There was no pentitentiary in Wyoming at the time, and the custom of taking care of prisoners of this character, was to take them to the prisons of other states, the state of Wyoming paying the state which furnished the accommodation a stipulated fee.

The cook, Nurse, was accordingly taken to Joliet, Illinois, to serve his sentence. For some cause or other he obtained a parole, and as is frequent in such cases, the criminal character of the man reasoned that having escaped with light punishment, there was a little danger in the field of criminals, and there were chances of great gain. He went to South Dakota.

Here he proved more successful than on Horse Creek. He killed four perfectly good men, before the vigilantes took a hand in the matter, and Mr. Nurse was very properly hung.

Such events added zest and spice to the life of the range, just as Robb's little event coming from Denver at one time produced a thrill. J. S. had been south, and was returning by train over the Union Pacific out of Denver to the north.

At that time gambling for mild stakes was but a frivolous pastime and was permitted on the trains running through the western country. Robb and a number of others were passing away the time with a little game of "twenty-five cent limit," and were having considerable amusement.

Some one called Robb's attention to a herd of cattle that was passing, and when he turned his attention again to the game, he picked up