The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1909-03-20

close In ranking Win coiu Dlooueu
murder.
Once wanted a grizzly bear skin, or
rather. one Of my sisters wanted 1t for
a rug. | had promised as soon as
should have time TO get her one. for
even In those times n big grizzly could
not be shot In ones dooryard. 1t meant
a long trip through the hills and more
tnan a little danger.
After shooting a bear and skinning
him | started back. but the going was
had By sunset l saw ] couldn't hope
N get back TO camp that night. SO !
lacked about for good. sheltered spot
10 camp. Just then my horse whin-
MED. His call was answered from a
hollow Just behind the creek bed along
which | was riding. l dismounted,
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.
saw dugout about a hundred yards
I'D the hill. Lights appeared through
The cracks. clambered up to learn
who was there.
Knocked at the blanket door. The
voices ! had heard as l climbed the
slope were hushed all at once. Then |
heard a half dozen sharp clicks. That
meant the cooking OF rides or revolv-
ers began to wonder what company
had stumbled into. Before | could
move back some one called:
who's thereT
"A friend aud a white man." ! re-
piled
The doo- opened. aud 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 II
was too late to back out and that II
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 aud VII
lainous looking men as ever saw
In my life Two of them ! instantly
recognized as teamsters who had been
driving In Lew Simpsons train few
months before and had been dis
charged.
They were charged with the murder
ing and robbirg Of a ranchman. and.
having stolen his horses. II was sup
posed that they had left the country.
however. deeming II advisable to let
them remain In ignorance as TO who
] was. Ii was hard crowd. and l
concluded the sooner I could get away
ffom them the better II 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, l
had determined to camp out for the
night and wait till morning" said j,
"and just as ] was going into camp q
few hundred yards down the creek
beard one of your horses whinnying.
Ind then l came to your camp"
Where's your horseY' demanded the
BOSS thief.
Il left him down at the creek" an
wered.
They proposed going after the horse.
'ut thought that would never do. as
I would leave me without any means
Il escape. and | accordingly said In
,opes to throw them of the track.
Captain. I'll leave my gun here and
20 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:
"Jlm and ! will go down with you
after your horse. and you can leave
your gun here all the same, as you'll
not need IT,"
"All right" l replied. for could
certainly have done nothing else.
Come along" said one Of them, and
together we went down the creek and
soon came to the spot where my horse
was tied One Of the men unhitched
the animal and said. I'm lead the
horse"
Very WELL" said !. "I've got cou-
pie Of sage hens here. Lead on"
! picked up the sage hens which l
mad killed few hours before and
Followed the man who was leading the
horse. while his companion brought
up the rear. The nearer we approach
ed the dugout the more | dreaded the
'uea OF going back among the villain
GUS cutthroats. My first plan Of es-
cape having failed. new determined
upon another. l had both Of my re-
soivers with me, the thieves not hay-
ing thought 1t necessary to search me.
II was now quite dark, and / purpose
" dropped one Of the sage hens and
asaed the man behind me to pick 1t up.
while he was hunting for It on the
s'ound quickly pulled out one Of my
.oits revolvers and struck him a
uemendous blow on the back Of the
au; rrau; knocking him senseless to ths
u' then instantly. wneeIeC
s.ound and saw that the man ahead
40 was only few feet distant. had
..sru the blow and had turned to see
n. LAT was the matter. his hand upon
49,. ~ revolver. We faced each other al
-ss9' sne same instant. but before be