Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1913-04-24
CHAPTER XVIII.
snowbound.
The CLEAN in Hamhn's eyes isf

PEELED the other to go On.
fully.
Lord. know how yer feel. strang.
ed, an, reckon, If yer was to plug
me right yere it wouldn't more'n even
matters up. But yer listen furst afore
yer shoot. Thet Kiowa Klack Smoke
was sent on ahead, an got yere afore
the storm. He said them other wus
bout four hours behind, an headin'
fer this yere cabin to make camp.
They want hurryin' none. fer they
didn't suspect they wus bein' tracked.
Well, tibet was my chance; what I'd
been campin' out yere months await
in fer. I didn't expect ter git nuthin'
back, y understand; all l wanted was
ter kill that damn skunk. an squar
accounts. It looked ter me then like
I he'd him on the hip. He didn't know
was in the kintry; all he'd to do
was lay out In the hills. an take pot
shot at him afore he saw me-
"And get the girl and the money"
"As God La my witness, never
thought bout thet. I jest wanted ter
plug him. know it sounds sorter cow
ardly, but that fellow g a gun-fghter,
an he he'd two Injuns with him. Any
how that wus my notion, an as soon
as Black Smoke went lopin' up the
valley. loaded up, an climbed them
bluffs, to whar he'd a good lookout
erlong the north trail. laid out thar
all night. The storm come up, an
mighty nigh froze, but Struggled down
inter Their snow an stuck. When yer
onc't get KILN freak on, yer goin'
through hell an high water ter get
yer man. Thet's how felt. Well,
just long bout daylight an outfit
showed up. With my eyes half froze
over. an Their storm BLOWN the snow
in my face, couldn't see much-nuth-
in but outlines o. bosses an men.
But thar was four o. 'em, an big
fellow ahead breakin' trail. Course
] thought 1t was LIE Fevre; l want
lookin' fer no one else, an soon as l
dared. I let drive. He topped over
dead as door nail, an then popped
away couple o. times at the others.
One fell down, an I thought got
him, but didn't wait to make sure;
just turned and hoofed 1t fer cover,
KNOWN the storm would hide my
trail. I'd got the men 1 went after.
an just materially didn't give er whoop
what became o. the rest. AS 1 went
down the bank heard 'em shootin'. SO
! knowed some wus alive yet an 1t
would be better fer me to crawl inter
my hole an lie still"
Hamlin sat motionless, staring at
the man, not quite able to compre.
bend his character. Killing was part
Of the western code, and he could ap-
preciate Hughes eagerness for re-
venge, but the underlying cowardice
In the man was almost bewildering
Finally he got up. swept the revolver
on the bench into his pocket, walked
over, and picked up the gun.
'Now, Hughes" he said quietly.
It'll talk. and you listen. In my judg.
ment you are miserable. sneakine
cur, and am going to trust you just
so far as can watch you. suppose
] ought to shoot you where you are,
and have done with it. You killed one
Of the best men who ever lived, a
friend of mine, Sam WATSON"
"Who?"
Sam WATSON, government scout"
Hughes dropped his face into his
hands.
Good Lord! knew him!"
The Sergeant drew deep breath,
and into his face there came look
almost of sympathy.
Then you begin to realize the sort
of fool you are" he went on soberly
"They don't make better men out here:
his little finger was worth more than
your whole body. But killing you
won't bring Sam back, and besides
reckon you've told me the straigh,
story, an his shooting was an acct
dent in way. Then you're more use
full to me just now alive than you
would be dead. My name is Hamlin
sergeant Seventh Cavalry, and I an
here after that man LIE Fevre. We
trailed his outfit from Dodge until tn,
storm struck US, and then cam,
straight through travelling by com
pass. did not know the mans nam,
was LIE Fevre until you told me; VI
in Kansas he Is known as Dupont"
That's 1t; that's the name he tool
when he sold the cattle"
"The officer robbed and killed wa
Major Mcdonald, and 1t is his daugh
ter they hold. The fellow Dupon
Quarreled with and shot was desert
er named Connors. We found tn
body. Now where do you suppose L
Fevre is?"
! Hughes stared into the fire, nervous
ly pulling his beard.
wall, I'd say in west yere some
whar along the Cimarron. 'Tain't like
i ly he had compass, an the win
wus from the nor'east. Best the
could do, the ponies would drift. TIL
Injuns would keep the gineral diret
ton, o. course. storm 'er no storm, ar
Gene Is some plainsman himself, Blu
tibet blizzard would sheer 'em of al