn't be safe, you know
prowlin' Injuns might see it"
I assured him that I didn't wish him
to run any risk on my account; that l had
no time to sit around fires, and would
manage to keep from freezing by dis
mounting and trotting along on foot occa-
sionally when / got very cold. AS 1
again mounted to start on the wolf hunter
said:
"WeIl, pardner, I'd advise you to keep
a sharp lookout, specially till a'ter you
pass Pawnee Rock. That's a dangerous
kind of place, an a good place for In
juns to be hangin' around a-watchin' the
road. People that don't understand the
critters would think that thar's no dam
ger of Injuns bein' ont sich a night as
this, but / tell you this is just the kind
of night to look out for 'em. They like
to call round when they think you amt
spectin' EN-. Well, goodnight, an good
luck to you"
"Thank you. Same to you," 1 replied,
as went cantering down the road.
Cro be continued.)