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
"Lemme see; McConnel's 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 and mother was a
layin' down, nd he put it into the flour
barrel, nd then he emptied sack OF flour
on top of 1t nd covered 1t up just like 1t
was before, like 'sif he was hidin' it from
somebody
~ js that is the gold from 70 the tbs Pine
baat nd sa lots e. monaV When they
cleaned up after the winters work. y, ~
But, Alta" said Tommie. why should
he be afraid about the gold?"
II know" said Rob. hes afraid of
I robbers, for there's lots of EN- in the
mountains. Arkansaw said SO that day
he was here trying to hire out to father
! he had as many herders as he wanted on
/ the ranges, he wanted to cook for us, but
father told him that All Cow gave per
cooking he did oil the housework, wash
. Ing and ironing, which no white man
would be willing to do for the same wages.
/ When he went aWay l heard MN swear wear
white men out of work. He didn't know
anyone heard him, though, for he waited
/ till he got down to the thtcket Of elders
I by the spring before he said anything. /
| was in there trying to catch kangaroo
| rat that hid in there somewhere; want
| ed 1t to show to that emigrant down to
! the mine, cause he said he didn't believe
/ that there was any rats with a brush on
! the end Of their tails, like cows and II
/ 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.''
ooh, 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 catamounts, Tonlmie q
| 'Oh. nobody! but when Mcconnell was
| here today he had paper with a picture
! what it was, and he said a catamount,
| nd | wanted to know something aboutSlt,
nd kept askin' mother questions bout
catamounts Till pretty. near got a whip
! PIN Then he yawned nd nodded, nd
! 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
approaching at a rapid gallon - a9aa
| Look, Alta" said Rob- ."them's :. the,
| pasture this morning. Bad1looktng: men
| riding them-they're awful dark-loolsing,
( too" 80 80
The horsemen halted at the front door,
ride up In that manner the children paid;
| no further attention to them. Presently
! they heard a loud exclamation from their
father smother re; a. shrek from T. their
| strange voices.
Keep STILL. Rob whispered "Alta, 7
think those men are robbers, and they've
come here after the gold!'' .i,..a.,t,.
| Rob's face turned very white, and his
great black eyes dilated with fear as he
"oh, they'll kill us all. What shall we we
do?'' a$
You stay here" said Alta. land I'll go
wake TomniieH' G5lii1 g 53i.li+ =!
become Of Tommie and me If they hey Killed
7, you?" .'5'S
81 must 60, Rob; mother needs me.
She Is isn,t Mell you kao !, and something
get near the door and tell you with my
hand. Z. If can't get there I'll scream !,
then you must run to the mine and tell
the men to- come, quickly.,IisJ ,tij iti ;t,..#
|: 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
came in sight of the front entrance she
saw one 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
asked her if any one was In the barn IT,
| ''Ne, SIR" said sheysEb ;5Ht - - ir.iti&E
| well, you go into. the. house and stay
sad ne oo hmeT wnd Is at pfss 1or
4 She did not wait for, a second bidding,
1 but ran quickly in at the open door.
What sight met her! astonished gaze.
Her father law upon the floor bound hand
and foot; All Cow lay near the entrance
| to the kitchen in the same helpless condi-
| ton, and her mother sat In a chair swing
ously to q tail man, who stood near her
holding a pistol pointed at her head, to
"oh, George!" she cried, .sgive them the
| gold and then they will go away and not
| kill us. Won't you,, Mr., Robber? ~ giatf$
you are mistaken in my name,
ma'am,.'' said he, In a surly manner.
Alta, who stood at the north door /, if you
attempt to go out at that door TIL shoot
your -
o sne tnan SIT o5 eWo II e eoalp fse,a9 b9 e
| exciting the suspicion Of the robber Then
| her titrembling fingers said, whilst she dis
rected her gaze toward the ceiling: f
4 "Rob, il you see my hands plainly, peep
Peep! peep!,,,' came from. the bower;
Then She commenced moving her hands
derstand perfectly what she told him, and
\ which was: III,
.aIt is robbers! Run to the mine; tell
trail, for one sits on horseback watching
| the road. do you lt:!d erstand ?"s 81 Il
!. "Chirp chirpn''' was the reply, a little
i TREMENDOUSLY. ,,$,.+; .,...
A Rob stole noiselessly away through the
brush, leaving &Tomnie sleeping In bliss
i full unconsciousness of the trouble that
had overtaken the other members Of the
4 family. ss .ttt7 i ~ atf@;a itsil
After. receiving: the: assurance that Rob
4 understood her, Alta moved a. chair be-
! side her mother and seated herself there
almost GREATNESS from fear that hes
brother would be ;seen BY the robbers a; as
Il But the man who was searching the
! house for the gold called out at that mo.
4 mens to the tall man who was guarding
4 Mrs. Brown and Alta.
4 t st say Heavyset, tell that woman II
I she don't tell where that gold Is mighty
sE quick, we'll kill the whole tribe Of them.
4 7'sDo you hear that?' asked Heayyset,
3. yes; but don't know where it is ;SIt's
n here somewhere: for MEG onnel brought Il
q this forenoon. II I only knew Wol1le
Il gladly tell you., :55s', LIZ st
troubfeFof killing him. said he, pointing
Atah: II, BBNBl al5 N Sss|