Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-08-08


the ground. The other two took no
notice Of him, but continued to talk
quietly.
who is this man following usT"
said I.
"Oh, said the bard, waving his hand,
1T ISIS nothing. A friend to me-"
l slipped my hand down to the of
holster, dropped II on a pistol butt and
gently drew II to full cock. The ac-
ton was we'll oiled and worked smooth
ly, and amid the rafting Of the horses
feet the soft click was. as l thought,
unheard.
So far as I could see I was the only
one In the party possessed Of firearms,
and to that extent I held them at ad-
vantage.
I glanced again, and gave an invol-
untary start. A second pikeman was
trotting at the side of the first. How
or from where the fellow came / could
not divine. If spirits of the dead had
been rising to join Us. they could not
come more silently or held their way
with softer football.
He also had no other lead covering
than a shock Of hair. and his feet were
bare. Both had that bounding move
ment which betokens surprising
strength and activity, and I scarcely
knew what TO think of the company
into which / had so strangely fallen.
That they were honest l had q great
Whitesock q hint to leave them, but
that the road had now fallen very bad
again.
Marching with my beard upon my
shoulder, as the saying goes, I saw the
third plkeman arrive. Just as we
passed a great boulder lying on the
edge OF the road he glided from Its
shadow and fell In at the rear. He was
as like his fellows as n bean resem-
bles another.
Not a. word or sign was exchanged
among any Of them. and with the
Queerness and odd danger of It all q
cold sweat came out upon me. This
was another business altogether tc
keeping an eye for a few miles upor
the bard and the dwarf. Our path
now lay along the lee Of o hill. which
cast a dark shadow Eel the rough.
broken road.
gave a shrill whistle. I half drew my
pistol, but the signal was not aimed
against me At a flash. the three pike.
men sprang forward. running swiftly
and silently. and flew on ahead, the
dwarf running with them. I urged
Whitesock IN, impelled to follow then
and see what was their object, but
was compelled to reip IN almost In
stantly. I should only have famed the
poor lass among the loose clutteret
rocks, and then things would have beer
at q worse pass still.
Come, come" said my companion
who had sent his pony along with me
and drawn rein when I did; Indeed
you are not treating me fairly, at all
To cock your pistol and hold 1t ready
when we are riding together so friend.
ly as possible. is not showing any
trust at all. Do you think I would SCI
those boys against you when you haC
a good chance to kill me this after.
noon and did not do It? To be sure
would not. And, indeed, I am wanting
no help against any one man In this
world" he added. proudly.
To these remarks l had no answer tc
make, and we rode for some time ir
silence. The dwarf had left his harI
behind and my companion fingered II
as he rode, now n again humming OF
trying owe an air, as IL he had for.
gotten my existence.
The young lady and her attendants
ran strongly In my mind. How far hat
they got ahead? What was the mean.
ing Of hat little elf and the three MIN.
BILE fellows running forward like grey.
hounds!
CONTINUED Next Weekly