Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-02-16
The Hero Of QuickstOne Gap
BY William Mason.

white mongrel that was nosing about
at the mans feet.
Bill B~lankenship'l heve somethin'
better to do with that u of his'n ef
what folks say about him is true" re-
piled the other, a tail, lank mountain
eer, with a dirty yellow beard, as he
leaned on his Winchester.
The boy, who is not over IL or Is
years old, who nae been up in the hills
with his fathers sheep all day, glanced
quickly at the others face, and said
with apparent carelessness:
You needn't come taikin' about that
rc.enooer to me. You n down in the
cove been pickin' at Pap ever since
Will Henson rode home with Mary from
Marshall last year. She never told HIM
nuthin', an he amt been back to the
Gap since. Pap amt seen him since
he left the sittlemint five years ago, and
he amt been a deputy marshal Dut
four
"'Twant long after that ride with
Mary that he busted our still in the
cove. We been a layin' for him ever
since, and we nearly got him last night
Lem Haskins put a bullet in him, but
he got away. He's hangin' about here
somewhar, but he'll never git away.
All the trails is watched.
Hes our meat-what's the matter
with that teist?"
The mongrel had been nosing uneasily
about the nearby bushes for some MN
utes, n the boy had eyed him with
covert, anxious g~lances. The mans at
tention had been attracted by a whine
from the dog, which was running about
the base of a large boulder, some nifty
feet up a raYine toward when the
mans back had been turned.
Il freed a squirrel in that white oak
by the rock awhile back. Guess that
fest of your'n nosed him. SAID the
boy indifferently.
Never knowed that dog to mind a
squirrel before-what's that" A
large stone nae come crashing down
the face of the boulder and landed
near the dog, which Immediately COM
menced to bark furiously, placing his
forefeet against the boulder and paw
ing as if ne wished to climb up.
I'm a-goin' to see what that dogs
got. You been a-lyin' to me, BOY!
said the a cooking his rifle ana
starting forward.
The boy was in desperate straits.
He thought Of the look on his sisters
face the night before when his father
had entered their cabin n told them
that he guessed Bill Henson was done
for, hat the boys" a waylaid MN
as he rode through the cove and had
wounded him badly, though he had
managed to escape.
He would V forget how Mary
had thrown herself at her fathers feet
and told him that she and Henson
were to be married; that they had
loved each other for years, n that
her lover was on his way back 10 ask
her father to let him take her TO Mar
shall to be married when he vas am
pushed.
The old father had lifted her to her
feet and told her he would go out to
try to find Henson. 1t was while the
father was trying to soothe the girl
that the door had opened and Henson
himself staggered into the room. The
boy remembered with a shock how,
with d scream of joy, his sister had
thrown her arms about her lover and
vowed never to let him out of her
sight again.
Henson told them how he had hid
den from his enemies and managed
ut last to reach their cabin. He had
beer hunted for hours after his es-
cape, and he expected his pursuers
any moment.
1t had been hastily arranged TO con.
ceal the wounded man up on the
ridge, the Blankenships knowing that
Henson's love for Mary was known in
the mountains, and that the men
hunting the wounded officer would be
likely 10 NlSlL Lneif mousse.
The girl refused TO "a her lover,
and it was found necessary to take
her with them. They had crept eau
tiously up the n arrived
at the little cabin just before day
break. The lad was left, apparently to
watch the sheep, but really to stand
guard, and the father had returned to
the cabin to do the best he could to
lead the bloodthirsty searchers from
their victim. The girl n her lover
were concealed just above the boulder
at the foot Of which the dog was now
barking. The lad had watched them
all day without food.
The boy MADE up his mind quickly.
I'm climb up thar and see what it
is he said, stepping Onward at the
mans side. The mountainer was wary,
however, and running to the side Of the
ravine dropped behind some bushes and
began to crawl forward on his hands
and knees. The boy walked in the
open.
cit back thar, kid" said the man
hoarsely. EFF you play any tricks on
me III blow yer darn heart out!'
But the boy dared the threat, and.
breaking into a run, dashed to the side
of the boulder and climbed to the
bushes above. There sat his sister with
the head of her wounded lover on her
lap. isis" he cried, give me his hat
and coat QUICK. ana ndSllly looming
them III added, Keep still sis. Buds
a coward, and will stay in the gulch a
little before comm on. No matter what
happens, lie still"
With tina he crept stealthily through
the underbrush until he a gotten
some fifty yards further up the gulch.
Then placing himself so that his head
and shoulders would be visible to any
one standing below In the ravine. he
deliberately d~islodged n large stone
with his foot and sent ii crashing be-
low. A few moments later the crouch
ing girl was started by the report Of
a rifle just below her and heard Bud
Dexter say: "G--d-him; I got
him." and then the sound Of his re-
treating footsteps.
Hours later when the uncouth old fa-
ther assembled TO the hiding lovers and
heard his daughters story he uttered
an oath and strobe rapidly in the d.
rection his boy had taken. He found
the lad lying On his back with a great
wound In his shoulder.
The boy still breathed. Tenderly the
father carried him back to where the
others We're. Then the boy opened his
eyes and took his sisters hand.
isis" he whispered, II knew If Bud
Dexter shot me he would never come
10 see il I was dead. They never do.
They think by now that Will Henson
is lynn over thar dead. and they're
lowin' to leave him thar. You and
WI can get away now"