The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1906-08-02
CHAPTER /.

The scene was lonely enough, yet not
without touch of beauty For miles
around not a habitation could be seen
everything was silent and solitary; in
fact, there was something incongruous in
the cleaning metals of the railway that
wound itself, snake-like, through the YER
dure-clad country, and the little wayside
station had very des0late air save when
sone big express train drew up for a few
minutes to board the small mailbag or
such stray passengers as the nearest set
element beyond the hills had to send on
tlie road 10 civilization.
There were only man and youth in
charge of this depot, yet on this particu-
lar day the rough platform had fair
complement of people. Strengthening
Individuals they were, all clad alike in q
somber kind of uniform, and sitting for
the most part in stolid. gloomy fashion.
II was only when they moved in obedi-
ence to the sharp. rough voice OF man
who seemed to be guardian to the whole
party that the clink of iron revealed the
fact that these men were prisoners. The
man in charge of the little railway sta
tion had eyed the gang dubiousiy as they
had alighted from special carriage in
the last express.
AZ seefns mean." he said to himself, "to
eat when maybe It's hours since they have
tasted food. There's one OF them" he
mused on, glancing toward the end of the
row, that looks fair done out. Not a
bad face that, neither; must have been
handsome. AT any rate, he don't look
like the others
The man about whom he mused was sit
ting with his hands clasped between his
fnees, and his eyes fixed almost abstract
edly on the distant beauty of the land
scapc. AT first 1t would have been easy
70 have classed him in with the rest OF
his companions, but the eyes of the north
coCntry1nen has been acute There was
q distinct differences in this one prisoner
from the others. He was slighter, more
delicate build, and, though his face had
worn, sad expression, there was nothing
evil in it.
Ee seemed to be one BY himself, for the
man further noticed that, rs the warders
pessed 70 and fro, or stood speaking to
each other. there seemed to be a kind of
mnie conversation passing between their
charges
The thought flashed through the mind
gerons looking gang, that upon which be
was gazing. and even while .his thought
crept into definite form ne sprung to his
fcef.
All at once that line OF gray-ciad au-
tomato was moving mass. The still sum-
mer air was broken by discordant voices
and brutal cries. The two warders were
surrounded.
The attack had been SO swift, so unex-
pected, that they were taken off their
guard. Before they had time to get At
Hheir revolvers their arms were pinioned.
end the weapons had been dragged from
rthfm.
The station master was not one to stand
by and see such things without joining
In He rushed from his Office across the
line. Everything passed in horrid. con-
fused fashion before his eyes, vet he had
Instantly noted that the man who had at
tracied his attention as being different
from the rest was not one Of those who
had brought on the assault.
This man WAS standing apart, leaning
I'm half-dased fashion against the she'd.
His feet were chained together, yet all Mt
once, as the man from the Office spranr
'on to the platform, he, too moved for
war1. Swift as lightning he pushed him
set into the struggling throng. With
rruch heavy loads about his ankles II was
not easy for him to move, vet kind Of
ssurerhuman strength passed into his veins
as nc pulled OF the man who was trying
to choke the life out OF the poor creature
lying at his feet.
4 No!' he cried, and his voice sounded
strained and hoarse, and yet was full of
authority. "You shall not murder him /!
He has done yeu no harm What do YOU
~ant-your freedom? Well, take u while
.yon can but don't stain your hands with
AN innocent mans blood ~
HIS words were greeted by storm of
cries, some menacing, some exu,tant. Ii
looked for moment to the station mas
Ter As If he. too. would lie on the ground
seisde the salf-strangled man who, but a
rmonent before. had been guardian to this
unruly crowd: but the common sense that
aay beneath his words struck home sud-
denly.
Having robbed the warders Of their
keys, ~ well a. their weapons, Il was an
tho feet Of all the prisoners, and in an in
ctoioiy snort time tne STATION PLATFORM
held none Of them save that one who, at
risk of his own life. had stood between his
late comrades and murder.
Not knowing exactly how to act, the
citation master had watched these pro-
ceedings standing aloof. He was ready to
aave rushed to the warders' assistance
had be not been forestalled In this. AS
Il was. be busted himself pouring hot
water between the pale lips of the younger
of the two warders who had been less
badly mauled than his companion, and
while he did so, his eyes went with ad-
miration TO the figure Of the convict who
setill knelt beside the other man, endeav-
spffns to give him help.
I MS bgs.s id, and no mistake" said