Yost and her son, and the others named Thompson and Rogers. Young Yost and Rogers were about

Smoke Stack Rock

twenty-five years old, and Thompson thirtyfive or forty. The "boys" sometimes worked out, or were getting out house logs from Bull canyon; for each had planned his individual home as soon as he could get around to build-

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

ing it. Thompson was supposed to put in his time in improving the several claims.

Rogers came home one day from accumulating a grub stake, and complained that Thompson was not doing his share ; that he Was putting in too much time trying to win the favor of Widow Yost, and not enough on the work at hand. Rogers and Thompson had a fight, and Rogers went to the far corner of his claim and started a dugout. Thompson went to Frank Beer's store, then a little south of Eagle Nest, and bought a gun. He then went to Bull canyon where young Yost was hewing house logs, and told him of the trouble. The intimated slander of his mother made young Yost mad, and he borrowed Thompson's gun and started straight for Rogers. In a battle that followed, Yost was shot through the arm, and Rogers through the leg. The latter wound healed over, but internally began to mortify. Seventeen days after the shooting Dr. Markley, of Kimball, dressed the wound, but it was too late. Rogers died January 16, 1887, or just thirty days after the fight. A younger brother came from Belgrade, Maine, and the body was taken there for burial. The body had been laid out at Joe Menard's place, and he, with Sherm. Bookwalter, and Melt. Hill, and Bogardus Blade, kept watch while T. D. Deutsch went to Kimball to meet young Rogers.