The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-01-23
CHAPTER xxxvI

The raiders under Ellison reached
Packers Fork safely and found the
wagons waiting for them. After
hot meal they bedded down for the
night.
When morning dawned one of Sum
day Browns men who had been
scouting in advance of the others
came back at gallop to report that
he had been fred on by men hiding
behind large piles Of baled hay on a
hilltop which commanded the road.
There were, he guessed, forty
or fifty men behind the rampant
of bales. The leaders quickly decid-
ed to leave the road and took to the
foothills in detour to a ranch
known as the Wagonwheel Gap.
Collins swung from his horse and
stepped to the porch. Bluntly he
stated the situation. "Hell has broke
loose in Georgia, boys. The whole
damn country is headed this way for
the war. That means we're in for
fight. We don't want to be caught
in the open, and this spot is made
to order for u.s."
The ranch was excellently situat-
ed for defense. On all sides of it
were low, rolling hills with little
large brush except in few gullies.
Plenty of water for the horses could
be got from Bear Creek, which ran
close to both the stable and the
house. An adjoining corral had a
large haystack near the barn, in
case the supply in the loft gave out.
The arrival of a large body of set
tiers interrupted these preparations.
Bill Herriott was in command. He
stationed his men along ridge to
the north of the house, and they be-
gan to pour down a scattering fire
that drove the ditch-diggers and the
timber workers to cover. AS word
spread that the cattle barons and
their Texans had been trapped, re-
endorsements poured in to join the
attackers.
Clouds scudded across the sky and
.obscured the moon so that nightfall
brought darkness. The ditch-diggers
went to work again, protected by
ramparts of logs built between them
and their enemies along the bluff.
The firing did not die down entirely,
but it became intermittent and spo-
radio. N
The leaders of the party held a
conference in the living-room of the
ranch house. They did not deceive
themselves about the ultimate out
come of the battle. In time the set
tiers would overpower them by sheer
numbers, unless help came to them
from outside. That help could come
only from government troops.
Collins Lit a cigar as he lounged
in an easy chair. He laughed sar-
donically. s'We fixed it all up so
nice to have the soldiers looking
another way when we pulled off our
raid that I don't reckon it viii be
easy to attract their attention now.
Like as not the Great White Father
can't hear us when we holler."
Ellison paced the floor anxiously.
He more than anybody else had got
them into this trap, and he was wor-
ried about the outcome. To the 9TH
ers he read telegram he had writ
ten. It was directed to the Cover
nor, and it asked him to urge the
President to order troops from Fort
Garfield to the Wagonwheel Gap
Ranch at once.
"A volunteer called for to get it to
Cheyenne. It was decided that the
safest place from which to send the
wire was Jim Creek. The station
agent there was friendly to the big
cattle interests and would not hold
up the message.
A dozen men volunteered to try
to run the enemy lines and get the
telegram through. A young Texan
named Hal Yancey was chosen. He
was not married, and he had once
worked on the Two Star Ranch and
knew the country fairly well. More
over, he was seasoned man, game
and determined.
"I'n get the message through if
] can," he promised.
"You'n have to hoof it unless you
can pick up a horse somewhere"
McFaddin said. "Take care of your
self, boy. Until you are through
their lines you'll have to lie low when
the moon comes out from behind the
Clouds"
Yancey followed the stream, NOV
ing through the water carefully in
order not to make a misstep on
slippery rock that would cause him
to stumble and make splash. The
creek was lined with willows after
he had passed out Of the cotton
wood grove in which the ranch build
ings were situated. The Texan left
the creek and crept toward the log
fence which separated him from the
enemy.
He waited until dark cloud swept
IN front Of the moon, then clam
bered over the fence and moved for
ward through the brush.
A voice hailed him. 'sHe1lo, fell
lowl Where you been?"