The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-11-27

more. Iefferman had made some egg
nog, which was good, and Peabody mixed
q sort of dry punch that made us as hun
CRY q sthree wolves. They had q salad
as good as Martin could make, and every
thing, especially the coffee, was tip-top.
L don't know how many stories Heffer-
a told. nor what extraordinary wise
things Peabody said, but we were sitting,
quite jolly, in q cloud of blue tobacco
smoke, when Heffernan's pipe dropped to
the floor with The vigilantes, by c.
II saw Peabody draw his pistol, and at
the same instant the glass of the two lit
tie windows crashed to the floor and l
saw the muzzles of q half dozen winches-
tiers thrust into the dim room.
They've got us, I guess growled Pea
body, letting his gun drop across his
knees. 'Whatll we do, Heffernan?'
Il didn't hear what he said, for at that
moment there was a hundred blows
against the flimsy door and in a minute
the barrier came crashing in, scattering
our dishes and spilling our coffee all over
US. l hadn't the least idea what the mat
ter was till a big fellow with a worn-out
sealskin cap covered me with his pistol
and asked me to surrender.
Were the vigilantes,' he explained,
after assuring himself that I meant no
resistance, and you fellers'll make the
second batch o. horse thieves we've hung
today This was not very encouraging,
but l tried to explain that 1 was q peace
able farmer who had never stolen any,
thing, that I was simply a guest Of Mr..
Peabody and Mr.. Heffernan, who were
my friends.
Friends. eh?' he grunted, well, you'll
be hanged for havin' sech friends
The posse OF vigilantes. about forty
men, had by this time crowded into the
room. 1t was past sunset. The utmost
order prevailed. HaVing disarmed Heffer-
nan and Peabody, and having searched
me In vain for a weapon they put lariats
about our neclSs and led us out. l asked
my guard what they meant to do, and
he answered, Hang you. What dye sup
pose" Yes, 1 was scared all right, but
nobody would talk to me and l was stand
ing in line with Peabody and Heffernan
under a row of cottonwood trees before I
was fully convinced that they, at least.
meant to submit without a protest.
HAS either O. you fellers got anything
to be the former sheriff of the new
county. Heffernan laughed in his face
and asked for a chew tobacco Peabody
looked at me and said, That there zap
never stole any horses. What do you
want to hang him for, Cap? The cap
came over to where l was and asked me
what I had to say for myself. I began
~ s'AAA AiiAS L W 49, "l a . uocl illo
I made a plea, / think it was eloquent, a
plea for life. I told all about myself and
my life in Kansas; that my dug-out was
just over the hill. and that my farm would
give evidence of having been worked.
That's so, Cap interrupted Peabody,
who seemed anxious to save me, 'Griscom
is a bona tde farmer. Don't hang him till
you send a man over to his place!
1--WE amt got nc time for tom-foolin','
said the sheriff; what YOU got TO saw
Il told him that I'd like to SEND word
back TO my mother that l was innocent;
that I'd done nothing to disgrace her, and
that l had no trial.
lis that all?' blurted the vigilante.
'Whar dye liver 1 told him I lived in
Page county, Iowa, but he got mad at
that and beloved: Yer q liar; I'm from
Page county, Iowa, myself I insisted.
however, that l was from near Clarinda,
and he asked quickly: ANY rivers IN
Page county? ANY more towns sides
Clarinda? l told him that I knew the
Nodaway river and had two cousins liy-
ing in Amity. I said my father was
buried near Chicken Bristle and that my
family was pretty well known.
what dye say Yer name is?'
"'Griscom,' 1 answered, William Girls
COM He turned round to his followers
and said: This here Griscom Is all right,
boys. He's from old Page county, Iowa,
sure, and I'm for lettin' him CO.
"I didn't wait for the ceremonies that
followed, though 1 liked both Heffernan
and Peabody. I made a few feeble at
temps to argue With the captain, but he
silenced me with, .Shet UP now! Them
two demons is the wust hoss-thieves In
Kansas, and you'd a-swung with EN- 4
you hadn't known so blame much about
Page county. Iowa"