Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-03-11

ward. Other herders were likewise
riding fast; but the mass of horns and
hairy backs was like an avalanche,
plunging ahead, regardless of what was
before. blind to eny danger, to all i'm
tents an unreasoning, insane mob.
The herd was headed toward the
ranch house and would go near it, then
on across the path leading to the school.
1t all passed through PauPs mind in an
instant, and, mingling with the thought
of injury to the cattle, was that of dam
ger to the school children or their
teacher. The ranch house hid his view
of the familiar path at first; but as he
pushed ahead in a frantic hope of being
able to turn the leaders, on whom he
was rapidly gaining, it was fully re-
vealed
Midway between house and school,
directly in the course of the now in
furiated beasts, was a group, the very
sight of which thrilled the hurrying
rider. In its midst was a woman car
rying a yellow parasol, and around her
were some little folks-not many; but
to Pauls alarmed gaze it seemed a null
titude.
Aunt Serena and her tiny party Of tea
guests had just become aware of what
was occurring half mile away. They
could hear and almost feel the thou
sands of heavy hoofs beating on the dry
prairie. The shouting cowboys, the
believing steers, the dust-it was all a
| frightful menace. Uncertain which way
to turn. and deeming it impossible to
escape from the wide sweep Oh which
the cattle were coming, they simply
stood silent and terrified. But as they
waited they saw one rider leave the
group of half dozen herders whose
ponies had carried them near the lead
ers of the herd.
paul is DESERVING us!" passed
through Aunt Serena's mind, and her
heart sank as she spoke the words more
to herself than to the children.
1t seemed so. Refining his pony aside
he was riding like mad toward the
ranch house, which was but little
out of the herds course. Theo saw it,
as he stood helpless beside his famed
pony, and wondered. The other herd
ers saw it and yelled frantically to him
to return. But Paul needed them not.
Like flash into his mind had come the
words of an old cattleman who had
given him advice in the art of manag-
ing herd.
"Yeh kin do more with bunch Of
cattle by their likes than their dislikes,"
had been part of his philosophy; IAN
I 'spect they're a good bit like humans
in that"
Already Paul was near the ranch
house, and the anxious watchers saw
him stop his horse with a severity
which nearly brought the faithful crea-
ture to it's knees, dismount, dash in
through the open door, reappear with
something in his arms, leap to the sad
die and race pellmell, fast as the pony's
feet could carry him, toward the head
of the herd again.
The cattle were running no faster
than at the start, but neither had the
cowboys efforts been able to check
them. Moreover, the angry eyes Of
the leaders appeared to have been fasci-
mated by the yellow parasol which
shone brightly in the sunlight, and
were taking their way, followed by the
whole frantic mass. directly toward it.
In the air was an odor of bruised horns,
and in the track of the herd was more
than one struggling beast which had
fallen in the race and been trampled
unto death by its companions
But Paul was well in advance of even
the foremost, and gap of many rods
interviewed between even himself and
the school party.
"Git! Prihce-Git!" he was saying,
as he leaned low on his pony's neck and
pressed the spurs harder and harder
OF the steaming TANKS. ...
Then suddenly the watchers saw Paul
turn sharply and ride directly in front
of the oncoming herd, scarce a dozen
yards away.
But they saw something more. As
he rode fine, white stream poured
from his saddlebow, and a fiour-like
trail was left behind him, showing
clearly on the brown grass and barren
spots of earth.
What crazy thing"-began the
chief herder, who had been far in the
rear but was now near the front.
The cowboy riding next him did not
wait for the conclusion of the sentence.
His quick mind had solved the problem,
and above the roar the chief caught the
single word, Salt"
Before the first Of the cattle had
reached the white line Paul was across
the herds track and was trimming to
come back further on. But it was I'M
necessary. AS the first rank reached
the seemingly slight barrier familiar
and appetizing odor reached the dis
tended nostrils. Forgetting their i'm
patience, the strong beeves slackened
their pace. The crowding hundreds
behind pushed them forward, but these,
too, caught the scent and in moment
the whole herd was hooking and striv-
ing for a taste of the animals greatest
luxury. Paul, seeing what would hap
pen rode on, still doing out the salt
until he had line long enough to en-
gage the greater part of the herd and
prevent any being crushed in the throng.