Year: 1877

That's the name he goes by in the
Black Hills. \ hoy of sixteen, light
built Il woman's face, and one would
pass him by as having n woman's
courage. And yet Buffalo Bill, Texas
jack, nor any of the other his
toric Indian fighters ever displayed
the cool courage and steady nerve
which that boy from Wayne county
exhibited one day last November as he
went out from Deadwood City TO visit
brother in camp seven or eight miles
away. He was called boy then, and
now to tell you why they changed his
name to 1.-The man from Michigan y


The boy, whose home name is Will
lard King, was armed with Henry
rifle, Il revolver and light hatchet,
and he set out to pursue his journey
on foot. There were Indians above
and below aud around Deadwood, -
They had killed two men only the
day before, and were known to be
lurking on the paths and trails


Young King was strongly advised
against leaving the town, but having
heard that his brother was very sick


he determined to go. He left Dead
wood about nine o'clock in the morn
ing, there being three or four inches
of snow on the ground.


Its like throwing that gun and
revolver into the sea to say nothing
of his being scalped," remarked one
the miners as the boy set out and
some of them said it was n shame for
such good weapons to be carried to the
Indians.


The boy felt safe enough until Il
mile out of Deadwood, when he grew
more cautious. His route lay over
hills, through broken ground and
along a valley, being mapped by COM
pass and no trail to follow. Three
miles from Deadwood he heard the
neigh of a horse, and he at once hur-
ried from the open ground to the shell
ter of timber. Speeding along for half
mile at Il "dog-trot,' he became ccr-
tain that the Indians were on his trail.
He had seen no signs and heard moth
ing but the neigh Of Il horse. but hc
had "A prcsentment as it were, that the
red men had taken his broad trail and
were after him. King made for high
CT ground and soon obtained the shell
ter ofa mass of rock, which could not
be handily approached, except from
one direction. He intended to secrete
himself until certain that his trail was
or was not followed, and lac had not
long to wait. In the course of seven
or eight minutes nine Indians, walk |
ing in single file, appeared in view,
following his steps AT fast walk.


King could have rctreated had he SO
desired, but the prospect of Il fight did
not frighten him. The odds were
largely against him, but the boy had
nerve, "A good position, and he delib-
erately opened the battle. The saw
ages did not know how close they
were to him until bullet srom the |
rifle cut the jugular vein of the first |
one and buried itself in the shoulder
of the next. The first leaped from
his feet and fell back a corpse, while
the second Went down, but scrambled |
the others, so badly wounded that he |
could take no part in the desperate |
fight which followed. The Indians at
first thought the boy had joined two
or three hunters, but after making "A
circle around his position they found
he was entirely alone and opened fire
on him from three different points,
He was safe enough in his retreat,
and waited to let them exhaust their
ammunition. As their fire slackened
he obtained sight of one of them and
shot him through the head.
The idea ef a boy having killed two
of their number and wounded third
desperation and they left the cover of
their trees and charged on his posit-
ton, yelling fiercely as they advanced
on run. He had not expected such a
maneuver. hut was not taken altogeth-
er by surprise. He wounded one of
them in the wrist by shot from his
rifle, and when they were upon him
he threw down his gun and peppered
away with his revolver.


"They were right upon me, and we
were all hlazing away at once" he
afterward explained, but the boy was
too many for them. The cowardly
reds retreated after moment, having
wounded King in the side, in the leg,
and in the cheek. In return two of
them carried away some Of his lead,
but were not too badly wounded to
use their rifles afterward. The gang
hauled off for time, then one of them
craWled rs near Us he could and shout
ed in broken English:


"White boy come out-me no hurt
him."
But the white boy was going tol
stay right there for while yet. He