The History of the Early Settlement of Norton County, Kansas

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Oberlin that had got away alive. Green volunteered to go with me. An Indian kept holding us back by dropping into the heads of draws and we did not dare to try to hurry him. Green soon made up his mind to go back, and I would have gladly have gone with him; but through pride I went on, circling out around the Indian so as not to trespass on his ground. I went on to the Sappa as I told George I would when he gave me his six shooter. In a big draw that runs into the Sappa, about north of where Miller's ranch then stood, I saw a tent not far from the Sappa. And when I got near saw a woman go in, and going up to the door saw her sitting back in there with two revolvers in front of her and she looked very independent. I told her in as few words as possible what the trouble was and that she had better emigrate out of that tent and hide; that time was precious, and got on my horse and started off, but did not intend to leave her so sudden; just wanted to hurry her up if possible. She called me back and said she would go with me. I got off of the horse and told her to get on; she said she was not used to riding horse back. I told her then she had better ride straddle, which she did. She was a very chunky duck-legged woman her feet hardly touching the top of my stirrups. She gave me the two revolvers and I picked up her baby, only a few months old, and walked behind the horse, carrying the kid, and hurried the horse by touching him up with the toe of my boot every time I got near enough. I took her to a patch of the thickest brush I could find, and told her to stay right in there and not to show herself under any consideration, and I would sure come back in a short time if I could find anyone to leave her with or not. I gave back her revolvers and kid and crossed the Sappa where I struck the trail for Oberlin: went two or three miles but could not see anyone, so went back up the creek, but before I got anyways near where I had left the woman I saw her coming over the hill. I think she was hunting Indians or any thing else to get in better company. I went over to where she was and about that time I saw a team coming up the creek and took her over and got her in the wagon. We all went up the creek and got a fellow by the name of Ed Misskelley, who had been with our outfit and was on his way back when he was killed; he lived at Buffalo, Kansas. We met another wagon that was bringing the two Lang boys, who had been killed above there on their claims. We all came down the creek a short distance and met Major Mack and his soldiers from Camp Supply, Indian Territory, who pretended to be trying to catch up with the Indians. Here I bid good by to the woman and have never seen or heard of her since, nor do I know her name or address, which I have always regretted. I went along with the soldiers the balance of the day and that night we camped on a little creek, south of the Beaver a few miles below where it forks in Rawlins county. The next morning, October 2, the soldiers pulled north and I went up to Holstine & McCoy's ranch, where I found a little fellow by the name of Stina, or a name similar, who lived down the Beaver and had ran away when the Indians struck their place, he followed the bed of the creek, which was dry at that season of the year, up to the ranch. C. C. Pierson, now sheriff of Rawlins county, and myself went down to Stina's house, which has ever since been known as 'dead man's ranch.' Inside of the house on the floor we found a man Iying dead, but not Stina; we commenced to look around for Stina and finally found him some distance east of the house Iying face down on an old trodden down straw or hay stack. We took a wagon cover and rolled the poor

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