Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-05-08

them with her eyes fixed upon them.
calm and steady. Whether 1t was that
they We're cowed by the weapon or ad-
mired this evidence of woman's pluck,
they opened way. The captain. seiz-
Ing the opportunity. quickly took Jack
by the hand and led her after her
cousin. Once beyond the ring, he as
ing himself. the three rode away, fol-
lowed 10y cheer. AS for me. breath
ed one long sigh Of relief.
well, Ginger" said Buck. reckon
ef we uns air goin to git to Sparty to-
morrer Wen have to travel all night"
rs the niger takin yo' to Sparty or
air yo' takin the niggerY asked one
Of the men.
DAT amt gwine to max no differ"
said Ginger. "Mars Buck an dom
never had no trouble. Mars Buck, he's
my mars till gifts to de new one"
Buck led his horse to the log and
mounted, giving me a significant look.
as much as to say, II won't desert
you." then rode away, followed by Gin
ger. with the remark:
"Goodby, yo' fellers. Much 'bliged
TO the good time"
The restraint Of the girls presence
being no longer felt, the mems behavior
changed in n twinkling. The captains
absence left Pete Halliday. the worst
man In the gang. free to foment trou-
Bile, and he began to do SO by sneering
at his chief for being brought, as he
expressed 1t. under petticoat govern
ment. There appeared to be two fac
tons in the band-the one headed by
Halliday or Jaycox and the other by
Captain Ringold. Halliday set about
instigating the guerrillas. or. rather.
his adherents, to go after Helen and
Jack and bring them back for another
dance. To make matters worse, one
Of the men found some applejack. and
1t was not long before the gang were
half drunk. Meanwhile the captain
returned and received hearty cursing
from Halliday and his adherents. Sew
eral Of them started to bring back the
girls, but Ringold drew upon them and
threatened to shoot them unless they
returned. They staggered back. grum.
bling. and the captain adroitly pro-
posed another pull at the applejack.
This diverted them, and after finishing
the liquor one after another sank into
a drunken slumber.
1t was midnight. Every member Of
the band was asleep save the man who
was deputed to guard me. He was sit
ting on piece Of flrewood. so placed
that he could watch me across the
fame. lay on my back looking up at
the stars and featherlike clouds that
now and again floated across the great
blue dome, the only motion apparent
save the tree tops bending under an oc-
casional breeze. The fire fiIckered, the
guard nodded, and an owl In the dis
lance gave an occasional boot.
heard something stir In the under
brush. CHANGING aside, l saw q small
light disk over bush. 1t was the face
Of little Buck.
Now. In the name Of all the gods, will
those devoted friends never give over
risking their lives in these useless at
tenpts? What Is to happen now? l
scowled an order to the boy to 60
away. but he paid no attention to 1t.
Something came siidiny uivuS tue
ground and lodged against me. The
guard heard 1t, started. cast a quick
glance at me, then about him. but,
seeing nothing, relapsed into his for
mer quietude. felt for what had
struck me and clasped a jackknife.
Meanwhile Buck disappeared. but.
soon appearing again In his place. held
up q carbine. He had doubtless stolen
II from one of the men who slept on
the edge Of the circle about the fire.
Again he disappeared, and I watched
eagerly for his return. The guard was
still awake. though nodding, but had
he been more watchful he would not
likely have discovered Buck, for the
underbrush. both where the boy ap-
peared to me and where 1t skirted the
sleeping guerrillas, was SO thick thu
In passing around the camp he w:
comparatively safe from observation
Besides for most of the distance Bucn
traversed In his gun foray the guards
back was toward him.
watch the point where Bucks head
appeared. expecting to see 1t again.
but in its stead presently see two white
points. Straining my eyes. I discern
the whites Of two eyes. then q black
face.
1t Is Ginger. A white limo appearl
1irectly below the eyes. and he Is show.
Ing his teeth in n smile. He raises his
arm. and. behold, another gun! Again
q white line Of teeth, and he puts the
weapon down. Five, 10, Is minutes
elapse. Ginger holds his ground. Has
pc gone to sleep? No. Another five
minutes, and he holds up another gun.
All, l see. Little Buck, with catlike
tread. is gathering in the arms. That's
well. He is far better fitted for such
delicate work than a stiff old negro.
The little pantomime begins to take
shape In my mind and bring anticipa-
lions Of more than q fight for my own
life. II l can escape and Buck and
Ginger secure sufficient arms, 1t may
be possible for all our party to get to-
gether and make defense. l must
tell Ginger to get some ammunition.
But with a guard looking straight at
me 1t Is no easy task to convey an
order by signs, and that to a stupid
negro. Catching sight Of a small stone
beside me. put out my hand, yawning
to conceal my intention, let it fall on
the stone and soon had 1t between the
knuckle Of my thumb and the point Of
my fOrefnger, as boy holds a marble.
Watching till the guards head is turn
ed, looking Lneaningly at Ginger, 1 fire
the stone a short distance, hoping he
will understand the word "ammuni-
tion." His face is a blank; It is evil
dent that he does not know what l
mean. and there is no prospect Of his
getting 1t through his thick skull.
Ginger turned away, and knew that
he was speaking to his young master;
then Bucks white face showed itself
inquiringly behind the negro's black
one. 1 looked meaningly at Buck and
repeated the motion of firing. He
caught my meaning and, taking up a
ID