Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-10-23

tull of spirit and spring and intelligence;
the morning was beautiful, just cool
enough 10 be exhilarating: his favorite
hound, Bruce, went bounding over the
turf under the slopes, or ranging off
through the cottonwoods along 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 a drove Of
prairie chickens would leap from their
covert, and, after vigorous tapping Of
wings for a few rods, would 10 skim
ming restfully in long easy curve, and
settle TO earth again a hundred yards
away. as though suddenly reminded of
the fact that this was mating time and
no gentleman would be mean enough to
shoot at such a 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 mile between
him and the Monee before he began to
realize that the two quadrupeds ambling
along the distant trail were obedient to
the will of that single rider, who had no
thought to spare for game so small.
Some 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 a little vagabond of a Cheyenne,
not ten years old nor four feet high, set
up a shriu chatter and screech and let
drive few well directed clods of turf,
and then showed his white teeth in
grin as Perry sung out a CHEEKY Howl
sonny" and spurred on through the
opening thoroughfare, needless Of spite
full pony looks or threatening heels.
Perry'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 OF detractor in
the world. He was all gladness of ma
ture, all friendliness, frankness 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-
radiate his face. He would 60 out of
his way at any time to meet and hail a
fellow man upon the prairies, and rarely
came back without knowing all about
he was from. where he was
bound and what were his hopes and
prospects. And as for himself. no man
was reader TO answer ar'sstiops nr to
meet III rriendliest and most iOvial spirit
the rough but we'll meant greetings of
1.-The plains"
Being in this frame of mind TO an ex-
tent even greater than his normal wont,
Mr.. Perry's eyes glistened, and he struck
spur to hasten Nolan's stride, when, far
ahead, and coming towards him on the
trail, he saw a horseman like himself.
Being in this mood of sOciability, he was
more than surprised to see
that all OF a sudden that horseman had
refined ina mere black dot a mile away
and was presumably examining him as
he advanced. Hostile Indians there had
1879
agents would have starved in a region
where there practically were no roads.
cowboys might, and did, get on frolics
and have wild tears" at times, but who
ever heard of their being hostile, man TO
man; Yet Perry was plainsman enough
To tell. even at the mile of distance. that
the stranger had halted solely 20 scruti-
nize him, and, next, to his vast astouish-
ment, that something in his appearance
had proved either alarming or suspicious.
for the horseman had turned abruptly.
plunged through the timber and across
the stream, and i'm another moment.
veering that way himself to see, Perry
marked him fairly racing into the mouth
Of shallow ravine, or "break," that en-
tered the valley from the south, and
there he was lost to sight
"What an i'll hammered galootr was
his muttered comment as he gave Nolan
brief chance to crop the juicy grass,
while his perturbed rider sat gazing
across the stream in the direction taken
by the shy horseman. 1--WE half a mind
TO drop the ranch and put out after that
fellow. That ravine can't 70 in so yery
far but what he must soon show up on
the level prairie; and I'll bet Nolan could
run him down" After n moments re-
Election, however, Mr.. Perry concluded
that as he had come so far and was now
nearly within rifle shot of the mysterious
goal OF his morning ride, he might as
well let the stranger go, and pushed
ahead himself for Dunraven.
The stream bent southwark lust at the
point where he had first caught sight Of
the horseman, and around that point he
knew the ranch to be. Very probably
that was one of the ranchmen of whom
Mrs. Lawrence had spoken-churlish fell
lows, with civil word for nobody, grim
and repellent. Why, certainly. That
accounted for his evident desire to avoid
the cavalryman: but he need not have
been in such desperate haste-need not
have kept at such unapproachable
bounds, as though he Stunned even being
seen. That was the queer thing, thought
Perry. He acted just as though he did
not want to be recognized Perhaps he'd
been up to some devilment at the ranch.
This thought gave spur to his speed,
and Nolan, responsive to his masters
mood, leaped forward along the winding
trail once more. The point was soon
reached and turned, and the first object
that caught Perry's eye was long row
OF stakes stretching from the cotton
woods straight to the south up the gen.
tie slope to the prairie, and indicating be-
yond all question the presence there of a
stout and high and impossible wire fence.
There are few things the elvalryman
holds in meaner estimate.
That marks the western limit"
thought Perry to himself, land doubt
less reaches miles away to the south.
rom what | hear. Now, where does one
,nterT'
A little farther on he came upon a
rail leading from the low bluffs TO his