7 ADVENTURES OF DR. ALLEN. 



us to pieces. When we arrived at camp the boys were pro- 

 fuse in their congratulations. Just as we were laying down 

 our precious burden,, bang! went a firearm, and Thomas 

 Randall fell dead at our feet. The only words he spoke 

 were, "Oh! dear," and the blood came pouring from his 

 temple. Charles Swerts had been sitting near by playing 

 with an old Colt's revolver, which went off accidentally, 

 killing poor Tom. When Swerts saw what he had done, he 

 threw himself upon the ground and writhed in agony of 

 spirit; he acted as one distracted. With tears and sobs he 

 begged the boys to kill him. We gathered around poor Ran- 

 dall, tears flowing freely from every eye. Men who had not 

 wept for years broke down, as they looked upon the body. 



Randall had joined us at Deadwood, after he had gained 

 the consent of his parents, who lived in Chicago. Wustun 

 informed us that he was of one of the first families in that 

 city. He was always kind and helpful, ready for any emer- 

 gency and a true gentleman. We buried him in the ceme- 

 tery at Fort Smith, making his coffin out of the best wagon- 

 beds we had, finishing it as nicely as possible under the cir- 

 cumstances. A mound was raised over his grave and strewn 

 with beautiful wild flowers. Not a few tears fell upon his 

 grave; as we felt an affection for him that only mountain 

 men, who have roughed it together, can feel for each other. 

 The day after the burial, as we were pulling out, I saw 

 Charles Swerts, with his effects,, leaving by himself. Some 

 of the boys had objected to his traveling with the train after 

 that fatal shot. 



The country around Rotten Grass is a paradise for 

 game. A dozen of us, myself included, started hunting, 

 half of our number on one side of the stream, and half on 

 the other, each eager to fire the first shot. "Look sharp ; 

 here comes a buck! head him off." A dozen shots were 



