John Ermine of the Yellowstone

-fashioned everyday work to the muddy, case-hardened diggers. Each man knew that by evening he would see the level of dust rise higher in his long buckskin gold-bags. All this made fo

ers was the best to be had in the market. Life was hard at Alder in those days-it was pract

eld hurrying crowds,-Mormon freighters, pack trains, ponies, dirty men off the

his place, he tied his pony where a horse-boy from the livery corral could find it. Striding into that unhallowed hall of Sheol, he sang out, "Say, fellers, I've just seen a thing out in the hills which near

g good and blurt it out," said the rude patrons of the "Happy Days" mahog

dn't knock you off'en your horse, jus'

faro-dealer. Recovering himself, he told the bartender to 'perform

as a

setting back their 'empties.' "A bo

in his unprofessional perplex

ke him any newer," v

and he pulled his little bow on me, all the same Injun. D-- the little cuss, he was about to let go on me. I was too near them Injuns, anyhow, but I was on the best quarter horse in the country, as you know, and willin' to

you make of i

ifted that kid from some outfit, and that we ought to go out an

d into the street; "let's saddle up and

lch, even the owners of squaws,-and they were many,-who had not been given cause for this resentment. Business was suspended. Wagoners cut out and mounted team-horses; desperadoes,

n the middle waving and howling "Halt!" The crowd had no definite scheme of procedure at any time,-it was simply impelled forward by the ancient war-shout of A rescue! A rescue! The bl

in their bones and burned into their brains, made them listen to the big temporary chairman with the yellow lion's mane blowing

Chai

out. Now, our esteemed friend yer, Mr. Chick-chick, savvies Injuns, as you know, he bein' somewhat their way hisself-allows that they will chill that poor little boy with a knife the first rattle out of the box. So, gentlemen, what good does it all do? Now, gentlemen

agree, but they were finally argued off their horses. Whereat the

hick-chick, I don't know a heap about Injuns. The most that I have seen of them was

ds, you say nothing, until we smoke the pipe, then you say 'How?' and shake hands all same white man. You hang on to your gun-suppose they try take it away-well, den, icta

bearing in their direction, and were apprehensive concerning it. They scowled at the chairman and Mr. Chick-chick, who was an Oregon product, as they drew up. The latter began his hand-language, which was answered at great length. He did not at once calm the situation, but was finally invited to smoke in the council lodge. The squaws were pulling down the tepees; roping,

rom outside broke into their presence, talking in a loud tone. An old chief looked out through the ent

the others would come and take him in war. Also, Chick-chick intimated that he must klat-a-way. The Indians made it plain tha

sign language, "if we do not go forth with the boy, the white men will

im before Chick-chick. The boy was near nine years of age, the men judged, white beyond question, with long, golden hair braided, Indian fashion, down the sides of his head. He was neatly clothed in dressed buckskins,

kes us bleed to see him go; our women will mourn all this snow for

nous folds. The small hostage was not many yards on his way toward his own kind before the Indian camp moved off toward the mountains, urging their horses with whip and lance. This movement was accelerated by a great discharging of white men's guns, who were supposed to be sacri

suggestion of the chairman, it was turned over to a benevolent saloon-keeper, who had nine notches in his gun, and a woman with whom he abided. "Gold Nugget," as he was promp

of his godfather's saloon, while the men shouldered their brawny way through the crowd to have a look at him-the lost white child in the Indian dress. Many drinks and pistol shots were offered up in his honor, and he having recover

ilk and bread and feminine caresses to calm him until he slept. It was publicly proclaimed by the nine-notch saloon-keeper that the first man who p

in the unknown tongue. The saloon-keeper's theory that it would be a good thing to set him up on the bar some more in order to keep trade, was voted both inhuman and impracticable by the women. Later in the day a young man managed to get on the youngster's blind side, when by blandishments he beguiled him on to his pony in front of him. Thus he

reer, and drank his health. Above all they drank his health. Unitedly they drank to his weird past,-his interesting present,

ralded his coming was borne down the Gulch nex

the miners;

s artillery, and assembled before the nine-not

an idea. He was playing by the door of my shack last evening. I went in the house for a minute,

now,-he will see me through the smoke," spoke nine-notc

he house shed no new light. The men wound their way to their cabins