Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-01-11
( BY
Capt. ). Y. 3. ROBINSON

snarled Bowers, angrily. II amt tibet
kind. / know some chaps as has got a
few hundred pounds o the yaller stuff
all dug, an If l had two or three good
men they'd whack up the swag with
me-"
I'm yer mani" exclaimed the other,
looking him full In the eye. II amt
scared of a little blood. I'm desperate
and I'll join yer!"
Know another good man we could
trust?" asked Bowers. "I've got a
white livered cuss with me as I'm goin'
10 cut loose from pretty quick. Three
will be plenty ter do the job"
Plenty ter divide with, too. Why
can't we manage 1t between u.s."
Course we kim" said Bowers, IAN
the fewer In 1t the better. Two good
men is better'n twenty fer such a JOB.
Will yer stick ter me-, no matter what
h~appens?"
II never went back on a chum yet"
was the prompt reply.
"All right. Now, what's yer name,
pard?"
My names Turner"
wall. Turner, let's finish this Ticker
the fust thing"
II did not take long to accomplish
this, and then Bowles said:
"Ill furnish the outfit an take yer
where the game Is ter be played. You
git one-third Of Their swag an / git two
thirds. That's fair. amt it?"
II can't kick on that"
"All right. Now Wen git some sleep
an tomorrer We'll see If thar's n
HOSES ter be got. If / hadn't been a
chump I'd held On ter what l brought
In with me when l come"
on the following day, however, he
took a different view of the matter. II
would be impossible TO start or on the
trip without arousing the suspicious OF
Obed Rider, and Bowers decided that
he must be OF the party.
Hes just the chap ter split on us If
we happened ter nave a scrimmage an
thar was any fuss here over It. /
dissent leave him behind. Well take
him, an then he'll have ter keep his
mouth shut when he's IN the same boat
with us.
But after two days search he was
unable to procure a single horse, so
great was the demand. Ills gold was
running low besides, and at last he
dared not wait any longer. Each mar
took as much provisions as he could
carry on his back, and, early one morn
ing. they started over the trail, armed
with rifles and revolvers.
When they had proceeded a few miles
on their way, Bowers said:
Nov, pards, we're out fer big game
an we've got ter be mighty smart If
we want ter come out all right. We're
likely ter meet some o. the party were
after any time. They can't tote all
their dust IN on their backs, an then
thar's tina girl. They must hev bout
enuff by this time an they'll like enuff
send one O. the mel ter Dyea after
bosses for the gang. See?"
That's boss sense" replied Turner.
Wall" continued Bowers, W must
keep our eyes peeled that we don't let
ourselves be seen by any sech man.
It'll spite everything IL we do"
1t was well for his plans that he did
keen q sharp lookout, for before night
he saw a speck far ahead on the trail
which he knew nj once to be a man.
He was standing on the edge OF a
piece Of woods, and hts companions
were behind him at the time. Stepping
in the shadow OF the trees, he eX-
planned:
"Thar's q man comm, an I'll bet it's
one O. them we're after. lie may hev
seen me, an It wont do fer us all ter
hide. He won't know you, Turner. You
keep on an pass Their time o day with
him. Yer bound fer the fort. yer know.
Keep right on, an Wen hide till he's
out o. sight, then wen overtake yer"
Turner at nee walked ahead, while
his two companions secreted themselves
in the underbrush. They saw Turner
stop and converse with the stranger a
few moments, when the latter drew
near them, and Bowers whispered:
It's the mar they call Taylor! He's
goin' after hosses sure!"
All unconscious OF the proximity OF
the two men, Taylor tramped sturdily
on, and was soon out OF hearing in the
woods. Then the two left their ambush
and hurried after Turner, who awaited
them far out on the plain.
What did he say?" inquired Bowers
eagerly.
asked me where I was bound m
whether there was any bosses ter be
got in Dyea," said Turner, who never
seemed to waste n word.
II knew it, declared Bowers. Now
all we've got ter do is find a snug place
this side whar the trail splits an take
II easy till the dust is under our eyes.
He'll be back pretty quick If he gifts
any HOSES an then we won't hev much
longer ter wait"
Several days later saw them securely
hidden in a piece of dense woods, but
each day was divided into watches,
when they took turns standing on SEN
tinel duty. From a knoll a short dis
lance from the hut they had built the
trail was visible for fully a mile, and
from daylight to dark they watched 1t
closely.
Their patience was rewarded when,
late one afternoon, they saw Dick Tay-
Tor riding along to the north, leading q
string Of horses behind him.
Our time Is most UP now said
Bowers. grimly. Hell fetch the mine
by tomorrer. Them two chaps with
him I've seen round Dyea. They're rich
chaps, I've heard. He's picked EN- up
an is going ter sell out"
How many will there be of them?'
asked Turner, AN how's the trick ter
be done when they git here? Dyer
reckon a regular holdup, or what?"
1--WE might do It In tibet way" said
Bowers, AN stan the risk O. gittin'
wiped out, but it won't do ter risk ii.
There'l be too many Of 'em. I've got a
scheme I'm goin' ter spring on 'em.
Let's get back under cover an I'll tell
yer what ii is"
When they reached their rude shell
ter and lighted their pipes he outlined
his plans as follows:
Upon sighting the party Rider was to
conceal himself in the woods near the
hut. Bowers himself was to remain in
him for a bed, while Turner's part was
~ y NAS eAAt 10y AN ANA~
of q decoy.
They all know my phiz," said Bow
srs, AN some of EN- knows Rider.
You are the only they don't know.
Oc course, Taylor will remember meet
in yer the other day when he was goin'
in, IN yer can tell him you've met a
chNp as has shot himself by mistake,
an is almost dead. Ask one of 'em ter
come an see If there's any chance fer
hum, or sumthin' like that. One OF 'em
is sure ter come, IN when lie gifts in
side the shanty we XII hold him up
darned quick"
asked Rider.
why, yer chump, when this one
don't come back it's ten ter m tibet
another ~feller'll come lookin' arter
him, In we'll fix him, too. Then IL the
rest don't come Wen go out with our
guns ali Of a sudden an hold 'em up.
WEN foIra oil thor ottne nm hnrana q NJ