Milford chronicle., 1909-02-05
than a little danger.

After shooting a bear and skinninl
him started back, but the going was
bad. By sunset / saw l couldn't hops
20 get back to camp that night. So
looked about for a good, sheltered spot
to camp Just then my horse whin
0ied. His call was answered from q
hollow just behind the creek bed along
which was riding l dlsmOunted
fastened him and, rifle in hand, went
on to investigate.
There, hidden in a little gulch, were
about twenty horses. They weren't
guarded. Looking around IN the dusk
I saw a dugOut about hundred yards
up the hill. Lights appeared through
the cracks. I clambered 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 a half dozen sharp clicks. That
meant the cooking Of rifles or revolv-
ers. began to wonder what company
I had stumbled into. Before 1 could
move back some one called:
who's there?"
"A friend and a white man" re-
piled.
The door opened. and a big. ugly
seeking fellow stepped forth and said:
"COme in"
/ accepted the invitation with some
degree Of fear and hesitation, which l
endeavored to conceal, as l thought 1t
was too late to back out and that It
would never do to weaken at that
point, whether they were friends or
foes. Upon entering the dugout my
eyes fell upon eight as rough and vii
lainOus looking men as l ever saw
In my life Two of them ! 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 robbing Of a ranchman, and,
having stolen his horses, # was sup
posed that they had left the country
I gave them no signs Of recognition.
however. deemlng it advisable TO let
them remain in ignorance as to who
I was. Il was a hard crowd, and /
concluded the sooner could get away
from them the better it would be for
me. l felt confident that they were a
band Of horse thieves.
"Where are you going, kid, and
who's with you?" asked one Of the
men, who appeared to be the leader Of
the gang
u am entirely alone. / left Horse |
shoe Station this morning for bear
hunt. and, not finding any bears,
had determined to camp out for the |
night and wait till morning" said /, !.
''and just as l was going into camp a |
few hundred yards down the creek l /
heard one Of your horses whinnying, /
and then 1 came to your camp"
where's your hOrseT' demanded the .
boss thief.
"I 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 l accordingly said in
hopes to throw them off the track.
Captain. III leave my gun here and
go 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
spoke up and said:
Jim and l will go down with yOu
after your horse. and you can leave
your gun here all the same, as you'll
not need it"
"An right" ! replied, for I could
certainly have done nothing else.
"Come along" said one Of them, and
.ogether we went down the creek and
ioon came to the spot where my horse
vas tied One Of the men unhitched
he animal and said. an lead the
lorse."
"Very we'll" said I. 'I've got cou-
,le Of sage hens here. Lead on"
I picked up the sage hens which I
lad killed a few hours before and
ollowed the man who was leading the
lorse. while his companion brought
ID the rear. The nearer we approach
d the dugout the more I dreaded the
1ea Of going back among the villain
us cutthroats. My first plan Of es-
ape having failed, new determined
pom another. had both Of my re-
divers with me, the thieves not hav-
ag thought it necessary to search me.
was now quite dark, and l purpose
? dropped one Of the sage hens and !
sked the man behind me to pick It up
While he was hunting for 1t on the
round I quickly pulled out one Of my
otis revolvers and struck him a /
blow on the back OF the
cad, knocking him senseless to the I