Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-07-17

THOUGHTS for five minutes. Jim Tras-
kon, are you ready for desperate ven-
tureT'
"You bet am, If It's anything con-
nected with that girl! Yes, sir; I'll
fight dozen grizzlies one after an
other for her sake"
"Then when you come in tonight
well have talk. Isye got plan, and
I'm quite sure shes bound to work.
Say nothing, but come and see me-"
1t was true that Miss Nettie Walters
was visiting Miss Kitty Williams,
daughter of Major Williams Of the
Horseshoe ranch. 1t was also true that
she was the daughter of wealthy
resident of New York Both girls rode
out on their ponies almost every day,
and as q matter of fact they had sew
eral times passed within few rods of
the cowboy-this particular cowboy.
They had given him no more notice,
however, than they had given his herd.
There was a talk that evening be-
tween Jim Traskon and Tom Mat
thews, and when it was concluded the
hopeless lover was no longer hopeless.
In fact, he had been brought around to
realize that life was worth the living.
He even executed shuttle and indulg-
ed in suppressed whoops of exultation.
Two days later fortune favored him
with broad smile. At 10 o'clock in
the forenoon he caught sight Of the
New York girl riding alone-not quite
alone, either, as she had three dogs
with her, and the animals were doing
their best to scare up rabbit to be run
down. When she was half mile away
big jack broke cover, and away went
girl and pony and dogs. 1t took Jim
Traskon just two minutes to adorn
himself in the Indian trappings which
he had Drought along for the occasion
by the advice of Tom Matthews. Then
he started the chase. His get-up was
good, and his warwhoops had the true
ring. or course he depended on Miss
Williams having told her girl friend
that some of the Sioux Indians had left
their reservation and were committing
outrages along the skirts of the valley.
AS matter of fact, this information
had been impaired, but it hadn't de-
| tered the New Yorker from riding out
alone She heard the whoops and look
| ed back to see the redskin coming after
her. Then she gave her pony the
switch. In her go-off she rode straight
away from home, and at the end of a
three mile chase her pony was >winded,
| and she was being oyerhauled.
Then was the psychological moment
for Jim Traskon to strip off his dis
guise and begin to whoop and shoot
and convey the idea to the girl that lie
had come up in time to run the redskin
of and save her from being carried
into captivity. According to Tom Mat
thews, she must feel grateful, she must
smile on her rescuer, she must extend
the glad hand, and il she didn't faint
| In his arms she must at least invite
him to call on her at the ranch and
sooner or later fall in love with and
marry him.
| All that ought to have taken place as
easy as two and two make four; but
alas, 1t didn't. In the first place, car
ried away by his hopes and fears, the
cowboy got too close; also he forgot
to throw away his disguise. Then the
girl pulled her tired horse In, wheeled
him around and suddenly came riding
| back with q six shooter In her hand.
| She had never shot at man before,
burglar, cowboy or Indian chief, and
for a novice she did remarkably well.
| Out of six shots she sent three bullets
into Jim at points calculated to give
him pain, and before she had ceased
| firing he was on the run for cover.
| When he had got gait on him the girl
headed for the ranch at a lope, and her
| part Of the adventure was over. Not
| so with Jim Traskon. He had to get
| into the brush and send for Tom Mat
thews, and Tom had to ride eight miles
| for a surgeon to pick the lead out and
dress the wounds, and after Jim had
told about forty lies about the affair
him and had better go. Tom shook his
| fist under the poor fellows nose and
roared: when I was telling you how
to get that girl I didn't know that !
| was talking to a blame fool! Jim,
you've mixed and muddled the case
worse than an idiot, and now you go
and suspend yourself from the limb of
weeping willow tree and be hanged
to you! You had mighty handsome
girl and untold millions within your
grasp, and then you went like burned
kyote and forgot that you was white
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