Wichita eagle., 1889-10-06

| spur to hasten Nolan's stride, when. far
ahead, and coming towards him on the
trail. he saw horseman like himself.
| Being In this mood OF sociability, he was
something more than surprised to see
that all of sudden that horseman had
refined in-a mere black dot mile away
and was presumably examining him a.
he advanced. Hostile Indians there had
been none for many a long month, road
| agents would have starved in a reSion
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
| 10 tell, even at the mile of distance. that
| the stranger had halted solely to scruti-
/ nize hun, 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 the timber and across
/ the stream, and in another moment,
veering that way himself to see. Perry
marked him fairly racing into the mouth
of shallow rsvine. or break" that en-
tered the valley from the south, and
| there he was lost TO sight.
| What an i'll hammered gaioot!- 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 I've half mind
TO drop the ranch and put out after that
fellow. That ravine can't so IN so 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 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 just 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 ranchrnen OF whom
Mrs Lawrence had spoken-churlish fell
lows. with civil word for nobody, grim
and repeIlent. 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
k.ar he
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. Tho point was soon
reached and turned, and the first object
that caught Perry's eye was a long row
of stakes stretching from the cotton
wood, straight, to the south up the gen.
tie slope 10 the prairie, and indicating be-
yond all question the presence there of
stout and high and impossible wire fence.
There are few things the cavalryman
holds in meaner estimate.
That marks the western limit"
thought Perry TO himself, land doubt
less reaches miles away to the south.
from what hear. Now, where docs one
enter
A little farther on no came upon n
trail leading from the low bluffs to his
left hand. 1t crossed the winding bride
path on which he rode, though some Of
the hoof tracks seemed to Join, and wheel
tracks too. He had marked that between
the fort and the point no sign Of wheel
appeared; it was a hoof trail and moth
ing more Now light and little tray
eled wagon track came in from the north.
and while one branch seemed ~ cross the
Monee and to ascend the opposite slopes
close along the wire fence, the other
joined him and went on down the stream.
This he decided to follow.
A ride Of few hundred yards brought
him TO point where shoulder OF bluff
twisted the trail well in towards the
stream. and he, thinking 10 cross and re-
connoiter on the other shore. turned No
Ian in that way. and was suddenly
brought up standing by the heayie-, and
most forbidding wire fence he had ever
seen. Yes, there 1t stretched away
through the cottonwoods. straight az n
die, back 90 the angle whence started
the southwark course he first had noted,
and. looking down stream, far "a the eve
could reach. he marked IL.
well" thought Perry. "Fvo often
heard an Englishman's house was his
castle. but who would have though, Of
stalking and wiring in half county
half a Texas county-in this hcggish
way? How far down is the entrance,
anyhow
Following the trail, he rode down
stream full half mile. and still there
seemed no break Nowhere on the other
shore was there sign Of bride path lead
ing up the slopes. Turning 20 his left in
some impotence, ne sent Nolan at rapid
ispe across the intervening bottom
and soon reached the bluffs, which ross
perhaps forty or City text above tho
stream Once on the crest. the prairie
stretched before him northxard. Level "a
a floor, until il met the sky: but IL vas
southwark he louged 70 look and thitksr
quickly turned. Yes. there !, lay-Dun-
raven Ranch. in all it, lonely ma esty.
From where DE gazed the nearest build-
ing stood good long mile away. That
j; vas the homestead he OWNED at once.
for a broad vsranda ran around the
lower story. ard white curtains were
visible at the dorTnsr windows II tbs
upper floor Back Of II and On The eastern
flank were other buildings. massive book
ing. single stoned Affairs. evidently