| OCR Text |
Show Page 35 of 1879-80. And the Bassetts left the valley entirely that winter, moving to Rock Springs. In the coming years there were few other incidents, but wherever there was action, there was Ann, and she managed to become involved in the incident that occurred when she was seventeen years old. It was summer and Ann was helping her brother, Sam, drive a bunch of cows to the Thompson Ranch, about thirty miles from their home. With them was Beth Brown, a city girl who enjoyed ranch life so much she spent her summers cowpunching on the Bassett spread. When they arrived at the Thompson's, Ann and Beth stayed to look after the extra saddle horses while Sam drove the cattle out to the range. The girls were still there when two terrifed government game wardens galloped up to the ranchhouse looking for refuge. When Ann heard the wardens' story, she was all for turning the men over to the enraged Indian braves who were on their trail. The wardens had arrived at the nearby Indian camp looking for any illegal game which the Indians had killed. Finding none and believing the Indians had been warned of their visit, they angrily scattered the Indians' supplies and belongings. When an Indian squaw resisted, trying to defend her possessions and her family, she and her son were killed. Indian braves were now seeking the game wardens-ready to deliver their own brand of justice. |
