The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-01-13

AoASS SlA11 AL
those days was a crime that came
murder.
Once / wanted a grizzly bear SIX, 81.
rather, II Of my sisters wanted it +
. rug. I had promised as soon rs
should have time to get her one. (
even in those times a big grizzly cou'u
not be shot in ones dooryard. 1t meaHt
a long trip through the hills and more
than a little danger.
After shooting a bear and skinning
him 1 started back, but the going was
bad. BY sunset l saw I couldn't hope
to get back to camp that night. So I
looked about for a good, sheltered spot
to camp. Just then my horse whin-
MED. His call was answered from a
hollow just behind the creek bed along
which l was riding. I 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,
I saw a dugout about a hundred yards
up the hill. Lights appeared through
the cracks. I clambered up to learn
who was there.
l knocked at the blanket door. The
voices I had heard as i climbed the
slope were hushed all at ono Then I
heard a half dozen sharp clicks. That
meant the cooking of rifles or revolv.
ers. I began to wonder what company
I had stumbled into. Before I could
move back some one called:
who's thereT
IA friend aud a white man." I re-
piled.
The door opened, and a big, ugly
looking fellow stepped forth and said:
"Come in"
I 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 1t
would never do to weaken at that
point, whether they were friends or
foes. Upon entering the dugout my
eyes fell upon eight rs rough and vii
famous looking men as l ever saw
in my life. Two of them l Instantly
recognized as transfers who had been
driving in Lew Simpsons train IA 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, it was sup
posed hat they had left the country.
I gave them no signs Of recognition,
however, deeming it advisable to let
them remain in ignorance as to who
I was. 1t was Il hard crowd, and !
concluded the sooner l 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 Il Of the
men, who appeared to be the leader of
the gang,
II am entirely alone. l 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 l,
'and Just rs l was going into camp a
few hundred yards down the creek l
heard one of your horses w%hinnying.
and then l came to your camp"
"Where's your horseT' demanded the
boss thief.
81 left him down at the creek" l an.
swered.
They proposed going after the horse,
but | thought that would never do, as
1t 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
60 down and get my horse and come
back and stay all night"
But my clever little game did not
work at all. as of the desperadoes
spoke up and said:
after your horse. aud you can leave
your gun here all the same, as you'll,
not need It,"
IAN right" I replied. for I 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
>vas tied. One of the men unhitched
the animal and said, "Vn lead the
horse"
Every WELL" said I. 1--WE got q cou
pie Of sage hens here, Lead on"
] picked up the sage hens which
had killed a few hours before ani
followed the man who was leading thu
horse, while his companion brough
up the rear. The nearer we approach
ed the dugout the more l dreaded thu
Gloo - -of,~ l,ol, ,,nn~ @ln 1;1lo;,
Gus cutthroats. My first plan Of es
cape having failed. l new determine,
ppon another. l had both Of my II
volyers with me, the thieves not hay
ing thought 1t necessary to search me
1t was nov quite dark, and I purpose
~ dropped one Of the sage hens an,
asked the man behind me to pick 1t W
While he was hunting for 1t on tn
ground I quickly pulled out n Of m
Cn1tsO rovoIvorc ond cfrnpE him