Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1909-01-22

struck its fangs into his neck. Mckee, |
springing up with an energy that scat
tered the sticks he was piling, tore the |
reptile loose, hurled it upon the ground
and stamped 1t into the earth, Then
he picked up one of the brands and
with it cauterized the wound: All the
while he was cursing .volubly-the
snake. himself and even Dick Lane,
who was now lying In d dead faint
caused by the torture. s'- 5Sss
Curse such q prospectorl Not drop
OF whisky In his outfit! ia slit his
tongue fer him Il he wasn't already
done fer. must keep movin', movin'. i
or I'm a dead man. / must hustle
along to- the mountains, leadin' my
horse. up there I'll find YARDS to cure
snake bite that my Cherokee grand
mother showed me. The rurales will
have to get the other ponies, but some
day I'll come back after Lanes cache"
IA half hour later the Mexican guards
appeared upon the scene and unbound
Lanes unconscious form from the. ga.
hnaro, which the fire had consumed to
withinRa foot OF his bowed head. They
deluged his face and back and bathed
his tortured feet with the contents OF
their canteens and brought him back
| TO life. but, alas. not to reason. s>,. Z
81 Six months later there limped out of
IChihuahua hospital discharged pa
ttient, wry necked, crook backed, with
drawn features and hair and beard
Istreaked with gray. Il was Dick Lane
RESTORED to his Old physical strength. so
liar; as the distortion / Of his spine
caused by his torture permitted. and
Ito the full possession Of his mental
Faculties. He mounted one Of the cap
Etured ponies and rode of with the
lproceeds Of the sales Of the others In
his pocket to purchase provisions for g
ETeturn to his prospecting III "a .'5 YAK,
Before plunging into the wilderness
The wrote letter: 5:% .S
$s S.$ III Chihuahua. Mexico.
il Mr. S ohm Payson. SWeetwater Ranch,
II M F1orence. Ariz. u. Isl. IA.
l@ Dear Jack--T have been sick and out OF
IIny head IN the hospital here for the last
Il six mont lbs. M Just q bout the time you all
Il were expecting me home II had a run in
q with, the Apa ches: And who do you think
I Twas with them Il Buck Mckee. the half
breed that II ran on the range two years
n ago Tor tongue Sitting. After I had done
\ 9ersall the rest he got me, and dwell, the
q story, q too long TO write. j rather think
II Mckee has made Off with the gold had
n cached Just before; the fight. Y TIM going
n back II 10 see, n and Il II he did 81 ri hustle
& around ITO N Ard a buyer for one OF I my
3 claims. 81 don't want to sell my big mine.
Jack. tell you II struck it rich & But
!! thai story ca: walt till Il get back. Your
I Y loan can. though. 80 expect to- receive
j 5000 by express come time before i put
III an ppearanc 8 hope you got the
4 mort gage renewed at The end ef the year
B ~ my allure to show up then has caused
Il you trouble. you'll forgive me. old fellow
4 a know, under the eircumstances.$# III
make III MP on. VI owe you every.
4 thing. You're the best friend Id man eve,
Y had. bat 81 81 Is II nj writing to you III.
a stead of TO Uncle Tim. for Il want you IL
& do me anot her riendI x e service Jus
" break II gently to Echo ~ lien that IN
4 aItYe and I'VE 81, pretty badly dam
Z. aged By hat renegade 4 Mckee and tel
q her hat III WASH IA my fault Il wasn't fi0rl,
I. an the day on, Used She'll forgive me
al know and be pa lent awhile longer
Il Itss all & TOR her sake I'm staying away
Give her the$ letter itlcioas. Your ~
bnnkie. DICK Ek1s.
Io be- ntinHed.