After settling down on Bear creek he returned to Denver and sought out his "Virginia," and brought her with him to the ranch. The romance of Virginia Bouton, placed upon the range the old and familiar name. "VB" brand.

One born to the range, cannot change his habits instantly, and while anchored on BeaT creek, Mark Bouton traveled much. Mrs. Bouton frequently accompanied him, and at such times he gave way to the passion of

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

jealously, for his wife was prepossessing, attractive and fond of company.

One time they were in Cheyenne, and he became obsessed of a fear that she intended to leave him, or to go back to the old wilderness of passion in which he had first met her. He warned her not to leave the hotel, under penalty of death. Sometime after dinner she was gone. Mad with affection and fear, he sought in all the probable places, but failed to find her.

In the evening, two ladies were approaching the hotel, when from behind a pile of lumber on the west side of Eddy street, a pistol shot rang out. One lady fell dead, and she had much the same graceful carriage as Mrs. Bouton, but proved to be another and an entirely innocent girl. Her companion was Minnie Montgomery, the daughter of John Montgomery, who owned the log stage station on the Black Hills route, at the north end of the Fort Laramie bridge.

Miss Montgomery did not see the assailant, and whoever he was, he made good his escape. No one knows who fired the shot, but all old timers had their suspicions.