Year: 1877




dear life, along the wilds of the vast and
lone Western prairie, / found myself, to
my intense astonishment, entering upon
a struggling settlement, and pulled up to
reconnoitre and consider. That / had
missed my way was all too plain for, on
the course that 1 ought to have come,
there was not cabin or single settler.
Somewhere or other L had got out of the
right track and into the wrong one.


Almost any traveller in the border Sec
tions would have been rejoiced to thus
stumble unexpectedly upon place where
fyod and shelter might be obtained. At
another time i should have been 80 my
self. Not now. In the breast-pocket of
my closely-buttoned coat 1 carried five
thousand four hundred and ninety odd
dollars in greenbacks. 1t was during
our time of war. This money had been
given into my charge to carry it without
stopping, and by the most unfrequented
route, to Fort L, and place it in the
hands Of Col. Southland, who was waiting
for it.


"Get through at your best speed" :"
said the Major General to me when /
was on the point of starting. "The
money has been long due, and Col.
Southland is showing some irascible tenn
per over it. Should you scent danger
en route ride in careless manner as
though you had nothing about you. Be
very cautious.


SIS it known that this money is going
to him 2" / ked.


SIT is not generally known. Some
few, of course, inevitably know 1.-THE
mail agent and clerk or two. Still, /
don't see that we need fear treachery
from them l think you will be all
safe"


But here was, having lost my route,
and not knowing whether / was safe or
not-at least, whether the money would
to the verge of this scanty settlement,
what must be my course Should halt
for refreshment, as any ordinary traveller
would, or should 1 ride straight through
without stopping?


The latter course might of itself excite
suspicion. So, pushing on to the house
of entertainment with the most careless
air could assume, got off my horse
If treachery had been at work L was, no
doubt, being watched for on this route
as ON others, and should need all my
cunning to escape-if escape were indeed
possible. There were only two men in
the bar-room when / entered. the land
lord and the hostler. 1 ordered supper
and sat down.


Two travellers next rode up and ordered
drink. One of them went with the host
Ter, the other threw himself down on a
bench outside and began filling huge
pipe. Strolling carelessly about the
dow. My heart leaped into my throat,
for in the man seated there / recognized
Bill Wolf, one of the most desperate
characters that ever figured in the annals
of border ruffianism. Yes, it was GER
tainly he, and no other. There was the
huge red mustache, the thick, hairy
throat, and the shoulders hunched up
around his head, suggesting the shape of
a mammoth clam-and there was the
voice with deep-down intonation, like
the plop, plop, plop of water hrrrriedly
leaving Jug.


sat down again and went through the
form of eating my supper; but whatever
appetite L might have felt, on my en-
trance into the inn, had vanished now.
The discovery that this dangerous man,
Bill Wolf, was at my elbow, filled me
with suspicion and dire apprehension.
His being there might be all chance; but


Il did not believe it to be.


Presently the men came in together,
and ordered supper. Mine was finished.
and now was my chance to leave.


Paying my score, and saying a general
good evening, / crossed the dim, smoky
barroom. They took no notice of me
whatever, not even returning my good
night, only the landlord looked furtively
after me. My spirits rose; / hoped my
fears had misled me and that L should
get safely away.


II looked quite duskish outside. but
he hostler was fitting about the stable
with his lantern, which emitted but q
little more effulgent light than a white
bean would have done; he brought out
my steed, and 1 trotted away. The moor
IA little past the full-would soon rise
and pushed along at a smart trot, so as
ID get well ont upon the plains and into
the right trail before that time. wa,