The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-07-10
"Now, Tommie, said Alta, what have

"Now, Tommie," said Alta, what have
you to tell us?'
'.Lemme see; McConnels been here? md
he brought something in the buggy with
him, nd father didn't like to keep it here.
Then Mcconnell said he'd come and stay
all night with us, nd take it down to the
city in the morning in the stage. But !
reckon faint poison, for | saw father slip
into the kitchen when All Cow was out
after a pail of water AID mother was a
layin down, nd he put it into the flour
barrel, nd then he emptied sack Of Hour
on top of it nd covered 1t up just Ike II
was before, like 'sif he was hidin' it from
somebody
"I s::.e.js that is the gold from the Pine
! Flat mine,' said Alta: II heard father say
cleaned up after the winters work.
But, Alta said Tommie. why should
he be afraid about the gold?"
robbery EsoT for the there's o lots Of EN- in the
E. mountains. Arkansaw said SO that day
he was here trying to hire out to father
| as a herder. And when he told him that
i the ranges, he wanted to cook for us, but
I! father told him that All Cow gave per-
/ feet satisfaction, for, besides doing the
. Ing and ironing, which no white man
would be willing to do for the same wages.
| When he went away heard him swear
awfully about Cinnamon providing poor
anyone heard him, though, for he waited
+ till he got down to the thicket of elders
| by the spring before he said anything.
I was in there trying to catch kangaroo
| rat that hid in there somewhere; I want
4 ed it to show to that emigrant down to
the mine, cause he said he didn't believe
that there was any rats with brush on
the end Of their tails, like a cows, and If
I'd bring one to him he'd give me dol
lar Yes, Arkansaw swore awful, and
said he'd be even with Brown for keeping
that yellow heathen.'
oh Alta!" cried Tommie "if wasn't
so tired nd sleepy I'd like to ask you to
tell me something about catamounts."
why, who has been saying anything
about catarnountS, TOmmie?"
ooh nobody! but when Mcconnell. was
| here today he had a paper with a picture
on it of an awful big cat, nd asked him
what it was, and he said a catamount
nd / wanted to know something about it,
md kept askin' mother questions bout
catamounts TIL I pretty near got whip
PIN" Then he yawned nd nodded, md
finally lay down on his "Injun bed' and
fell asleep.
Presently, above the merry songs Of the
linnets and the harsh clatter Of saucy
magpies came the sound Of horses feet
o oaehing at raptd gallop,
three horses we saw picketed down in the
pasture this morning. Bad-looking; men
riding them-they're awful looking,
too" = 80
:,
and as it was nothing unusual for men to
ride up In that manner the children paid
no further attention to them Presently
they heard loud exclamation from their
father, smothered shrek from their
mother, mingled with the gruff tones Of
strange voices.
Keep STILL" Rob whispered "Alta, 7
think those men are robbers, and they've
come here after the gold!'' tiF....,. Il.sis
Rob's face turned very white, and his
great black eyes dilated with fear as he
whispered: BIZ 4..,3 .",5,g !,
do?'
You stay here" said Alta. land I'll go
in and see what is the matter: Don't
wake Tommien' 4ii't ~ 't;'ai- ~
Don't co. pleaded Rob. what would
become Of Tommie and me If they killed
your" -d "
II must CO., Rob; mother needs me-
She snt We yon ka9w ana somethiRg
get near the1door and tell you with my
hand. If I can't get there I'll scream;
then you must run to the mine and tell
the men to come quickly, +,al :n 5tIs.}l
L She glided through the chaparral toward
the stables, emerged from her covert be-
hind them. ran quickly through to the
front and then toward the house. AS she
saw one g, Of the men sitting on, his horse
holding the other two horses, as If In
readiness for a sudden flight. AS she was
about to enter the, house the horseman
mo, sir, said sheyt:ii 5Iit 10 ;tyisjtt2E
well, you go into the house and stay
there If you know what is best for you, Z
said he. looking fiercely ait her. 9 i'i*i3#
She did not wait for a second bidding,
but ran quickly In at the open door,
What sight met her! astonished gaze.
Her father law upon the floor bound hand
to the kitchen in the same helpless condl-
ton, and her motherIsat in a chair swing
Ing her hands. crying and pleading pite-
Dusty to q tall man, who stood near her
holding a pistol pointed at her head, to
ION, Georgei" She {, cried cried 'give them the
gold and II then they vii go away q; ana not
S Y ey Ment m HGa Mn RGeb9a y name,
ma'am'' said he, in a sr1rly manner.
Here, young one" he said addressing
Alta, who stood at3the north door, t:if you
sou!' to go out at that door ~ shoot
She then sat down in a chair facing the
door, and as close to It as possible without
exciting the SUSPICION Of the robber., Then
rected her gaze toward the ceiling: d.
Rob, i. # : you see my hands plainly, peep
Peep pn peepT, came came from the bower w.
Then She commenced moving her hands
and fingers slowly so that he might unL
derstand perfectly what she told him. and
ut lis robbers Run to the mine; tell
them to come quickly. through the brush
trail, for one sits on horseback watching
the road. Do you understand ~ y - z
"Chirp. II chirp3' was the reply, a little
TREMENDOUSLY. ~
Rob stole noiselessly away through the
brush, leaving Tomn1e sleeping in BLISS
full unconscio business of the trouble that
had overtaken the other members Of the
family ~ ita5i51Ssa ~ 81 ~
II After receiving; the assurance that Rob
understood her, Alta moved a. chair be-
| side her mother and seated herself there
almost GREATNESS from fear that. hez
brother would be seen by. the robbers as
/ he was stealing through the chaparral
I But the man who was searching the
! house for the gold called out at: that mo.
1 menr to the tall man who was guar ding
Mrs. Brown and Alta. IS
\ IT say, Heavyset, tell that woman II
| she don't tell where that gold is mighty
Equick, we'll kill the whole tribe Of them. :
1 "Do you hear that?'' asked Heayyset.
1 yes; but I don't know where u.s. Its
4 here somewhere, for Mcconnell brought i,
this forenoon. II I only knew wol1ls
i5gladly tell you. II
A pPity you don Il i 1t would save US the
troubfe~of killing him, said he, pointing
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