Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-06-07
An Effective
Introduction
By ALAN HINSDALE

n word spoken between them because
they have never been introduced. On
the other hand, there are those who,
under some strong emotion, have at
first meeting rushed into each others
arms. This is story illustrating the
latter feature.
Jim Conover, plainsman, aged twenty
five, long of limb, with countenance
frank and fearless, was riding through
a wood on one of the foothills Of the
Rocky mountains. A rifle was slung
from one side of his saddlebow and
lasso from the other.
Suddenly he reined in his horse and,
sitting stock still, listened. He had
heard shot.
This was in the days when the In
dian still inhabited the plains, when
hundreds of thousands of buffaloes
fed In huge droves.
There was little variety on the plains
in those days, and Conover knew that
if the shot had not been fired at buff
falo it had been intended for either a
white man or an Indian. He had no
idea of showing himself to either party
till he learned the situation. Dismount-
ing, he left his horse to nibble while
he skulked, shielding himself behind
trees, in the direction Of the sound.
Presently he reached the edge Of the
wood, and, looking down on to the
open, he saw a wagon, behind which
huddled a man, a woman and half q
dozen youngsters, the oldest being a
girl just entering womanhood. Be-
yond, hiding behind a rock or a bush
or any inequality in the ground, were
Indians. Conover saw several and
judged that there were something like
half a dozen in all.
How was Conover to save them?
Save them he must, but without some
stratagem his single rifle would not
suffice. But he had that one rife and
fair stock Of ammunition. His pres
ence was as yet unknown to either par
ty. How could he make himself dan
ger to the Indians and encourage the
whites?
An Indian rose from out Of q bush
and ran swiftly, intending to take COW
er nearer to the wagon. Conover had
brought his rifle to ready and shot
the redskin on the wing. The shot pro-
duced change both in the Indians and
the besieged party, the former sticking
closer to their protecting objects, the
latter vainly looking to see where the
bullet that killed the Indian had come
from. One thing they knew-it was
from friend.
Conovers quick eye, which was dart
ing about him for advantageous POSI-
tions, caught sight Of tree some dis
tance to his right, the lower limbs Of
which We're within his reach. Bending
low and protected by bushes, he gained
this tree and in a few seconds had
reached the upper branches. Concealed
by leaves, he had an excellent view Of
the Indians. He could see every one
Of them and counted ten. Taking de-
liberate aim, he sent a bullet at the
one farthest in advance, and he rolled
over dead.
A shot from two different points put
CONSERVATION into the Indians and
hope into the whites. Conover sent
several shots among the Indians, kill
ing or wounding one with every shot;
then, descending quickly to the ground
and taking a different position, he
fired again, though this time, not see
ing an Indian. his shot was without
effect
There We're now half dozen Indians
in the attacking party, and the prob
lem for them was not how to get for
ward. but how to get away without
being picked off by this new enemy.
The father of the white family, having
evidence that he was being assisted by
an unseen force, took courage and used
his rifle to advantage-not that he
killed any Indians, for they were cov-
cred, but that they were Obliged to con.
slider him as an effective enemy.
Conoyer kept on firing at the Indians,
out never from the same point. One
shot would be sent from under a low
bush, the next from the branch of a
tree thirty feet from the ground. The
shots from above were the only ones
that were effective.
Thinking to take last shot from a
treetop where he could see his target
Conover saw from his perch that sew
eral new men had Joined the Indians
and they were all grouped together I'm
conference, some Of them looking up
to where he was as though In doubt as
to his being as dangerous an enemy as
he appeared. Conovers rife was OF
long range. and he fred a ball right
into the group. This startled them. and
another shot quickly following the frst
put them on the run.
Conover now believed that the fight
was over and If not he could work tn
better advantage with his allies, 80 he
went down and Joined them.
How many of you are there p asked
the father.
I'm the only one." was the reply.
You don't mean that you've driven
of all those red devils aloneY"