Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1914-10-23

MS eyes as ne knew IL WOulQ be, fOi
he had figured where the man would
como in, he would get him. He had
planned to shoot the instant the pony
started to drink. and Mitchell would
be climbing off, facing him, with his
head and shoulders above the pony's
back and both hands in sight, one on
the pommel, the other on the pony's
neck-he could picture them.
II there was any such thing as pity
in Cherokee's nature, 1t was going out
to Mitchell now.
Again he tried the hammer II
came back soft and easy-noiseless-
as he pressed the trigger; the sprina
was strong and stiff; the oil oozed
out on his thumb. and once more he
lined up the little white bead ith the
tiny crotch back by his eye.
He read the paper again and NUT
tered lowly to himself, then looked up
at the sun-glints on the wings of the
big bird as 1t came round In its sweep,
He wished he had two canteens OF
water-and wondered If the pony was
down-and II that rusty w-gon.tire
would ring with bullet hitting It, OF
II 1t would sound dead-how long had
the bones Of the horse been there
If his head would stop aching.
Suddenly there came upon him the
half-conscious sensation that he had
been asleep. He stared down into the
water-hole.
There beside a pony. still in the act
OF drinking. stood Mitchell.
Cherokee rubbed his eyes; yes,
there he stood. 1t seemed but a mo
ment ago that he had looked over
toward THE Chimneys," and between
them and the water-hole there was
nothing but a stretch Of radiatine
sand. But here before him. supreme
ly unconscious Of the presence OF
anything but himself. stood Quick"
Mitchell.
Mitchell had come across to the
hole while he slept like a herder.
Ignoring completely the plan he
had formed-the plan that had con
templated the deliberate shooting OF
the game through the notch in the
sand-pile, he rose to one knee, fairly
staggering. With one foot slipping
across the rim Of the water-hole and
the other pressing tightly against the
sand behind him, he slowly covered
the pocket In the flannel shirt.
His eye twitched, he trembled; his
vest was punched under the butt OF
the gun and he could not hold II tight
to his shoulder. His right hand was
asleep and felt full Of cactus spines
He was going to pull when he felt
sure-when the pocket and the two
sights along the hot blue barrel came
In line. Somehow they wouldn't; his
thumb was trembling upon the stock
the muzzle was wobbling, and he
couldn't steady down.
He cursed himself that he should
have fallen asleep, for his nerve was
bad, and he knew II he missed that
he'd never have chance to pull
again. The foot hanging over the
edge was slipping; a pebble loosened
and rolled down the slope. The man
below turned slightly and looked ur
from the bottom OF the hole In the
sand.
Throw up your hands, or I'll bore
vel" yelled Cherokee as he felt him.
self unable to pull. with the chance
Of missing. and hoping for steady.
Ing down Of his nerve when he saw
Mitchell's hands In the air.
The man was talking-not respond
Ing to his command-standing mo
tionless. He heard him say something
that sounded like.
"You don't expect that guns coins
of with your vest caught under the
hammer, do your"
Cherokee unconsciously lowered the
forward sight trihe, and for an In
stant dropped his eyes to the breech
then in Just that instant, from the
almost indistinct arc Of blue as tn,
man whipped down. there came ,
sputter OF flame-once, twice, thre,
times. and Cherokee crumpled up lik,
a piece of burning hide and slid dowI
the sandy slope.
Mitchell climbed up the little inter
vening distance and turned him owe
upon his back.
From out Of his vest pocket a pape
slipped and fiuttered, half-open. Pich
ing It up. he squatted down upon hi
heels and read:
FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS RE
| WARD
win be paid for the body Of "ouick'
Mitchell. or
THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS
For information that will lead to hi
capture.
(signedD JAMES CREssoN,
Sheriff Of Grant Co., N. NJ.
Poor old Cherokee" he whispere
as Ne tucked the upper corners OF tn
bill under the dead mans suspender
and the lower edge beneath his bel
And staked him to his last outfi
too. He shouldn't have come alon,
But five thousand was big-to Cher,
kee."
The pony came up and shifted, the
rubbed her nose against his sleeve.
When he had ridden TO the edge {
the rocks he turned and looked bacl
High in the air buzzard was keel
ing to It's trackles= path around th
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