The National tribune., 1904-08-18

our Indians, who were coming out from
the fort.
gathered up my mules and drove them
into Fort Gibson, and ut my camp there
found my two herders. The darky had got
IN mounted and badly scared, while the
white man had come in afoot, dazed and
undecided as to whether he had got scared
or just run to be fashionable, and not vet
realizing that he had been In any danger.
.~ ~ A SCARED NEGRO. ..,-.
The darky John Thornton, was sure that
he was scared Niger, anyway. He had
been on the opposite side of the herd from
Dick GriswOld the white man-the side
next town, and hearing some shooting had
looked Off down the prairie and saw some
mounted men chasing and shooting mt some
herders: saw the herders fall off their
mules and the pursuing men then drove
on that herd. He then heard some more
shooting, and saw some mounted men run
ming towards town. He concluded from
these sights and sounds that the rebels
were sweeping the prairie, and didn't need
any stronger hint to adjourn. He hadn't
time, and was too far away from Dick, the
white man, to communicate his suspicious,
and just left him to Shift for himself.
Not knowing that the two men had
been in actual danger. and supposing that
they had abandoned the herd out of pure
cowardice on hearing a shot fired and see
*,
at them for not making an effort to bring
the mules in. My white man., Dick Girls
void, had always been good and reliable
hand, but l felt disgusted with him now,
as he had offered no explana ton of his CON
duct, and still seemed little bewildered
When | asked him rather angrily, "Dick,
what the devil made you run off and leave
of your riding mule?' he answered.
"Well, sir, l guess l must have been
scared; and my mule got sick and laid
down and couldn't get up, an l left her
a-groanin' with the belly-ache. l don't
know what | had to be scared at, either.
III tell you how it was: heard a shot or
two, but didn't see any rebels saw John
lightin' out for camp, an saw some other
men ridin' towards town purity fast. Still.
didn't see anything to git scared at, an
was just settin' there on my mule
couldn't tell what it all meant Wasn't
then two strange men-didn't look like
our men, but they didn't act like enemies
rode along past me, a little way off, OH
gallop, with guns across their saddles in
front of 'em. / heard couple more shots
about then, but wasn't lookin' at the men,
an didn't think it could have been them
that fired. But my mule give jump when
l heard them shots, an just thought she
was scared at the report. Them men rode
on around to the fur side of the herd,
without stoppin' or sayin' a word or
maxim hostile motion. An then
didn't notice where they went, for seeing
John and others running towards town
put me in the notion of comm in to see
what was the matter. | didn't think it
worth while to drive the mules in so early
in the day, and just thought I'd come I'm
and find out if there was anything up, and
then go back to the herd. I'd only rode q
little way when my OF mule laid down
= no q haIl I off,
her III the side an made her git up, an
climbed on agin an rode a little piece
fnrder, an the OF thing a-groanin' all the
time when down she dropped agin. That
time l couldn't git her up, so l just took
off the saddle and bride, an throwed 'em
in the brush. and left the OF mule -groan-
in and footed it in to camp"
Before he had got half through his story
| saw clearly what he yet failed to real
ize, and said to him, when he had fin
| ished
why, Dick, your mules been shot
They've shot at you and hit your mule"
NO, / can't think so, Mr. Peck" he
| replied. IF the'd been rebels they'd have
come for me instead of goin' on by. An.
then, didn't see any blood or wound on
the mule"
"WelI, we'll soon settle it." said
Get on Johns mule, then, and come 90
with me and show me- where you left your
mule"
When We reached his mule, near the
crossing of little branch, we found it
dead, and the saddle and bride where he
had thrown them in the bushes. Still,
Dick couldn't believe that the mule had
been shot, as no wound was visible.
knew she would have lain down on the
wounded side, and so said to him,
Take hold Of her feet and help me turn
her over"
| That solved the mystery, for on turning
the mules other side up there was the
bullet hole behind the shoulder.
There, what did l tell you" I. re-
marked. >,
SCARED AFTER THE DANGER ;"
On looking at Dick now was alarmed