The Winslow mail., 1898-12-10
jim TRENBAR'S LUCK


II the strong, clear light OF the An
gust morning the sheriff Of Bandera
county and his deputy rode out from
the timberland that skirted the river
bottom ard drew rein. Before them
lay the prairie burned brown by the
sun stretching away to meet the faint
gray lines of the horizon.
The sheriif's face was lean and dark
with the sharpened, watchful look of
timber wolf On the trail of its prey
His eyes glanced keenly from under
meath the hand which be had raised
to shadethc1n, as he scanned the prairie
. long and attentively.
The depaty shifted to an easier posi-
tion in the saddle and pushed the SOM
brerp back from his heated forehead.
He was a young man with a heavy,
stolid cast of features. The curling
ends Of his red-bTown hair reached al
most to his shoulders. His long, mus
cuIar throat rose like a column from
the loose collar Of his coarse wool
shirt.
The stout little broncho upon which
ne sat pulled peevishly at the bride
ard blew the foam from its nostrils.
They had travelled far and fast since
sunrise ard there was still the prospect
cf long, hard gallop before them. The
deputy felt that his strength needed re-
enforcement. This fact was the more
Vigorously impressed upon nim since
the means Of reinforcement was at
hand. lie drew fiat, black bottle from
his hip rocket and held it up to the
light 1t showed little more than half
full. He put it to his mouth and drank
with evident zest of the contents. The
sheriff took his hand from his eyes and
eyed him thirstily.
"Have some, Bill?" the deputy said,
speaking with his soft, lazy drawl and
extending the bottle toward the sher-
if, who received it without comment
and drank deeply in his turn. The
deputy wiped his mouth on his wrist
and gave hitch to his cartridge belt.
"Well, what's the next move?" he
asked. when the bottle had been re-
stored to its former security in his
pocket. EE
The sheriff leaned forward, resting
his elbow upon the pummel of his sad
die and rubbing his prominent, un-
shaven chin thoughtfully with the
palm of his hand. His narrow, deep
set eyes were contracted until only a
. tiny cleaning line of light showed be-
tween the lids.
'Our mans gone north" he said, at
length. Struck out straight for the
Rio Grande: He's got good horse
under him and five hours the start;
but" He Strengthened up suddenly
and thrust his feet farther into the
stirrups, we're after him, and it's
good man that can git away from the
sheriff of Bandera county with q hull
skin. reckon he'll make for the North
fork. lie won't trust himself to the
open prairie in bread daylight. If 1
can head him off before he gifts thar"
He looked at his deputy, who answered
with a look that said plainly they
could and would.
The sheriff touched his wiM-eyed lit
tlS lIdi Win l44S pun A11-N I'li GU
forward, with the deputy's broncho
close upon her track. a fine yellowish
lust lifted itself from the withered
grass stalks and weeds and hung about
them as they rode. The sun poured
It's level rays full upon the parched
and lfeless prairie and upon the two
men galloping with grim set faces in
the pursuit OF justice.
An day'Iohg the man upon the black
horse had been steadily making for the
Mexican border. 1t was nearing sunset
now. The mans slight figure drcorcd
weari.y in the saddle. Ills head had
sunk upon his breast and the reins lay
ooseiy in his relaxed fingers. The
black horse still galloped, but slowly.
His nose was thrust far forward and
either wide nostril gave q glimpse of
the red within. Great flakes Of foam
dropped from his bit or foQted back
upon the wind of his motion against his
quivering shoulders.
All day long he had galioped-gal-
loPed almost without pause, under the
burning southern sun, across the
scorched earth toward the creek there,
whose sluggish shallow tide the sun
set had re9dencd until it had looked
of They