At Stone’s ranche the pursuers obtained fresh horses from the stage stock of Oliver & Co., and resumed their dismal journey to Rattlesnake. The weather was intensely cold, but this offered no impediment to the pursuit of their journey. Arriving at Rattlesnake, they surrounded the ranche, while one of their number entered. Stinson and Ray, both present, had in their capacity as deputies of Plummer arrested a man, whom they held in custody. Stinson, who disliked his visitor, confronted him with his revolver; but seeing a like implement already in the hands of the scout, who “had the drop” on him, he returned his weapon to its sheath.
“I have come to arrest ‘Red’ for horse-stealing,” said the scout.
On hearing this, Stinson and Ray released their prisoner, on his promise to go immediately to Bannack and surrender himself. The man started forthwith to comply with his promise.
Meantime the scout joined his party outside, and they all rode hurriedly to a wakiup a few hundred yards up the creek, which they surrounded while the leader entered, observing as he did so,
“It’s a mighty cold night. Won’t you let a fellow warm himself?” Advancing towards the fire, his eyes fell upon “Red.” Raising his revolver, he said, “You’re the man I’m looking for. Come with me.”
“Red” asked no questions, and exhibited no terror. Putting on his hat, and gathering his blankets under his arm, he did as he was ordered, with as much apparent nonchalance as if he were going on a holiday excursion. When told that he would be taken to Virginia City, he simply manifested by a glance that he fully comprehended the situation, and acted in all respects, while a prisoner, as one who knew his doom was irrevocable. The scouts took him to the ranche, where they passed the night.
They left early the next morning; “Red” unarmed, on his own horse, and riding beside one of the scouts. The dreary ride through snow and wind was enlivened by the stumbling mule of the leader, which on one occasion rolled over, and after safely depositing its rider, made two or three somersaults down a steep bank, plunging headlong into a snowdrift at the bottom, which completely enveloped him.
At Dempsey’s the captors joined the main party. Fatigued with the journey through the drifts, they took supper, provided for the security of their prisoner, and enjoyed a night’s repose. Brown, the man who had written the warning missive to Carter, was the bar-keeper, and a sort of general factotum of the ranche. He had been for some time suspected as a petty thief and robber, without the courage needful to engage in graver offences. The Vigilantes saw that he was terrified, as soon as they arrived, though unconscious of the evidence they had obtained against him.
In the morning the captain of the Vigilantes, in a private interview with “Red,” charged him with being connected with the robber horde. “Red” denied all knowledge of its existence.
“Why, then,” inquired the captain, “should you have been at such pains to apprise the rascals that the Vigilantes were on their track?”