The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-12-11


boan In such desperate haste-nee: not
have kept at such unapproachable
bounds, as though be summed even being
seen. That was the queer thing, thought
Perry. lie acted just as though he did
not want 10 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
tail once more. The point was soon
reached and turned, and the first object
thas caught Perry's eye was a long row
OF stakes stretching from the cotton
woods straight to the south up the gen.
tie slope to the prairie, and indicating be-
yend all question the presence there of
ssout and high and impossible wire fence.
There are few things the cavelryman
Il Ids in meaner estimate
THAT marks the western limit"
thought Perry to himself, ''and doubt
less reaches miles away to the south,
from what hear. Now, where does one
ente.Y'
A little farther on he came upon a
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 hoof trail and moth
ing more. Now a light and little trav-
eled wagon track came in from the north,
and while one branch seemed TO cross the
Monee and to ascend the opposite slopes
close along the wire fence, the other
joined him ana went on down the stream.
This he decided to follow.
4 ride of a few hundred yards brought
him to point where a shoulder of bluff
twisted the trail well in towards the
stream, and he, thinking to cross and re-
cOnnoiter on the other shore, turned No
Ian in that way, and was suddenly
brought up standing by the heaviest and
most forbidding wire fence he had ever
seen. Yes, there it stretched away
through the cottonwoods, straight as a
die, back to the angle whence started
the southwark course he first had noted,
and, looking down stream, far as the eye
could reach, he marked it.
'Well,' thought Perry, I've often
heard an Englishman's house was his
castle, but who would have thought of
stalking and wiring in half a county
half a Texas county-in this hoggish
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 to his left in
some impatience, he sent Nolan at rapid
lope across the intervening "bottom,"
and soon reached the bluffs, which rose
perhaps forty or fifty feet above the
. stream. Once on the crest, the prairie
stretched before him northward, level as
floor, until it met the sky; but it was
southwark he longed to look, and thither
quickly turned. Yes, there it lay-Dun-
raven Ranch. in all it's lonely majesty
From where he gazed the nearest build
ing stood a good long mile away. That
it was the homestead he OWNED at once,
for broad veranda ran around the
lower story, and white curtains were
visible at the dormer windows of the
upper floor. Back of it and on the eastern
flank were other buildings, massive look
ing, single storied affairs, evidently
stables, storehouses and corrals There
was tall windmill there-an odd sight
in SO remote region-and a big water
tank.
Perry wondered how it ever got there
Then at the southwest angle was build
ing that looked like an office of some
kind. He could see horses tethered there,
and what seemed to be human figures
moving about. Beyond it all, to the
east and south, were herds of grazing
cattle, and here and there in the dim dis
tance a horSeman moved over the Drai-
rie. This reminded him of the stranger
who had given him the slip; and he
gazed westward in search of him.
Far up the valley, between him and
the distant post, he could plainly see a
black object just descending the slopes
from the southern prairie to the stream.
Not another was in sight that his prac-
ticed eye did not know to be cattle.
That, then, was his horseman, once more
going fort-wards in the valley, after hav-
ing made three or four mile detour to
avoid him. "Now, what sort of a Chris
tian is that fellow" thought Perry, as
he gazed at the distant speck Going
to the fort, too. By thunder! I'll find
out who he is. anyhow. Now I'm going
to the ranch"
Down the slopes he rode. Down the
winding trail once more he trotted, peer
ing through every gap among the cot
tonwoods, shaking Nolan's thirst at a lit
tie pool in the stream, and then, after
another long half mile, he came to a
sudden turn to the right. The road
dipped and twisted through the stream
bed, rose to the other side, wound through
the cottonwoods and then out on the
open turf. Huzza. There it stretched
up the slopes straight away for the south,
straight through a broad gap between
two heavy gate posts standing on the
sU-.ke line of that rigid fence. Nolan
broke into brisk canter and gave a
neigh of salutation; Perry's eyes glistened
with anticipation as he bent over his
chargers neck, keenly searching the odd
looking structure growing on his vision
as they neared the fence. Then, little
by little, Nolan's eager stride shortened
and grew choppy. Another moment,
and horse and rider reined up short in
disappointment. Between the gate posts
swung barrier of cobweb lightness,
slender and airy as spider ever wove, but
bristling with barbs, stiff as ''bullfnchn
and unyielding as steel. One glance
showed Perry that this inhospitable gate
was firmly locked.
For moment he sat in saddle, study
ing the situation, while Nolan poked his
head over the topmost strand of wire
and keeping at respectful distance from
the glittering barbs gazed wistfully over
the inclosed prairie in search of comrade
quadruped who could tell him what
manner of place this was. Meantime
his rider was intently eying the heavy
paddock that was secured on the inner
side of the gate. 1t was square in shape,