The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-12-31

\ him started back. but the going wal
bad. BY sunset l saw l couldn't hope
to get back 10 camp that night. 50
looked about for good. sheltered spot
to camp. Just then my horse whin
MED. His call was answered from d
hollow Just behind the creek he'd along
which I was riding, | dismounted,
fastened him and. rifle In hand. went
on to investigate.
There, hidden In little gulch. were
about twenty horses. They weren't
guarded. Looking around In the dusk.
I saw a dugout about a hundred yards
up the hin, Lights appeared through
the cracks I elamhered up TO learn
who was there.
knocked at the blanket door. The
voices ! had heard as | climbed the
slope were hushed all at once. Then |
heard half dozen sharp clicks. That
meant the cooking Of rides or revolv.
ers ! began to wonder what company
I bad stumbled into. Before I could
move back some one called:
who's thereY'
"A friend and a white man." | re-
piled.
The doOs opened. and a big. ugly
looking fellow stepped forth and said;
Come In"
| accepted the Invitation with some
degree Of fear and hesitation, which |
endeavored to conceal, as | thought Il
was too late to back out aud that It
would never do TO weaken at that
point. whether they were friends or
foes. Upon entering the dugOut my
eyes fen upon eight as rough and VII.
lainous looking men as / ever saw
in my life. Two of them l instantly
recognized as teamsters who had been
driving in Lew Simpsons train a few
months before and had been dis.
charged
They were charged with the murder
ing and robblng Of ranchmRn, and,
having stolen his horses, It was sup
posed that they had left the country.
] gave them no signs Of recognition,
however. deeming It advisable to let
them remain in ignorance as to who
] was. 1t was a hard crowd, and
concluded the sooner / could get away
from them the better It would be for
me. felt confident that they were a
band Of horse thieves.
where are you going, kid, and
who's with your asked one Of the
men, who appeared to be the leader Of
the gang
Il am entirely alone | left Horse
shoe Station this morning for a bear
hunt, and, not finding any bears,
had determined to camp out for the
night and walt TIN morning." said /,
"and just as | was going into camp a |
few hundred yards down the creek / |
heard one Of your horses whinnylng,
and then came TO your camp"
where's your horseY demanded the
boss thief.
II left him down at the creek" / an
swered.
They proposed going after the horse /
but thought that would never do, as
It would leave me without any means
Of escape, and accordingly said In
hopes to throw them of the track,
Captain, III leave my gun here and
90 down and get my horse and come
back and stay all night"
But my clever little game did not
work at all, as one Of the desperadoes
poke up and said:
Jim and ! viii 90 down with you
lfter your horse, and you can leave
vour gun here all the same, as you'll
lot need it."
"Au right" ! replied. for l could
ertainly have done nothing else.
Come along" said one Of them, and
ogether we went down the creek and
Don came to the spot where my horse
vas tied. One Of the men unhitched
he animal and said, '1'll lead the
orse"
Very well" said /. 1--WE got a cou-
lie Of sage hens here. Lead on"
picked up the sage hens which
ad killed few hours before and
ollowed the man who was leading the
orse, while bis companion brought
p the rear The nearer we approach.
d the dugout the more ] dreaded the
lea Of going back among the Villain
US cntthroats. Ny first plan Of es-
ape having failed, new determined
pom another had both Of my re-
divers with me, the thieves not hay-
lg thought It necessary to search me.
was now quite dark, and purpose.
dropped one Of the sage hens and
sked the man behind roe to pick It up.
Ihile hp was hunting for 1t on the
round ] quickly pulled out one Of my
OTIS revolyers and struck him
emendous blow on the back Of the I
cad, knocking him senseless to the