The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-01-16

sharp rocky point, and one OF the lead.
ers SHE'D far out Of the road. The
driver brought them about to a quick
standstill, facing back.
There's fresh blood ahead. That
Cody mule can smell it a mile: it's
the only thing he SHES at. Hold these
ribbons, young felleh, while I prospect
a little"
He came back presently, his wealth.
er-beaten face sobered and stern.
Wake up in there! Them Injuns has
blocked the road again"
Phineas, suddenly disturbed from
his long and noisy nap, climbed out
with poor grace. "The old man has
no business to send passengers over
land without escort. It's an outrage!
1t isn't my business to clear the road"
Here, come up here and hold the
team! I'll help the driver Alfred
called.
No! | CANT trust my team with
him! He don't" Uncle Billy inter-
rupted.
But authority rang in Alfred's tone.
The change had been made, and he
was already stalking after the driver.
Around the point the sight he sud.
denly came upon made him reel
turn sick and white.
Il know it would be toe much for
you, boy; but now yo're hyah get to
work. We haven't a minute to lose
The road here was a narrow rock.
cut. Two white men lay across it,
n scalped, the other with his throat
gaping horribly, and more than a
dozen arrows buried in his flesh. Be.
yond, the ruins of an emigrant wagon
blazed Iazily.
we CANT stop TO anything but to
cleah the road. These tracks come
from A~nthony's; and they're fresh
and a heap of EN-. The arrows are
nearly all different; that means a lot
of tribes He spoke in low, tense
tones while, as fast as possible, he
threw the burning debris over the
lower side of the cut.
Alfred said nothing but joined in
the labor with a quick skill that made
Uncle Billy revoke his opinion of the
small hands. Alfred's back was
turned, yet he could feel-see-those
1.-The gruesome spectacle behind.
What could be done? How should
they be disposed of?-but there was
no time for question.
Can you beah a hand hyah, Vim
cent, and quick?"
He turned. The driver had already
lifted the shoulders of one; Alfred
took the feet.
Right toward hyah, round the
point
"You-you aren't going Toto
leave" a
Yes, Wen havesit to, If we ), don't
want to look the same way mighty
soon!" .@a.f..
Cant we put them in the stage?
It's awful to leave them,'
1T may be worse t. take them; and
I'm afraid We'll need the stage for the
living Tiff we get through"
Alfred said no more; and Uncle Billy
warmed to him as he saw the clear-cut
jaw set and a steely light creep into
the dark violet eyes.
He's game!" Uncle Billy whispered
to himself.
Gently they disposed Of the poor.
mutilated bodies. and hurried back to
the stage. The driver armed each
passenger with a rifle and revolver:
and ordering Alfred beside him, and
Phineas to keep the lookout from the
top, he swung his team into the road
and drove forward through the cut
with slash and oath.
Dark was stealing on, yet the suns
goodnight glory still fingered. its
flaming banners striking into the over
head darkness, flooding earth and
with strange, sinister color.
Alfred thought Of what lay behind. and
gripped his gun sharply, The team
and Uncle Billy no longer Piled
the lash.
See that light there, away o to
the left?"
Yes"
That's A%nthony's, the next station.
Some ones alive there, and that some
one is white. or there wouldn't be a
candle light; the whole place would
be alight." Relief ~unspeakable
breathed in his words, and a half mile
in silence.
This is a terrible way to earn a
Alfred said at last.
Yes; but this jobs easy compared
to the trick the pony express boys
used to play
This Is dangerous enough. / O
der the company can induce men to
undertake the work. Don't you find
it wearing?"
"Oh, yes. ! suppose it is. It's right
smart skeery sometimes. specially at
night when l make the trip alone. And
| wondeh passengehs don't buck
against being sent across without es-
cort, like now"
They would II they knew what
they'd see. But it's infinitely worse
for you drivers"
Well, ! reckon the Lord knows his
business, an mine. too. 1 fgger all I
got to do is to see he don't catch me
asleep on the box"
A sudden admiration for this hero
OF the desert warmed Alfred's heart.
This time I'd hated to let them
bacon-colored critters get me before
| got to Anthony's. Those tracks are
all from Anthony's; and there's more
than NOR. ouA nrcparv 49, n