The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-03-03

az the sun had SGT and their horses
were tired. the three made a night
camp on the bank Of the creek. They
made coffee, ate their supper, and
chatted of old times on the range il
Colorado. Hugo listened until it was
nearly time to turn in.
Fellows" said he, "I'll take a stroll
down the creek. If that bunch OF
creatures l took for elk back a WAYS
should turn out to be steers, they'd
need looking after tonight. They'll
have come down to water by this
time"
He turned abruptly and was soon
out of sight in the darkness. Some
thing In his manner, an attempt per-
haps to seem natH,l, caught the at
tention of Morgan, who was a shrewd-
ly suspicious nature.
"Say, Farley" he said that lads
got bee in his bonnet. Why, he was
MT quarter mile behind us. an l
| could see the velvet on them bull elks'
horns. An how did he know them
| lnjuns were Cheyennes? You watch
! the fire a spell an III camp on his
| trail"
The suspicious cow-man trailed
along the creek with the stealth Of a
Sioux for 4 mile or more, ana thon
his vigilance was rewarded. Just Be-
low a fringe Of cottor-Noods and at
the foot Ct long rise he saw. G.mly
outlined, 4 groap Of ne1 standing AMI
talking. He approached t.sem, creep
Ing through the grass OF the creek
lotion.
He halted within easy ear-shot, and
then heard ana saw lis late comrade
talking to a half-4czen Indians. The
boy was speaking in Crow or Chey-
enne, and II a lively manner.
Morgan watched and listned for a
minute, and then .to!e back to his
camp.
Wei, hows how?" greeted Farley.
where's the kid?"
Oh We're daisy lot, we are"
declared Morgan. The Bar Two-Vs
outfit 5 a lot O tender Covers, a-bloom- |
IN in the spring, an they look real
pretty til the cows step on EN-.
Close them remarks said Farley,
resentfully, an talk United States
Thus admonished, Morgan told his |
story, while Farley sat roking the fire
If the jay comes back, | reckon We'll |
surprise him plenty was the only re
mark he made.
A half-hour later, when Hugo re-
turned to the camp, the two were roll
ed in their blankets, apparently
sound asleep. An hour later he was
roughly awakened. to find Morgan sit
ting on his legs, and his late com
rades busily engaged in tying his
hands. He struggled for moment,
and then gave vent to his astol:sh-
nent
What's this about, fellows?" he
asked.
Shut your chin, Mr. HalfBreed."
vas the grim command you've
played in big luck 50 far, but your
games up-savvy?"
The new punchar made no further
fort to resist or to speak He was
out astriod his horse and tied fast,
md then, leading his animal Morgan
md Farley set off for the ranch.
The trio arrived just before day
light, in time to find the men all in.
'robably al angrier lot of punchers
vas never seen than those at Ear
vows when Morgan and Farley had J
iven an account Of the night.
They had been taken in" by a
ouple of half-breeds, working among q
hem as spies, two of the very thieves
tho had run Off their stock the year
efore, and were plotting with the In .
.ans to make a bigger haul,
The brothers, looking sorry aid q
ave enough, were allowed to eat
reakfast, and then, fast bound, were =
lrust into the bunk-room while the
zen considered what should be done. :
This was finally settled by Allen in 7
is usual vigorous fashion. We'll
Ike our birds to the edge of their
serve he said, ''and hang EN- to :
eir own cottonwOods, where the
rows and Cheyennes can savvy our Il
gn talk" Q
At sunrise a cavalcade of eleven
ders, two Of them with wrists tied. -
# the ranch and rode swiftly down
IN Dance Creek. They stopped at b,
veral ranches, gathering up, re- 6,
forcemert of seven cow-men, all -
ad of an opportunity to teach the IN
ans a lesson. ),
With their ponies tied together, and f.
tn pale, set faces, the young cap in
es rode in the midst Of this rele1t- ~
IS squad. -,
The party crossed over to the Oxus. 80
aching The crock hernrn noon and Il