Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-10-19

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enough to b exhilarating; his favorits
hound. Bruce. went bounding over the
turf under the slopes, or ranging of
through the cottonwoods Alooq the
stream, or the shallow, sandy arroyos,
where the grass and weeds grew rank
and luxuriant Every now and then
with sudden rush and whir o drove Of
prairie chickens would leap from their
covert, and. after vigorous tapping Of
wings for q few rods, would 60 skim-
ming ressfully in long easy curve, and
settle to earth again u hundred yards
away, as though suddenly reminded Of
tho fact that this was mating time and
no gentleman would 10 mean enough to
shoot at such season.
Every little while, too, with prodigious
kicking Of dust and show Of heels, with
eyes fairly bullying out Of his feather
Drained head, and tall lop ears laid fiat
on his back, big jack rabbit would
bound of into space, and go tearing
across the prairie in mad race for his
threatened life, putting mil, between
him and the Monee before he began to
realize that the two quadrupeds ambling
0lOuK viz uL8ttllt ttWtl WOk0 ohySOACAt w
tho will Of that single rider, who had no
thought to spare for game 90 small.
Come Indian ponies, grazing across his
pathway, set back their stunted ears,
and. COW like, refused to bulge at sight
and hearing Of the big American horse;
whereat little vagabond Of o Cheyenne,
not ten years old nor four feet high, set
up shrill chatter and screcch and let
drive few well directed clods Of turf,
and then showed his white teeth In
grin as Perry sung out CHEEKY "How!
sonny and spurred on through the
opening thoroughfare. needless OF spite
full pony looks or threatening heels.
Pcrry's spirits rose with every rod.
Youth, health. contentment, all were
his, and his heart was warm towards his
fellow men. To the best Of his reckon
ing, he had not an enemy or detractor In
the world. He was all gladness OF ma
ture, all friendliness, frankncss and cor.
diality. The toughest cowboy whom
they met on the long march down, the
most Grabbed Of the frontiersmen they
had ever encountered, was never proof
against such sunshine as seemed to ir-
radiato his face He would 60 out Of
his way ut any time to meet and hail
fellow man upon tho prairies, and rarely
came back without knowing all about
hjm--where he was from, where he was
bound and what were his hopes and
prospects. And as for himself, no man
was reader to answer questions or to
meet In friendliest and most jovial spirit
tho rough but well meant greetings Of
"the plaint"
Being iu this frame OF mind to an ex.
tent evsn greater than his normal wont,
NJ. Perry's eyes glistened, and he struck
spur to hasten Nolan's stride, when, far
ahead, and coming towards him on tho
trail, no saw q horseman like himself.
Being In this mood of sociability. he was
something more than surprised TO see
that all Of a sudden that horseman had
reined ina mere black dot mile away
and was presumably examining him as
he advanced. Hostile Indians there had
been none for many long month, "road
agents" would have starved In region
where there practically were no roads.
cowboys might, and did, get on frolics
and have wild "tears" at timcs. but who
ever heard Of their being hostile. man to
manf Yet Perry was plainsman enough
to tell, even at the milo OF distance. that
tho stranger had halted solely TO scrati-
nize him. and, next, to his vast astonish-
ment, that something In his appearance
had proved either alarming or suspicious.
for the horseman had turned abruptly,
plunged through tho timber and across
the stream, and in another moment,
veering that way himself 10 see, Perry
marked him fairly racing into the mouth
OF q shallow ravine, or "break," that en-
tered tho valley from the south, and
there he was lost to sight.
"What an iii hammered galoot!" was
his muttered comment as he gave Nolan
brief chance to crop tho juicy grass.
while his perturbed rider sat gazing
across the stream In the direction taken
by the shy horseman. "Ivo half mind
TO drop tho ranch and put out after that
fellow. That ravine can't go in 80 very
far but what he must soon show up on
the level prairie; and I'll bet Nolan could
run him down." After moments re-.
Election. however, Mr. Perry concluded
that as he had como 30 far and was now
nearly within riho shot OF the mysterious
goal OF his morning ride, ho might az
well let the stranger go, and pushed
ahead himself for Dunraven.
Tho stream bent southwark just at the
point where he had first caught sight ol
tho horseman, and around that point he
knew the ranch to be. Very probably
that was one OF tho ranchmen OF whom
Mrs. Lawrence had spoken--churlish fel
lows, with civil word for nobody, grin
and repellent. Why, certainly. Tha,
accounted for his evident desire to avoid
the cavalryman; but he need not have
been In such desperate hasto---need moi
have kept at such unapproachablt
bounds, us though he Stunned even bcinl
seen. That was the queer thing, thought
Perry. He acted Just as though he dit
not want 10 be recognized. Perhaps he't
been up to somo devilment at the ranch
This thought gave spur to his speed
and Nolan, responsive to his master
mood, leaped forward along tho windin;
trail once more. Tho point was sool
reached and turned, and tho first objec
that caught Perry's eye was a long rov
OF stakes stretching from the cotton
woods straight to the south up tho gen
tie slope TO the prairie, and indicating be
yond all question tho presence there Of
stout and high and impossible wire fence
There arc few things tho cavalrymal
holds in meaner estimate.
THAT marks tho western limit,
thought Perry to himself, "and doubt
less sreaches miles away to tho south
from what hear. Now. where does on
entcrr'
A little farther on no came upon
trail leading from the low bluffs to hi