The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1893-10-28

tree, at the lowest branch or All, was
at least three feet In diameter. IT in
creased gradually in girth all the way
down to the ground, which must have
been more than two hundred feet be-
low. There the tree presumably reached
q diameter Of seven or eight feet. I
could no more slide down that trunk
than slide down the side of a house.
The neighboring trees were all Of the
same prodigious growth, and all desti-
tute Of branches for a great height.
Having ascertained that there was no
way Of getting up or down beyond the
scope given by the branches, I climbed
as high as possible and called desper-
ately to my absent friends. I knew
they would miss me, and would retrace
their steps in an effort to find me.
But darkness was falling, and I soon
saw it was too late to hope for help
that night.
I shouted long and loudly, but the
mountains seemed to laugh as they
echoed my voice. So I soon perched,
silent and brooding, while the moon
peeped over the rocky wall and lit the
snowy peaks with a pale glory, and
shone on the dusky surface Of the
woodland.
What could I do? What could my
comrades do for me, If they found me?
They q no mean of reaching ME
from the top of the cliff. Perhaps they
could descend and, beginning at the
foot Of the Tree, chop a series of holes
In the trunk, in which I could put my
feet and climb down.
But this would be a labor Of days.
Meanwhile, what would become of my
real estate deal and the business Of the
syndicate? ! was like a mariner, ship
wrecked and mastheaded in the bar
gain.
However, there were ameliorating cir
cunstances. 1 was above the mosquito
line, high and dry, and the air was soft
and warm and still.
In my pack, which I had taken from
my shoulders and slung on a bough, I
had some boiled bacon, q piece Of corn
bread and a pot Of jam. So I made a
fairly good meal.
After supper I felt quite hopeful.
Stretching myself O. a broad tangle of
small branches which sloped in toward
the trunk and afforded a strong but
springy couch, / laid my head on my
pack, lit my pipe and gazed out upon
the moonlit beauty and grandeur
around me.
I alternately smoked and dozed-1
cannot say slept-till daylight.
Once I heard the cry of a cougar
above me on the rocks. Doubtless he
caught scent of me, but the leap from
the precipice to the tree was too Tar,
even for him, and he left me in peace.
I began to feel quite like a bird before
nv friends, in the course Of the morn
ing. came back along the trail, snout-
ing at every few steps. They found me
at breakfast.
"Hullo!" I called to the guide, as ne
passed above me The echoes
him. and he stared about.
"Hullo! Where are you?" cried ne.
"Down here in a tree"
7 was q small object on the top OF the
forest, but he soon made me out, with
the aid of my repeated shouting, ana
called the OTHERS, who soon came pant
ing up. They had followed the bear
into the woods, and killed him just as
darkness came on.
Then they could only make camp and
wait for morning, firing signal-shots
from time to time, which l v heard,
because they were on the other side OF
the mountain wall. In the dry hill air
a rife shot is a mere Crack
Now arose the question, How was l
to be delivered? 1t was decided that
the shortest way was for two OF my
friends to go to the nearest settlement
and get all the rope they could find.
This would take about three days, If
they travelled fast. The guide and my
other comrade would camp US near me
as possible, and keep me company.
: When the two were gone, my remain
ing friend, Jack Nelson, inquired, But
what are you going to do about your
business at Gray's Harbor?'
It'll have to wait" said I.
us it very important?"
1T involves all l have. 1t was q
SUI thing, and I put every cent into
it," said /. yet I'm the lightest in
yestor Of the lot. 1t will burt the SYM
dictate badly-stagger them"
Il don't mind about the syndicate"
said Nelson. But I do mind about you.
Suppose I keep on to the Harbor-
can't l help you? Get EN-, to put things
off till you get there, or something's"
Put off q boom in real estate?" I
said. You might as well put off a
tornado"
Fact" said Nelson. "Mightn't I act
as your agent, then? Do your business
for you?"
mo, old man. It's hopeless. You'd
need a written power of attorney to
manage the DEAL and I can't write
and execute n very well down here"
That's So" said Nelson, Respondent
ly. Its too bad"
From where I saw him, he seemed to
be sitting in a brown study. Sudden
~ he leaped up with a scream.
II say!" he shouted to me II have
it, old fellow! You are aware of your
curious habit of scrawling your sigma
ture on odd bits of, paper? And do
you know that you wrote it the other
day on the only sheet of note paper
/ had left?"
Did II"
you did, and if I'm not mistaken,
I used that sheet for. a wrapper for
some salt when we started out"
He Owed into his pack, brought out
a small parcel, united the string, spilled
the salt it contained and smoothed out
the wrapper.
It was a half sheet of paper. On
the middle was written my name in
my own hand. Above it was room
enough on which to write the necessary
power of attorney. My correspondent
at Gray's Harbor knew the signature.
I gave Nelson full instructions, and
he wrote the power of attorney over
my signature, which the guide wit
messed, as I acknowledged it.
Can you stay here alone?" said he.
II shall be more comfortable than
you will on the way to Gray's," said I.
He and the guide threw me an extra
blanket, with a Ratchet wrapped in it,
a novel, a huge piece of bears meat
and a bag of tobacco. I caught all