The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-08-28
TAKEN FOR A "RUSTLER."

IDENTIFY III charge VI Tile luIllllllS StOCh.
The muzzle of two revolvers were
quickly thrust in my face.
GLANDS up!'' was the order, and of
course I quickly obeyed. [ saw on
the one hand big, lank fellow with
long, straw-colored mustache and pale
blue eyes, and on the other a slight,
boyish individual, as dark and grim
as an Indian.
These men relieved me of my re-
volver, and cutting the pack-str1ngs
from my saddle, tied my wrists be-
hind my back in twinkllng.
"Gettin' pretty foxy, amt We, cut
tin out steers in a blizzard?' The
big man spoke and his blue eyes twin,-
killed. in dangerously humorous way.
"Gentlemen, [ assure yOu--"
began. y, III.
Coots' lariat wrapped about his sad
die pomme1, wheeled and galloped on
after the cattle The smaller cowboy
followed my pony's heels.
During a brief rush through the
storm I had time to reflect that my
thoughttessness had brought me into
a bad scrape I had been captured
red-handed Trusting" a steer! [ was
dressed in the rough corduroy, SLOUGH
hat and leather leggings of the same,
and I rode a cow-pony of the line and
carried a lariat at the pommel Of one
of the best of Cheyenne stock saddles.
Moreover, [ was stranger.
How was I to identity myself or
convince these men of my innocence?
I thought of the papers [ usually car
ried in my pocketbook, but remem-
bered that [ had nothing but curren-
cy with me. All my personal papers
and recent correspondence had been
packed in a chest, which would be on
its way to Deer Creek as soon as the
weather should clear. If l. could not
prevail upon my captors to listen to
me my case was hopeless.
When we came up with the tail Of
the herd, the tall man halted and
tossed my rope to the younger. "Take
care of him, Bill" he said; "the rest
of us'1l herd the steers"
The one addressed as Bill now
drove Coots in front of him. We rode
forward at a shutting trot until we
reached the banks Of the Platte, where
there was a halt to look for a ford
While my guard and I were sitting
Our horses I attempted to speak to
him, but he stopped me with an angry
gesture.
"Don't open your chin to me-, he
said, cor I'll shoot your teeth out"
AS we sat on the outskirts of the
uneasy herd two cow-men, whom
had not seen before, rode by. Each
gave me a lowering glance.
Presently we began moving behind
the cattle again. A ford had been
found, and we crossed the river at a
shallow rapid, and thence passed up
narrow creek valley and into the
rough bad lands which, above old
Fort Fetterman, lie along the river
for many miles.
Each minute now was bearing me
hope1essly beyond the range Of the
railroad camps. Tn these bad lands
[ could hope for no chance encounter
Of an acquaintance Whether these
men would even give me the brief
formality Of trial by 1ynch-1aw was
STORY-2-Connel1 -. -. -. 49,.
an open question.
For an hour or more, going slowly
now, we threaded a deep valley, where
the wind whist1ed high above and the
snow dropped upon us as if shaken
from sieve. Here one could see at
times the length of the herd and I
noted that there were five men on the
"drive." One, whom I had not seen
before, led a pack-pony.
In the forenoon halt was ordered
in flat, sheltered basin, where the
stock could find good grass under the