Year: 1878

and prepared substantial meal for them,
The Indians remained all night and next
morning departed without touching d
dollars worth of property.


A few days subsequent to this incident
fight took place between the settlers OF
Benton and band Of Ind an horse
thieves.-probably portion of the same
party that Joe had entertained,-an
four prisoners captured by the whites
were Immediately hung. A day or two
following the fight and the hanging, a
suuaw, mounted up n pony, rode rapidly
up to the farm, gesticulating wildly as
soon as she came near enough to be we'll
seen, and evidently under the greatest ex-
element. Tex and Nick Sharon were the
only inmates of the house at the time, Joe
having started for Helena after load OF
lumber the day previous, and the writer
was absent at Benton. The two men were
unable to make out what the squaw IN
tended they should understand, but finally
concluded that she wanted to lead them
into some trap, and refused to comply
with her wishes, which probably were that
thew should fee from the house to escape
impending danger. The squaw at last,
finding that the men could not or would
not understand her, turned her herse'S
head and rode furiously away III the
direction she had come.


The same evening, the 18th of April,
1866, a large war party appeared on the
road leading to the farm. A few moments
previous Tex had started for the river tor
a pail of water taking his gun with hlm'
The Indians were hid from his sight oy
intervening brush, aud were not discover
ed until too late to reach the house. NICK,
on discovering the Indians, ran up stars
and opening the trap got out on the root
the better to warn Tex of the danger, Dut
the Indians had already discovered the
lad and were firing upon him. Tex, hnd-
ing his retreat cut off, bravely stood his


ground and as rapidly as possible returned
the fire. The poor fellow was soon shot
down, but evidently not killed outright, as


he crawled upon his hands and knees to-


wards the brush on the river bank and
had disappeared from sight before Nick


left the roof.


MEANWHILE Nick had attracted the at
tention Of the Indians by calling to lex,
and as they came running t'wards the
house, he happened to remember that the
door below was not locked or bolted.


Hastily descending he reached the door
not a moment too soon to draw the bolt,


before they threw themselves against 1t,
and seizing shotgun loaded with sugs'
lie let the redskins have the cOntents'
evidently with good effect, as the report
of the gun was followed by shrleks and
means from the Indians.


They made no further effort to force
the door after the discharge of the gun,
probably concluding that they had a
tough customer to deal with and that
stratagem would be the safest course to
pursue in order to get possession ot the
premises.


Nick again took to the roof, the better
10 watch the movements Of his foes, aud
on looking cautiously around he saw that
the IudiaDs were making preparations to


burn or smoke him out. Over towards


the river party were dancing and shout
f ing around pole stuck in the ground, on
the top of which they had hung the scalp
of poor Tex. The rest were gathering dry
twigs. wood and brush, and cautiously
placing the fuel around the house, while
,others were standing guard with cooked
guns over the door and window, ready to
shoot down It's only occupant should ne
expose himself at either opening.


The buildings at the agency had been
E standing many years, and the logs and
boards of which they were chiefly compos,
ed were dry as powder and comDustlbie
| rs SuaNlngS, anu NlCh hHC" GHe'I efAS AAAS
ment fire was applied, it would require
but lew moments to decide his fate
unless he could escape either


before or about the time the
Il ire entered the building. 1t happened
also that within the building there was a
large quantity Of fixed ammunition: be


longing to howitzer, the property of the
Diamond R Transportation Company


The howltzer had been taken to Fort


Benton by the Company, but the greater
, portion OF the ammunition had been left
at the farm to await transportation.


, The shots through the door had con
f viuced the Indians that they had no COW.


ard to deal with, and taeir preparations to


start The fire were attended with much


caution and consequently required con
siderable time 10 complete. So silent in.
..t =: .,g,.,r,,,.., te tbat Niat had