Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-11-27

changed to indignation as be noticed
that the fellow was hourishing Ia hil
hand fat roast goose which Brad ha(
taken particular pains to brown to Q
shade. The Indian called voeiferouslJ
to his companions.
A shout In response came from be-
low Brad, and he heard the sounds OF
moving horsemen. AS they came across
his line Of vision on their way to the
cook house he counted five other Chey.
ennes.
From the stack Brad could see the
grin on the face of the Indian as he
pointed within when the others rode
up. Then there were laughs, cries Of
pleased surprise and distinctly audible
shifting Of the gratifying odor from the
open door. Five savage riders dis.
mounted and vanished in the cook
house, leaving the man of the goose to
guard their ponies.
The sight and, above all, the sounds
of their feast made Brad's soul rage
within him Nor was it at all quieted
when, now that the Indians about the
corral were gone, he looked over in 1t
and saw that they had rounded I'D ev.
cry Circle Dot horse on the range.
For an instant only in looking In the
corral he had taken his eyes from the
Indian watching over the ponies, but
the man had vanished I'm that moment.
Brad surmised that, seeing no sign of
life about the place, he had Joined his
fellows at the feast within.
After stulfing themselves they would,
be well knew, search for the maker Of
that feast with other intent than
thanksgiving. 1t was useless for him
to lie there Where should he conceal
himself securely? Somewhere he must
go, and that quickly.
Brad slipped to the ladder, clasped
either long side piece with a knee and
arm and began to slide down. But as
he started his eyes'swept over the cor
raj and saw every horse in 1t looking
up to him. Their eyes, staring and
CLASSY, seemed to appeal to him for
succor palmer than any speech.
Swiftly down he slid, and the corral
wall, rising up, hid the horses from his
sight But as he struck the ground on
his sound leg he had no further thought
of seeking hiding place for himself
He stepped to one side of the stack
and boldly surveyed the cook house.
Not an Indian was IN sight The six
ponies, with heads down and reatas |
trailing stood motionIess before the |
door
IL reckon I'll jes' mosey up to that |
door seems they're all so busy with
that grub inside" Brads thought ran !
on "Ill Jerk the door to an hitch the
chain over the steepe. an I've got 'em
cOrralIedw
His quick movement gave no indica.
ton Of the pain it|cost him. Indeed,
be hardly felt the pain as he stole to
the back OF the building, slipped along
the wall and gained the corner near
the door
All his senses were on strain, and
he felt rather than heard n moccaSined
foot inside step for the door. Forget.
ting then all about his lame leg, Brad
made rush for IT, his six shooter
cooked in his hand
On the threshold he encountered the
guardian of the ponies coming out So
Close were the two that Brad actually
thrust the muZzle Of his six, shooter
against the buckskin clad breast of the
Indian. who with yell of surprise
and terror darted nimbly back and In
stinctively swung the door shut against
3rad's extended weapon.
Brad snatched the chain and hooked
It over the staple. Hardly had he
stepped to one side when there came a
volley, muffled from within Half
lozen bullets splntered the door and
barmIessly over the prairie
beyond
"Blaze away Brad chuckled. "Ef
ou can stan the smoke In thar, can
tam to hear them bullets sing out
ere" -
\ chorus Of coughs came from with.
n. Then. half strangled by the pow.
er smoke pent up IN the tight struc-
ure, the prisoners made a rush against
he door.
SAY. thar, let up on thatw said
trad coolly As the rush was repeat
j he stepped directly in front IF the
DOR and4n turn sent a shot through It. ! {
The report of bis big six shooter was
ms wered by yell from within. &C.
by the sound Of scutfling
aet as the Cheyennes sought the cor.
ers at each side of the door for safe
:. Then all was silence. broken only
Y an occasional cough
IL reckon I'd better light out" said
rad. to whom the very stiffness of that
lge of tigers was ominOus. "'Twont
Ike en- long to claw outer that. an Y
exon when they do I'll jes' leave EN- =
hDof tt r
he bad no difficulty in catching the Il
Dnie> by their railing ropes Tying s
ZEN secHrely nose TO tail. he led them q
lns 10 the corral There he threw ! u
DeL The double gates and with n
HOOP and a whirI Of his lariat sent "
e glad herd scurrying in safety ont =.
} the plain Then he climbed on one a
the captured ponies, led the others 7
string behind him and took his S
b.