Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-04-09

With cherry '-All right, motherr''
galloped of Alphabetically toward
Steel Canyon, keeping a sharp eye on
the intervening country.
a hours brisk riding brought me 70
the mouth of the gulch; two hours
search proved that Tangletop was not
hidden within its depths, and l turned
the cayeuse homeward, first pausing
and looking out over tie valley. Not
an animal was in sight
Last summer the cattle used 70 run
in Hayden Pass q good deal, Sc / reflected,
land that N ust be where the stray COW
is. It's little late to go up there to-
night, but mother thinks SO much Of
Tangletop guess we'll have to g., Sc
lin; so step out lively
And | rode on still tc the north.
Now Hayden Pass was the name
| given to narrow, gloomy canyon that
cut deep into the Sangre de Christie
mountains, almost meeting a gulch On
| the opposite side of the range, there be-
4 ing but low ridge between the re-
| spective heads OF the two ravines.
Hence the name Of the Pass" But
/ though the canyon itself was cheerless
enough, its upper slopes were sunny
| and always clothed with an abundance
4 of grass, green and succulent in sum-
mer, dry but nutritious in winter. Sure
/ enough, hither had strayed poor Tangle-
| top, for | found her horns q knew them
/ by the peculiar crook in the left one)
and her cleanly-pieked bones lying
| amid the juniper bushes far up the
mountain-side. / had ridden up there,
| for cowboy never walks where he can
/ by any possibility ride, no matter how
| steep the ascent, and as | drew rein to
let the cayeuse regain his breath,
noted with a start Of surprise that it
| had grown very late. Indeed, from be-
| tween the peaks OF the Saguache hills
| the level rays OF the setting sun shone
full in my face and frightened the dry
grass around the pony's hoofs, but be-
meath them lay long shadows, and in
the gathering twilight Hayden Pass
yawned dark and gloomy at my feet
Come. Selim, we must get out Of
! this" l said to the cayeuse, with a
shake of the rein; but before he could
take step forward, from pinon-
shrouded gulch to my left arose deep,
| long-drawn howl. The moment after
another rang out clear and ominous
from the opposite side Of Hayden Pass.
Then a third and fcGrth sounded
from cottonwood thicket that nestled
in gulch at my rear.
ITS the wolves, and they have us
almost surrounded Go it, Selim" l
cried, as gave him rein.
Half wild with fear, he rushed of
down the mountain-side.
That was mad ride for life Now we
dashed under the low-hanging boughs
of stunted cedar, noxt we leaped a
fallen tree-top, scattering dry branches
right and left, and then we jumped a
deep gully or went headlong off ledge
of rocks not seen in the dim light until
too late 70 avoid them.
Somehow we reached the bottom of
the pass in safety, and few down the
narrow trail to the mouth Of the can
yon. As wo emerged into the open val
ley | saw the glow Of lights at Gottlieb's
cabin-another pioneer settler-only
three miles away. If only the cayeuse
could distance our terrible pursuers that
far we were safe.
/
it. Selim! Wen beat them YETI l
cried
And the little horse lay low upon the
ground, while the echo of his hoof-bea
rang rhythmical march of triumph
upon the hard packed soil.
But glancing over my shoulder
through the twilight / saw a pack of
flying shadows horribly close at our
heels. The bowling had ceased long
since, as the wolves were now saving
their breath to chase their prey.
Faster faster, Selim," shouted.
And the pony sprang forward with
increased speed, only to stumble and
fall, sending me head over heels into
! clump of oak brush.
Luckily I was not much hurt, but
! scrambled to my feet just in time to see
the poor cayeuse hobble past on three
! legs, with the band of wolves right upon
him.
Put his foot in dog-hole and broke
! his Leg | reflected. THAT ends his
chances, poor fellow"
The next moment heard that pitiful
sound, the scream of a horse in mortal
terror, and knew that the savage brutes
! had overtaken him at last
NO use to wait here for them to
come back after me-" / pondered.
Lucky thing fell in this brush where
| they could not see me, or some of them
would have finished me before now. I'd
| better climb a tree while / have
| chance"
But that was easier said than done
for on the slipping foot-hill where /
stood grew nothing save struggling oak
brush, too low to furnish a safe ref
uge.
However, about three hundred yards
! up toward the mountains stood clump
of scraggy pinons and cedars, from
whose midst lowered a great yellow
| pine, and thither ! FASTENED.
Out of breath and still trembling from
the effects Of my fall ! sat down at the
foot of the tree to rest; but now the
howls of the wolves again rang in my