The Bossier banner., 1893-12-28


was carpeted with green grass, and on
the other side range of mountains rose,
the tops of which were covered with
snow that was constantly melting and
forming silver streams that tumbled
into the valley below.
10 one accustomed to the glare and
dust of Arizona deserts the spot was
like glimpse of paradise, and Frank
lin rubbed his eyes to make sure he was
not dreaming. He was satisfied that
the spot had been found, so he went
back to the top of the ridge and sig
nailed to Roberts to come up and bring
the horses-an act Roberts was not
very slow in performing. Both agreed
that the spot had been found and the
next was to find the deer But first
they would rest awhile and get some
thing to cat. 1t really was like para
disc when they had found a cool, shady
spot and built fire. The blue smoke
curled upward among the trees, where
it was caught by the gentle wind and
carried across the valley. Dinner had
been cooked and disposed of, and both
men stretched themselves out comfort
ably, intending each minute to get up
and go and look for the deer But
while they were making up their minds
about it Roberts suddenly had his at
tention attracted by something moving
on a low ridge of hill short distance
ahead. He looked several times and
then called Franlllin's attention to the
matter. Sure enough there were the
white deer. There were at least two
dozen of them, and they were beautiful
creatures, formed exactly like all 9TH
ers, except that their legs were little
heavier. They were snow-white and in
such position that the sun, which was
now getting low, struck them with
gleam of opalescent light that brought
them into strong relief against the rug
ged mountains in the background.
1t was a pretty good shot to make,
but both men felt that they were equal
to it, and arranged the sights on their
rifles with great care. Both shot at
once, and the same instant the entire
flock disappeared Roberts ran to the
ridge and looked over on the other
side, but could see no sign of the deer
They had vanished into thin air, and
he felt peculiar fear that made him
get back to the fire and his friend as
quickly as possible. 1t was very mys-
terious and night was coming on.
In the morning they went back to
the camp of the afternoon before and
waited. But it was not long before
they saw the deer on the hilltop grazing
peacefully.
Both men were reluctant about
shooting, but when they pulled their
triggers there was exactly the same
result as on the evening before.
They reached the top of the ridge
and plainly saw the footprints of the
animals. The ridge went up from the
floor of the valley in gentle, gradual
slope, but when the top was reached it
stopped abruptly and bluff several
feet high went down on the other side.
1t was now evident that the deer must
have been on the edge of this bluff, and
the instant the shots were fired jumped
over the side and so disappeared
The men followed the way it seemed
the deer must have gone. They jumped
down the bluff, and there saw clump
of brush and the white mist arising
from it. Both were almost afraid to go
near the brush, but at that moment a
rattling ill it made both men raise their
rifles. The next moment they saw a
wounded white deer jump out and at
tempt to run. They fired and it fell
dead There was nothing supernatural
about that, and the dust that arose
from the bushes explained the cause of
the white mist that had been seen ris-
ing over the hill. Looking down into
the bushes, Roberts said that the brush
grew on a bank and directly below it
was a deep hole, which investigation
showed to be a cave that went deep un-
derground. The tracks and broken
brush showed that the deer had gone
in there, and so disappeared from the
face of the earth.
Both men now thought they had all
the game they could carry off and start
ed inside, but had gone but few steps
when they were called to a halt,
and found that a tall old man, only
about half dressed and surrounded by
luo ncEu VI !" "ullt uccI, ldu d pCdu OL
them with pair of large-bore re-
volvers. They stopped.
'What do you want here?" asked the
voice behind the revolvers.
Both men were too frightened on ac-
count of the surprise, and had dropped
their rifles on the ground
"Sit down there" said the voice
again, and Franklin and Roberts did as
they were told.
They had no disposition to argue the
point with the man, as he kept them
covered all the time. He then COM
menced to ask them all sorts of ques-
tions, and the deer stood by as if they
comprehended it all. The old mans
harangue lasted for a long time, but
finally he said he was certain they were
the two men who had killed two of the
deer the night before, and now he
would have to kill them. But he
wouldn't shoot. No; that would be too
good for those who had dared to xiii
the pets of the Great White Spirit. But
what would he do? That was a ques-
ton that trou ble6 HIM deeply. He