| 219Ambush Set for "Doc"
At the end of two months Llewellyn got a
chance to send word to William A. Paxton
at Omaha. This message bade the cattle
owner send a trusty man to an appointed
spot where he was to lie in ambush until
Llewellyn could run Middleton into the
trap, when the man in hiding was to get the
drop on the chief while the two spies stood
off the others in the renegade band, there
being generally nine or ten men in the party.
Mr. Paxton selected for this perilous duty
William Luykens, then inspector of the
Wyoming Stock Growers' Association.
Luykens went to the place designated and
lay there three days and nights, his cocked
rifle always in his grasp. At the end of
that time the men he was looking for ar-
rived. Middleton was in the lead, Llewellyn
and Hazen came next and nine of the chief's
most trusty men followed. This was always
the order of march, the bandit chief think-
ing that if from treachery he should be led
into ambush Llewellyn and Hazen could not
escape.
Just as the foragers reached the spot
where Luykens was concealed, Middleton's
horse reared and threw his rider. "Doc"
landed on his feet just as Luykens showed
himself, and jerking two revolvers from his
belt poured a perfect hail-storm of bullets
into the bushes. His rifle missing fire,
Luykens dropped on his belly and crawled
back out of range. In the meantime the
renegades behind opened fire on Llewellyn,
and Hazen. The latter was hit
three times and permanently re-
tired. Llewellyn jumped from his
horse, and sheltering himself behind the
animal opened a fusilade with his Winches-
ter. His first shot was at Middleton, and
"Doc" fell shot through the stomach. The
others of the gang were so badly peppered
by Llewellyn and Luykens that they fled
precipitately. Although badly wounded,
Middleton escaped. Llewellyn and Luykens
took Hazen to the nearest house and then
set out for Fort Robinson, where they
secured a detail of sixteen cavalrymen and
set out on Middleton's trail. They followed
him to his father-in-law's shack in the upper
Niobrara, but there all trace of him was
lost. The father-in-law would tell nothing
until he had been swung by the neck at the
end of a lariat thrown over a rafter, and
then to save his own life he agreed to guide
the party to the outlaw's retreat. The old
fellow rode between two cavalrymen, who
had orders to shoot him at the first sign of
treachery.
Middleton Captured at Last
After a ride of fifteen miles the party
reached a canon. Crawling cautiously to
the brink, Llewellyn looked down and saw
Middleton and his wife and eight of the
bandit crew. A demand for surrender was
answered by a yell of defiance and a shower
of lead. The troopers were eager to rush
into a hand to hand fight to avenge the
death of a comrade killed by the outlaws,
and a fierce battle began. Middleton and
Kid Wade were disabled at the first fire.
Mrs. Middleton advanced boldly to the at-
tacking party and begged for her husband's
life. The others of the besieged party were
permitted to ride off unmolested, but Mid-
dleton was taken back to civilization, tried, | 219Ambush Set for "Doc"
At the end of two months Llewellyn got a c
chance to send word to William A. Paxton
at Omaha. This message bade the cattle
owner send a trusty man to an appointed
spot where he was to lie in ambush until
Llewellyn could run Middleton into the
trap, when the man in hiding was to get the
drop on the chief while the two spies stood
off the others in the renegade band, there
being generally nine or ten men in the party.
Mr. Paxton selected for this perilous duty
William Luykens, then inspector of the
Wyoming Stock Growers' Association.
Luykens went to the place designated and
lay there three days and nights, his cocked
rifle always in his grasp. At the end of
that time the men he was looking for ar-
rived. Middleton was in the lead, Llewellyn
and Hazen came next and nine of the chief's
most trusty men followed. This was always
the order of march, the bandit chief think-
ing that if from treachery he should be led
into ambush Llewellyn and Hazen could not
escape.
Just as the foragers reached the spot
where Luykens was concealed, Middleton's
horse reared and threw his rider. "Doc"
landed on his feet just as Luykens showed
himself, and jerking two revolvers from his
belt poured a perfect hail-storm of bullets
into the bushes. His rifle missing fire,
Luykens dropped on his belly and crawled
back out of range. In the meantime the
renegades behind opened fire on Llewellyn,
and Hazen. The latter was hit
three times and permanently re-
tired. Llewellyn jumped from his
horse, and sheltering himself behind the
animal opened a fusilade with his Winches-
ter. His first shot was at Middleton, and
"Doc" fell shot through the stomach. The
others of the gang were so badly peppered
by Llewellyn and Luykens that they fled
precipitately. Although badly wounded,
Middleton escaped. Llewellyn and Luykens
took Hazen to the nearest house and then
set out for Fort Robinson, where they
secured a detail of sixteen cavalrymen and
set out on Middleton's trail. They followed
him to his father-in-law's shack in the upper
Niobrara, but there all trace of him was
lost. The father-in-law would tell nothing
until he had been swung by the neck at the
end of a lariat thrown over a rafter, and
then to save his own life he agreed to guide
the party to the outlaw's retreat. The old
fellow rode between two cavalrymen, who
had orders to shoot him at the first sign of
treachery.
Middleton Captured at Last
After a ride of fifteen miles the party
reached a canon. Crawling cautiously to
the brink, Llewellyn looked down and saw
Middleton and his wife and eight of the
bandit crew. A demand for surrender was
answered by a yell of defiance and a shower
of lead. The troopers were eager to rush
into a hand to hand fight to avenge the
death of a comrade killed by the outlaws,
and a fierce battle began. Middleton and
Kid Wade were disabled at the first fire.
Mrs. Middleton advanced boldly to the at-
tacking party and begged for her husband's
life. The others of the besieged party were
permitted to ride off unmolested, but Mid-
dleton was taken back to civilization, tried, |
