The Red Cloud chief., 1908-04-03
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HrNRY WiILrCE PviLLI7
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to You" says he
lopicl back aud saw him hps.. :
out with his saddle on his arm "'lo's
a particular kind of cuSs," | thought.
bareback would suit most people"
Taking il a little easier for the next
couple of miles, | gave him n chance
to pull mp.
We pounded along without saving
anything for n spell, when | happened
10 notice that his teeth were chatter
ing.
Keep your nerve up. %pardner!' says
|. Don't YOU get scared-we've got n
good start on en-"
lie looked at me kind of reproach-
full
Scared be dcrnod!' says he. 81
reckon if you was riding around this
nice cool night in your drawers, your
teeth nd rattle some too"
] took a look Mt him and saw, sure
enough. while he had hat, coat ana
boots on, the pants was missing. Well.
f II had been the last act, I'd have had
10 laugh.
Couldn't find 'em nohow,' says he.
Hunted high and low. jick, Jack and
the gamc-just comes TO my mind now
that | had 'em rolled up and was sleep
Ing on 'em. l don't like to 20 around
this way--I feel as if ] was two men
and n of 'cm hardly respectable"
"Did you bring a gun with yonf"
lie gave me another stare. "Why,
pardner, you must think I have got a
light and frivolous disposition" says
he, and with that he heaves up the
great granduncle Of all the six shoot
ers I rye did see. 1t made my forty
five long look like something for q kid
to cut it's teeth on. That's the best
gun In this country" he went OH.
Looks as II 1t might be- says I.
"Has the foundry that cast It gone out
Of business? I'd like to have one like
it, II It's as dangerous as 1t looks"
when I have any trouble with a
man. says he, IL don't want to go
pecking Mt him with a putty blower,
just irritating him and giving him q
little skin complaint here and there. !
want something that'll touch his con-
| science"
Aic huu IL, loI II bIouuSiue iIonI tuht
battery would scatter an elephant over
a township.
We Hoped along quiet and easy until
sun up. The Grindstonc Buttes lay
about n mile ahead of us. Looking
back, we saw the lnjuns coming over
a rise Of ground way in the distance.
Now says my friend, II know n
short cut through those hills that1l
bring us out at Johuson's. They've got
enough punchcrs there to do the Unit
I'd States army up-Starched and blucd.
Shall we take it,
sure says l.. Tin only wander
Ing round this part Of the country be-
cause this part of the country Is here
if ii was anywhercs else I'd he just
as glad"
So In we went. II was the steepest
and narroweSt kind Of a canyon, look
Ing us If 1t had been cut out of the
rock with one crack Of the aN. |
was Just thinking. Gee whiZ, but this
would be n poor place To get snaggcd
in," when bang, says a rifle right IN
front Of MS, and m.c.arr! goes the bul'
let over our heads.
We were off them horses and behind
a couple Of chunks Of rock sooner tina,
we hoped for, and that's saying Il good
deal.
'Cussed poor shot, whoever he Is,
says my friend. Some Iniun holding
us here till the rest come up, | pre-
sumo"
That's about the size OF it-and I'd
like to make you a bet that he does II
too. il l thought I'd have a chance &c
collect"
"Oh. YOU can't always tell-yOr
might lose YOU money" says he, KIND
Of thoughtful.
II wouldn't mind that half ms much
l as winning says l. But, on the
square do you think we can get ont
III jump him with you If you say so
although I aln't got what you might
call a passion for suicide"
Now you hold on Il Bit says he
II don't know but what we'd have
done better tn stick Ia the horses and
run for II, but It's too late To think oI
that. Jumping him is all foolishness
he'd sit behind his little rock and
pump lead into us ill we wouldn't
float in brine--and we can't back on
J now"
I He talked 50 calm he made me kind
OF mad. We'll" says I, 'in that cast
let's play simon says thumbs up III
the rest OF the crowd comes"
There You go.' says he. Just like
all young fellers-gcttin' hosstylc righI
away II YOU don't fall In with theil
plans. Now, sonny, YOU keep yOul