The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-21
The Hero OF QulCkstOne GAP
By William Mason.

OF yourn killed that sheep Of Pap's last
week, anyhow. PapH shoot him if you /,
don't keep him away from here" And
the boy glanced angrily at a yellow and
white mongrel that was nosing about
at the mans feet.
Bill Blankenshipll heve somethin'
better to do with that u of his'n eff
what folks say about him is true" re-
Piled the other, a tall, lank mountains
eer, with a dirty yellow beard, as he
leaned on his Winchester.
The boy, who is not over IL or 10
years old, who a been up in the hills
with his fathers sheep all day, glanced
quickly at the others face, and said
with apparent carelesSness:
You needn't come talkin' about that
to me. You uns down in the
cove been pickin' at Pap ever since
Will Henson rode home with Mary from
Marshall last year. She never told him
nuthin', an he amt been back to the
Gap since. Pap amt seen him since
he left the sittlenlint five years ago, ana
he amt been a deputy marshal but
four
'Twant long after that ride with
Mary that he busted our still in the
cove. We been a layin' for him ever
since, and we nearly got him last night.
Lem Haskins put a bullet in him, but
he got away. He's hangin' about here
somewhat, but he'll never git away.
All the trails is watched.
Ties our ~meat-what's the matter
with that feiSt?"
The mongrel had been nosing uneasily
about the nearby bushes for some min
utes, and the boy had eyed him with
covert, anxious glances. The mans at
tention had been attracted by a whine
from the dog, which was running about
the base of a large BOULDER some MY
feet up q ravine toward Whlch tne
mans back had been turned.
II freed a squirrel in that white oak
by the rock awhile back. Guess that
fest of your'n nosed him" SAID the
boy indifferently.
Never knowed hat dog to mind a
squirrel before-what's that?" A
large stone had come crashing down
the face of the boulder and landed
near the dog, which Immediately com
menced to bark furiously, placing MS
~forefeet against the boulder and paw
Ing as if he wished to climb up.
I'm a-goin TO see what mat uogS
got. You been a-lyin' to me-, boy!"
said the man, cooking his rifle ana
starting forward.
The boy was in desperate straits.
He thought Of the look on his sisters
face the night before when his father
had entered their cabin and told them
that he guessed Bill Henson was done
for, that the boys" had waylaid him
as he rode through the cove and had
wounded him badly, though he had
managed to escape.
He would never forget how Mary
had thrown herself at her fathers feet
and told him chat she and Henson
were to be married; that they had
loved each other for years, and that
her lover was on his way back to ask
her father to let him take her to Mar
shall to be married when he was am-
pushed.
The old father had lifted her to her
feet and told her he would go out to
try to find Henson. 1t was while the
father was trying to soothe the girl
that the door had opened and Henson
himself staggered into the room. The
boy remembered with a shock how,
with a scream of joy, his sister had
thrown her arms about her lover and
vowed never to let him out OIL ner
sight again.
Henson told them how he had hid
den from his enemies and managed
at last to reach their cabin. He had
been hunted for hours after his es-
cape. and he expected his pursuers
any moment.
it had been hastily arranged to con-
ceal the man up on the
ridge, the BlankenshipS knowing that
Henson's love for Mary was known in
the mountains, and that the men
hunting the wounded officer would be
likely to visit their house.
The girl refused to leave her lover,
and it was found necessary to take
her with them. They had crept eau
tiously up the mountain and arrived
at the little cabin just before day
break. The lad was left, apparently to
watch the sheep, but really to stand
guard, and the father had returned to
the cabin to do the best he could to
lead the bloodthirsty searchers from
their victim. The girl and her lover
were concealed just above the boulder
at the foot Of which the dog was now
barking. The lad had watched them
ell day without food.
The boy made up his mind quickly.
" .sJ,l1 ,li,,,h M thar and see what it
is" he said, stepping forward at the
mans side. The mountainer was wary,
however. and running to the side of the
ravine dropped behind some bushes and
began to crawl forward on his hands
and knees. The boy walked in the
Cit back thar. kid" said the maj
hoarssiy: Ri you Up play Sea any o,t 1tiSNs o"
But the boy dared the threat, and,
breaking into 8. run, dashed to the side
of the boulder and climbed to the
bushes above. There sat his sister with
the head of her Wounded lover on her
lap. sis" he cried, give me his hat
and coat quick!' and hastily DOMINIC
them he added, Keep still sis. Buds
a coward, and will stay in the gulch a
little before comm on. NO matter Whal
happens, lie still"
With that he crept ~stealthily through
the underbrush until he had gotter
some fifty yards further up the gulch
Then placing illlilSell 81 lLdl II ieSN
and shoulders would be visible to any
one standing below in the %ravine, he
deliberately dislodged a large stone
with his foot and sent it crashing be,
low. A few moments later the crouch
ing cir, was startled by the report OF
a rifle just below her and heard But
Dexter say: "G-d-him; I go
mimi" and then the sound of his re
treating footsteps.
Hours later when the uncouth old ia
Their assembled to the hiding lovers ant
Heard his daughters story he uttered
an oath and STROBE rapidly in the di
rection his boy had taken. He fount
the lad lying on his back with a Srea
wound in his shoulder.
The boy still breathed. Tenderly TIL
father carried him back to where thu