Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-03-12

30 Shc was Dcary for Lone Pine.
After that We heard Il good deal OF
Oeary. Every time Henderson got to
town he had something to tell us
about her. shes bought the best
boss had on the ranch" he said 81
sent to Frisco and bought Il silver
mounted straddle. She's getting whole
somcr and purifier every day. The
Old woman has clean forgot papa i'll
looiin' after Deary"
We heartcned up on Deary consid-
erable; hut she didn't come down to
Lone Pine. We met her another way.
SiX or seven OF us. including the
hncking Bird, had fixed up hunting
"TRIP back in the range. 1t was up
N the hills we learned how easy Dirty
I'm would have been to him. He was
inc quickest snap shot with six
shooter ever saw. and I've seen
some We had Il vast respect for the
Mocking Bird before we'd loaded n
wagon with fresh vension and headed
home.
Lone Pine Creek which is respon-
sible for Lone Pine Town. runs Just
south of Henderson's ranch, when it
runs AT all. When there are rains In
tho mountains, it rises in two hours
to roaring river. The ford on our
trail had heen dry as bone when
we crossed it going in. When we
came ont ii was flood, and the ford
was swimming deep to n horse
Iluicksand is mighty likely to drift
into the ford shadows at II time like
mat; so we, knowing the creek would
run down in couple OF hours, nm.
saddlcd our horses and laid down for
4 smoke.
We hadn't been there long when
we saw cloud Of dust on the trail to
the ford from the other side: Deary
was coming down to look at the fresh
et. She kept on coming with that
confidence which women have, ana
when she reached the ford sent her
horse right in before we could even
shout warning. She wouldn't have
heard IL if we had. the water was
tearing SO. Down went her pony and
began TO swim. Then she knew she
was i'll bad. She never yelled. though.
She sat rs still as Il statue on the
horse: but when he struck the main
current he slipped out from under her
so quick that you couldn't see how ii
was done
The Mocking Bird woke up first.
lie i'cw TO where the gray stood with
ont hobbies One jump put him OH
The bareback. Two jumps, and the
gray was breasting into Lone Pine
Creek, headed down stream. The
Mocking Bird slid off on the name
side when the gray began to swim.
and swan with him. The gray caught
up with the girl The Mocking Bird
reached out her and caught her dress.
He pulled her to him put his arm
around her neck, and lifted her head
high out of the water. We got to our
horses, and followed down the creek.
The Mocking Bird Diloted the gray
against the sand hank, then staggered
out and laid the girl down
''Lool: after her, boys!" he said. and
tumolnd over in Il heap.
Some of us picked up the g;rl. and
twO of the bows went to the Mockinr
Bird. She WAS considerably messed
up by that dirty water When We
made 10 wash the sand and mud out
Of her eyes. she sort OF sighed some
and opened on us. 1t came back to
her slowly, and she eyed us as
pretty tough looking crowd, and ask
ell, How did get out of that? Where
is my horsc?"
He's about at Lone Pine now" |
said.
Two OF the boys stayed with the
Mocking Bird, and we put the girl on
pack horse and made off tp creek
TO the second ford where the crossing
was better Mrs. Henderson came
running out, all excited at the news,
and began to kiss and hug her and
thank the Lord, until Deary stopped
her.
Don't smother me, Mother Hen.
derson, and don't forget to thank
these brave gentlemen who rescued
me-"
we didn't rescue you," says Happy
Joe Cotton. THE Mocking Bird done
1t. We didn't do nothin' but gawk
and wash the mud Off"
She wanted 10 know all about him
but Mrs. Henderson was for getting
her inside to the trunks; so she shook
hands all around with us. and smiled
at us as if we were the only men
she'd ever seen in her life.
when we got to Lone Pine the two
boys and the Mocking Bird had come
in. The Moc!Sing Bird showed up at
Larry's that night in his gray suit
looking fairly handsome. but IL little
pale around the gills. He dealt out
the nights play without once singing
his little hymn Re was sore for
week, and then we almost forgot it.
The Mocking Bird was sitting alone
at the tahlewith his head in his
hands when 1t happened Through
the Stiffness broke the sudden bang
of gun, the shiyering of glass, and
somebody yelled Look at the Mock
ing!" He had pitched forward on the
table. Larry came running.
The man who done it! Get hint
he yelled.
Out of the place we piled, and there