The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-05-15
ENSHosE marks on my armi Oh. 1
got 'em playing horse thief!
Yes, playing. wasn't a real

j Yes, playing. wasn't a real
one, you know. Well. s'pose
s. was sort Of queer game. Game
near being my last. too, and If Black
Hawk hadn't been the best horse In
Texas the old colonel would we killed
me sure. lie chased me six mIIes us
II was-me with one arm full of his
buckshot and anxious TO explain and
him strainlng 10 get In rauge again
and not wishing any further part!cu.
lars.
That was way back In the sixties.
when ] was. us wild u lad us ever
straddled a pony.
You see. i've Of US had. gone over
into the Grow Nation TO race horses
with the Indians, and 1t was on the
way back that tile old man and the
bullet holes figger in the story.
Attic beginning 1t was Jim Bnrrett's
plan. and 1t had Jest enough risk and
deyilment in it to suit harum scar.
UNI young felieislike me. SO we got
fiyeSof the boys who had good horses.
Jumped together. all of our money aud
rode out to invade the reservation.
You know how an Indian loves to
run horses? Well. the Crows had Il
good deal of money then. and our
scheme was TO go over there. get up n
big race. buck our horses with all We
had and take down the wealth.
Taking chances? Don't sou believe
&. That's where the beauty of JtlE'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. nass; 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.
WeSfigured that we could get few
,.u1tes' start OF 'em. and. with the
horses we had under US, there wasn't
much danger of their getting In range
before we crossed back TO where they
couldn't follow US.
Well. sir. I never see anything work
outslIke.that scheme did. Them Crows
was dead anxious to run their ponies
and seemed skcercd that we wouldn't
let Fem get all their money up.
As we was eating supper the night
before the race DonnelIy says: "R0ys.
I'm sore that We didn't have more
coin. If we'd worked 'em right they'd
a. give US odds. We could "a got s
too anyhow and maybe uore."
They shore have got heap of con.
fdence In. them skates Of thc..n."
says Kink" Marlin. II never see
anybody SO anxious to play a rnce in
my life. II It wasn't all planned out
the way 1t is I'd like to stick and SEQ
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
sem do the bcarin' OF OF the booty
while the other made the protection
.play.
We hoped 10 the excitement to get
on without harmins any of Uncle
Sans pets. but all three of the boys
had been with the rangers, and knew
htt!c came to>a showdown they wouldn't
hesitate to "pot" one or two IN getting
away.
We rode out from camp the .ucxt
morning to where we'd staked out a
mile track on the prairie. and it seem.
cd as II the whole Grow Nation was
there and nary white but US I've.
They'd entered two pretty good look.
ing horses and!h their jockeys strip.
ped down to breechclouts. while IIol.
lis and me wore our whole outfits on
our backs, as we didn't exactly Rsgcr
on dressing after the race-IeastN ays.
not on that side OF the river.
Just before We lined up Jim says:
Now. you-all ride iIke-and when
you git TO the far turn we'll let tho
guns loose and stampede the crowd.
Then Jest leave the track and make
break fer the rlver. everybody fer
himself. Wen all meet at them cot
tonwoods on the other side. so we can
stand ZEN on If they try to swim
across aftcrius."
That would have been a sure enough
hotrace Il we had run 1t out. for we
allfour got as pretty start as ever
see and went down the line all to.
gether with a-banging Of hoofs and In.
dian yells ringing In our ears.
i had begun to work Black Hawk
out Of the bunch to get clear start
across the prairie Mt the turn when {
heard the guns begin spnpping like
popcorn
sTheyye started a'rcadym yelled
Rolls, and We turned tho rearing
horses toward the river. three miles