The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-07-21
THE MASTER OF A4lPPLEBY|
ny Francis Lynde.

Yeates looked me up and down with a
sntn for my foreign-cut coat, another
for my queue, n a third for h Ger
man ritter-boots I wore.
"umph!" said he. Now IL here amt
that there dad-blame Turkey fighter
again! What almighty curtis things
the good Lord do let loose on a stiff
necked and rebellious gineration!" Then
to me. most pointedly: Say. Cap'n; the
big woods amt no fitting place for
such as you, ez I allow. Ye mought
be getting them purity boots O. your'n
all tore up on the briars."
He ended with a dry little laugh not
unlike MI. Gilbert Stairs parchment
cackle; and, being his guest for the
nonce, I laughed with him.
Have your joke and welcome. Mr..
Yeates," said I. Il am too near fam
tshed to quarrel with my chance of
breakfast" /.
Much to my astoundment he flung
his racccon-skin cap into the air. spat
upon his hands and began that insane
war-dance Of his.
"Whoop!" he yelled. mo handbook
dandy from the settlements ever sot
out to call III Mister and got away
alive to brag on'ti Ketch hold, you in
toned jack-a-dandy till I dip We in the
creek and soak a flour-ration r two out
N that there pig-tail top-knot o.
yclr'n! Yip-pee!'
BY this Jennifer was trying, as we'll
as a man bent double with laughter
might, to interpose in the interest OF
peace and amity; and even the stoical
was like to lose countenance with all OF
them, l watched my chance, and clos
ing with my capering ancient, gave him
a hearty wrestler's hug.
Fol all he was so gaunt and thin, and
full twenty years or more my senior,
he was a pretty handful. Twas much
like trying to catch a fall out Of some
piece of steel-wired mechanism. None
the less, after some wild stampings and
strivings in which the old man all but
made good his promise to put me in the
creek, l o him with a Cor
nishman's trick-a cross-buttock shift
ed suddenly to a shoulder-lift-which
sent him flying overhead to land all
abroad in the soft clay of the land
slide.
The effect OF this little triumph was
magical and wholly unlocked for. When
he had gathered himself and set his
limbs in order. Ephriam Yeates sat up
and thrust out a claw-like hand.
Put 1t there. stranger" he said. 81
reckon ez how that settles it. Old Eph
Yeates III share fair, powder and lead,
eSSAAA 0AA0 P11l-l4lGdI WILL ~
man that can flop him that-away.
Whilst ye're a-needing a friend in the
big woods-a Mountaineering Injun-
skinner that can Jest or'narily whop
his weight in wildcats-why, old Eph's
your man; from now on, If not sooner"
And in this wise began an alliance the
like Of which. for true-blue loyalty on
this old borderer's part. these colder
hearted times OF yours, my dears, will
never see.
AS you would guess. I gripped the
hand OF pledging most heartily, pulling
the old mar to his feet and protesting
It was but a trick he would eve
let another play on him. And then we
four fell upon the deer's meat which
was by this time-not cooked, to be
sure. but scared a. little on the outside
a true hunter fashion.
While we ate, Richard spoke freely
OF u intendings; and in return
Ephriam Yeates was able to confirm
Mr.. Gilbert Stairs war news to the let
ter. For all his tory bias and prejudice
1t ceemed that Margery's father had
spoken by the book. Gates army was
crushed and scattered to the four
winds; Thomas Sumter's f%ree-lances
had been attacked, worsted and driven,
with the leader himself SO sorely
wounded that he was carried from the
field in a blanket slung between the
horses OF W OF his men: and, as was
to be expected, the tories were up and
arming in all the north country. Truly,
the prospect was gloomy and the OUT
look for the patriot cause was to the
full as desperate as King George him
self could wish.
But you. Ephriam, and the chief,
here; are you two running away like
all the others?" Richard would ask.
The old hunter growled his denial be-
tween the mouthfuls Of scarce-warmed
meat. II reckon e. how tits t'other way
round; were sort o. camping on the
redcoats' trail, ez I allow. Amt we
Chief. hey7"
The Catawba's assent was a gut
tural "Wah!" and Ephriam Yeates
went on to explain.
y see, tbs this-away. You took a
laugho ut'n me. Cap'n Dick. for spying
round on hat there Britisher boss
captain and his redskins: but long
o'ard the last I met up with a thing
r two wo'th knowing. Twas a powder
and lead cargo they was awaiting for:
and they're allowing to sneak 1t
Cherokees."
"Well?" say Dick.
The old man cut another slice OF ven
ison and took his time to impale Il on
the forked toasting stick.
Well, then I says to the chief, here.
says i, sCh1ef, this here's our A-num-
ber-one chance to spile the 'Gyptiann:
get heap CUR heap powder, heap lead.
heap scalp The chief. he says, 'wahI'
which is good Injun-talk for any
thing We like-and sc here we are, hot
foot On the trail o. that there boss
captain and his powder varmints."
"Alone?"' said I. in sheer
ment at the brazen %effrontery of this
chase Of half q hundred well-armed
men by two.
The Old hunter chuckled his little dry
laugh. We amt SIGH tarnation big
fools ez we look. Cap'n John. There's
q good plenty Of 'em to wallop us, ez
I allow. II 1t come to fighting 'em fair
and square. But there'll be some dark
night r other whenst we can slip IN
on 'em and raise a scalp r two and
lift what plumber we can tote; hey.
chief?"
But now Richard would inquire what
time in the night the powder convoy
left Appleby Hundred, and II Gilbert
stairs York district guests had tray-
eled with 1t. To these askings Yeates
made answer hat Falconnet and his
troop. with the Cherokee contingent.
had taken the road at midnight, or
fharoo ho,,%C. - ~3 kH1k A..