Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-11-29

taking in this intruding and unfamiliar
combination with u most terrifying effect.
With supreme effort of will my numb
finger pressed the sensitive trigger.
Bang, the report rang In my ears. Did
1 hit him? l never knew. Chesapeake,
nervous and excited already, leaped at the
sound of the pistol like an arrow from
bow. Entirely beyond my control, he flew
over the bank with me and into the icy
water. The pistol was thrown from my
hand, and from the vehicle.
struck face first and Went completely
under. My, but the water was cold! 1t
went to my very marrow But with grim
determination held on to the lines. Not
moment did Chesapeake pause, but
plunged through the freezing river, drag
cling in his wake the front wheels and
myself, the remnant of his disintegrated
load, until we reached the sandy shore op-
posite. Them for a wonder, he stopped.
Not such wonder either, for to drag by
the bit through that soft sand such a dead
weight as | was enough to stop even Ches-
apeakc l. moro dead than alive, lay
stretched out, bedraggled, nerveless OBJ
jeCt.
The cattle didn't go into the river at all.
Whether my pistol shot halted them or
whether the watery channel had turned
their course, could not say. But tho fact
is that when l stood again on my feet
there they were, believing and tossing
their horns, ON the bank, and as | watched
them by some unknown signal they turned
and started with one impulse back as they
had come, heads down and tails up, not
nearly so terrifying sight, now that they
were going away as fast as they could run.
/ was naturally uncomfortable, but
didn't know just how to improve my stu
alton at once.
Why didn't make fire and dry my
self? L have heard of burning sand. They
have it in Africa, but this wasn't that
kind. My teeth Chartered little accom-
paniment to the tenor of my thoughts, and
the water dripped off my garments and
made "a puddle around my feet, so that 1
had to move at intervals to keep from get
ting any wetter, while Chesapeake stood
idly by waiting for something to turn up
the blackboard probably, and wondering
if it wasn't almost time for lunch and pie
This is Thanksgiving, said l to my
equine companion, as l spat some sand out
IF my mouth. Turkey? Cranberry sauce?
Not for your Uncle Smilcr this year. Ches-
Ipeake, We'll 60 on, and the first house we
come to, even be it one room dugout,
there we will spend the rest of our Thanks
giving and go back to camp tomorrow.
My dinner will consist of sour bread and
fat pork with the bristles on; yours will be
wet straw"
After this melancholy homily, driving
Chesapeake and the front wheels before
me, and postponing the rescuing of my be-
lnngings until some more favorable time,
| started across the sand and up the low
bank, ~ I reached the summit | eagerly
cast M eyes about for the expected dug
out.
What was that | saw n mile or so awey?
One, two, three windmills rising out of
what looked like city in the earlier stages
of its growth. There seemed to be barns
and houses and sheds and corrals enough
for all the people and all the cattle in the
county. l cogitated a moment, then an
idea-a pleasant idca-struck me, and
directed my course toward the newly dis
covered goal. "This, l said, by way of
explanation to Chesapeake, lis Birch's
ranch that we hear SO much about. We're
right in one of his pastures now, and
didn't have sense enough to know it. "
This was evidently satisfactory to Chesa-
peake, for he pricked up his ears and
moved on at good gait Perhaps he
smelled pie.
Birch was indeed well known name in
that part of the country. His ranch, the
largest anywhere around, embraced thou
canlc Of nf 10 s,.;,
wandered myriads Of CATTLE His beauti-
full residence in Hays l had frequently
seen and had heard the widest accounts of
the elegance of his rural home.
1--WE shall see," thought L, "whether or
not L shall get the entree to his select cir
Gle. don't suppose do look very invit-
ing"
1 tied my long suffCnlg quadruped to
fence post, and with JOY in my heart and
ice water In my boots passed up the walk
to the largest of the houses-a big, square,
buff colored structure with broad piazzas,
which at another season might have been
described as inviting.
"Please tell Mr.. Birch I would like to
see him" said to the housemaid who
answered my vigorous ring at the bell.
walk in, sir" was the response, and
was conducted into little Office or recep-
ton room where blazed cheerful fire. 1t
certainly did feel good to get close to that
fire. l took off the rest of my gloves and
untying my scarf removed my hat I'M
buttoned my coats and allowed the CRATE.
full warmth to penetrate the rest of my
garments, and a vapor rising from the
damp clothes made me look like an ema-
ciated cherub riding in cloud.
A door opened and Mr.. Birch entered.
A short, thickset man he was, with sun
tanned face, little gray mustache and
small, twinkling eyes. He shook my hand
with a heartiness that made me feel at
home Immediately, and rs soon as he dis
covered how wet and cold was a room,
gallons of hot water and whole Layout
of dry clothes were at my disposal in a
jiffy.