Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-08-14
rHosH marks on my, arm7 oh. I
got 'em playing horse thief!
Yes. playing. wasn't real

got 'em playing horse thief!
Yes. playing. / wasn't a real
one. you know. Well, s'pose
It was sort ola queer game. Came
near bsi1g my last TO, and IL Black
Hawk hadn't been the best horse in
Texas the old celonei would We killed
me sure. He chased mo six miles, a.
It was-ms with one arm full Of his
buclkshot and anxious to explain and
him snainng to get In range again
and not wishing any further particu.
lara
That was way back IN the sixties.
when ! was AZ wild q lad a. ever
snaddled . pony.
You see, ave Of u had gone over
into tho Crow Nation to race horses
with the indians. ana It was on the
way hack that the old man and the
bullet holes fgesr in tho story.
At the beginning It was Jim Ba1ett's
plan. and It had jest enough risk and
devilment In Il to suit harum scar
UNI young Teller IKE me. So we got
I've Of the boys who had good horses.
Jumped together all Of our money and
rode out to invade the reservation.
You know how an Indian loves to
run horses? Well. the Crows had a
good deal Of money then. and our
scheme was to 60 over there. get up a
big race. back our horses with all we
had and take down the wealth.
Taking chances7 Don't you believe
1t. That's where the beauty Of Jim's
plan commenced to sort Of shine
through.
You see, as soon as the money was
up and the horses started every In
dian would be watching the race and
yelling at the nags; then in the con-
fusion our boys was to grab the whole
pot, Indians money and ours, too. and
we'd make our getaway across the
river back into Texas.
We figured, that we could get few
minutes start Of 'em, and. with the
horses we had under Us, there wasn't
much danger o4 their getting in range
before we crossed back to where they
couldn't follow ~.
Well: sir. never zee anything work
out like that scheme did. Them Crows
was dead anxious to run their ponies
and seemed skeered that we wouldn't
let 'sm got ~ their money up.
Az we was eating supper the night
before the race Donnelly says: Boys.
I'm sore that we didn't have more
coin. II we'd worked 'em right they'd
"a give ~ odds. We could a got s
to anyhow and maybe more"
They shore have got heap Of con-
6dence in them skates Of their n. >"
says .'Kink" Martin. ~ never see
anybody 90 anxious to play a race in
my life: II it wasn't all planned out
the way it Is I'd like to stick and see
which boss Is the best. I'd back Black
Hawk agin any hunk Of meat In the
territory with the kid here in the sad
de"
They'd ribbed 1t up for me to ride
Martins mare. Black Hawk. while a
little Teller named Hollis rode his own
horse.
Donnelly's part was to stay in the
saddle and keep the other horses close
to Barrett and Martin. They was to
stick next to the money and one of
'em do the bearin' OF Of the booty
while the other made the protection
play.
We hoped in the excitement to get
OF without harming any of Uncle
Sans pets. but all three Of the boys
had been with the rangers, and knew
If it came to a showdown they wouldn't
hesitate to pot" one or two in getting
away.
We rode out from camp the next
morning to where we'd staked out a
mile track on the prairie. and it SEEM
ed as II the whole Crow Nation was
there and nary white but us Eve.
They'd entered two pretty good look
ing horses and had their jockeys strip
ped down to breechclouts, while Hol-
lis and me wore our whole outfits on
our backs, az We didn't exactly agger
on dressing after the race-leastways.
not on that side Of the river.
Just before we lined up Jim says:
Nov, you-au ride like-and when
you git to the far turn we'll let the