The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-04-02

time with his qulrt. The child, TO
young to heed, stopped to pick up some
thing that pleased its baby fancy. Tn
horseman rode straight over him.
The boys mother came to her doc
just In time to see what had occurred
With a shrek she rushed to her child
picked him up and ran with him int,
the house. would have followed L
administer to her, but there were 9th
ers with her, and. 10 tell the truth.
had no heart for the work. The maj
rode on to a saloon farther up the road
I where he dismounted and went inside.
| have never felt so ashamed OF my
self for emitting TO do what honor
seemed to call for rs In this case. In
the east would not hesitate to protect
lady from rutiian. yet here was a
woman whose child had been purpose,
ly trampled before her eyes, and | did
not raise hand TO avenge her. But
what could do? Any interference on
my part must result either In my death
or that OF the man who had committed
the outrage.
reported the matter to the owner OF
the ranch. who told me that the boys
father WIS In his employ and was then
away herding cattle. There was feud
between him ans the man. a worthless
and desperate vagabond who had
ridden down the child TO ayenge some
fancied injury When the father re.
turned one or the other would doubt
less bite the dust
And II the father falls there will be
two victims Instead OF one" | re.
marked.
We can't help that out here" re.
piled my informant. There's too little
law to cover such cases"
The next morning while riding over
the plain | came upon the child's moth.
er. She carried a stick and coarse
bag and was evidently looking for
something | did not see her face, for
her back was turned. Suddenly | saw
her raise the stick and strike at some
thing on the ground. In a few mo-
ments she picked up what resembled
young alligator, holding 1t by the tip
of the tail, dropped 1t in the bag, tied
up the bags mouth and carried her
burden away, holding 1t apart from
her. Then she turned and came toward
me. | would have liked to ask her
what she had been about. but there
was look In her face that decided
me not to question her, and she passed
on without seeming to be aware OF my
presence.
Curiosity got the better Of me, and |
turned and followed her. She went to |
the saloon up the road, and before |
1t saw man asleep on the |
porch, though l could not see who he |
was. The woman drew near him
pausing occasionally, with
Ter eye fixed on him, till at last, COM
ng upon him from a point where he
:ould not see her, she united the mouth
" her bag, held 1t above him, and the
alligator thing 1t contained fell on bis
)reast
The man started UP and on seeing
What had awakened him gave a cry as
'ierclng, as full Of despair, as had
'een given by the woman when her
hid was run down. ! saw him strug.
ling with something that had fastened
pon one Of his hands and finally throw
from him. 1t crawled away, and
aw 1t no more. The woman turned
nd walked toward her home.
| had seen the dreaded Gila monster.
he woman had learned that her enc
~ was asleep on the saloon porch and,
DING out on the plain, had found a
lila. When attacked the monster
eigned to be dead. She had therefore
o difficulty In carrying out her pur-
ose. She knew that when her hus-
and returned the man who had run
own his child would expect TO die or
III his adversary. Her husband, net
moving Of the outrage, would be taken
nawares. She had resolved on her
wn method Of foiling their enemy and
Venging her child.
| was surprised to learn that he
lid had not been killed. II had not
emed TO me that there was one
lance In thousand for its survival.
erhaps 1t was that the horse-one Of
% noblest and kindest of dumb brutes
tried not to touch It; perhaps 1t was
'od luck; perhaps an Interposltlon of
lvlne Providence. Be this as It may.
e child, though severely injured,
yed.
But the man who had sought to kill
day after day, night after night,
0 heard the maniacal cries in his de.
ium and agony. 1t was a terrible
It deserved retribution. One day be
und relief, and the next the child
: had sought to Kill toddle1 out, AM!