The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-07-06

, some of the big cattle growers q COM
mittee Of vigilantes had been organized
to take action against the rustlers. as
horse thieves and cattle thieves were
called.
The vigilantes, or strangers, as they
were locally known, did their work thor
oughly; but, as always happens with
bodies of the kind, toward the end they
grew reckless in their actions, paid OF
private grudges, and hung men on slight
provocation. Riding into Jap Hunts
ranch, they nearly hung him because he
had so many horses Of different brands.
He was finally let of. He was much up
set by the incident, and explained again
and again.
The idea of saying that was a horse
thief, Why, / never stole a horse In
my life-leastways from a white man. I
don't count Indians nor the government,
of course" Jap had been reared among
men still in the stage of tribal morality.
and while they recognized their obliga-
tions to one another. both the govern
ment and the Indians seemed alien
bodies. in regard to which the laws OF
morality did not apply.
Encounter in the Had Lands.
On the other hand, parties of savage
young bucks would treat lonely set
tiers just as badly, and in addition
sometimes murder them. Such a par
ty was generally composed of young
fellows burning to distinguish them
selves. Some one Of their number
would have obtained a pass from tho
Indian agent, allowing him to travel
off the reservation, which pass was
fiourished whenever their action was
questioned by bodies of whites of equal
strength.
/ once had a trifing encounter with
such a band. / was making my way
along the edge of the bad lands, north
ward from my lower ranch, and was
just crossing a plateau when five In
dams rode up over the further rim.
The instant they saw me they whipped
out their guns and raced full speed at
me, yelling and fiogging their horses
/ was on a favorite horse. Manitou,
who was a wise old fellow. with nerves
not to be shaken by anything. at
once leaped of him and stood with my
diie ready.
1t was possible that the Indians were
merely making a bluf and intended no
mischief. But l did not like their ac-
tions. and I thought 1t likely that IL I
allowed them to get hold of me they
would at least take my horse and rife.
and possibly kill me. So l waited I'M
and then drew a bead on the first. In
dians-and, for the matter of that.
white men do not like to ride in on
a man who is cool and means shooting.
and in a twinkling every man was ly-
ing over on his horse. and all hve
turned and were galloping backwards.
having altered their course as quickly
as so many teal ducks.
After this one of them made the peace
sign, with his blanket first. and then. as
he rode toward me, with his open hand.
halted him at fair distance and asked
him what he wanted. He exclaimed.
How, Me good Injun. me good 1ntun,
and tried to show me the dirty piece OF
paper on which his agency pass was
written. I told him with sincerity that
was glad that he was a good Indian, but
that he must not come any closer. He
then asked for sugar and tobacco / told
him I had none.
Another Indian began slowly drifting
toward me in spite of my calling out to
keep back, so I once more aimed my
rifle. whereupon both Indians slipped to
the other side of their horses and gal
Hoped of, with oaths that did credit to at
least one side of their acquaintance with
English. ! now mounted and pushed over
the plateau On to the open prairie.
In those days an Indian. although not
as good shot as a white man. was
infinitely better at crawling under and