SPORT AND TRAVEL 217 



Just at the mouth of this creek we had a few days 

 previously discovered a grave at the head of which a 

 piece of board was still standing with the dead man's 

 name rudely burnt into it. Hard by was a fireplace 

 and rough stone chimney built against a rock, which 

 had evidently formed one side of the shelter in which 

 the occupant of the grave had passed a winter. 



We heard the story connected with this lonely 

 grave some time afterwards. The dead man had 

 been the chief of a band of horse-thieves, that had 

 been broken up and dispersed by the police ; and 

 being badly wanted he had fled from the abodes of 

 men and made his way with one companion up the 

 South Fork of Stinking Water in the dead of winter. 

 When they thought themselves safe from all pursuit, 

 the outlaws built a rough shelter from the weather 

 against the rock where we had found the remains of 

 the hearth and chimney. The rude cabin completed, 

 the less notorious thief left his companion, promis- 

 ing to return in the early spring, by which time it 

 was thought the vigilance of the authorities would 

 have been somewhat relaxed. At the appointed time 

 the man returned according to agreement, but not 

 alone, for having betrayed his former comrade to the 

 police, he was accompanied by two sheriff's officers. 

 There appears to have been no attempt to capture 

 the horse-thief. The informer and his companions 

 made a stalk on to his hiding-place; and after the 

 latter had ambushed themselves within short range 



