The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-08-17


about loin and hanks, and by making
it harder for him to breathe so lessened
his speed that Jim easily kept him in
sight. Through yielding brush and
swaying thicket, through bunches of
frightened cattle that split to let him
pass and came stringing after, bucking
and bawling in sympathy, the brute
plunged on.
Each bawling bunch in turn was
distanced. The brushy slopes broke
away. As the mesa, sprinkled with
pinons, began to offer to Jim smooth
spaces for handling his horse, he un-
buckled the strap that held the coil of
his rope, but still, as every leap of
the steer took him the nearer to the
corral. the wise Indian only held the
rawhide ringed ready in his hand.
Down the rapidly narrowing tongue
OF the mesa-the mesa which tipped
precipitously out into the river-gorge
aud was bounded on either side by an
abyss-the trapped steer sped. He
must soon be at a standstill or at
tempt to return on his tracks.
The Indians eyes had already kim
died with anticipation of triumph, when
at the last of the pinons the humping,
hurtling saddle caught fast between
projecting roots. II scarcely checked
the steer! Holden's cable tore loose
from the saddle-horn, and its slack
ened loop was speedily kicked from
the steers high -plunging launches.
Once more the great gray brute was
free.
"Ah, he on the push nowl' said
Jim and looked to his loop as the steer
reversed his big body, gave high,
writhing leap over the spurned rope,
confronted the herder with the threat
ening crescent of his sharp horns and
plunged forward to the combat.
The Navajo lifted his horse aside
with the spurs, swung the loop open
in his right hand and rose, half turned
in the stirrups, in quick underthrow
for the front hoofs of the steer as he
lunged by.
Jim's eyes saw, for an instant, low
cred horns and uplifted hoofs mingled
together, and his throw was true. But
so quick was the play of the ponder
Gus feet that the loop caught one fore
leg only and passed over the face and
hung across the horns.
The loop, drawn tight by the roper's
instantaneousjerk and kept from slack
ening by his nimble horse, bound horn
and hoof together. Now the steer
was in sad plight. With head drawn
sidewise, with tongue lolling from
open jaws, believing, he surged on
three legs, but his spirit was un-
broken.
The roper slowed his horse to the
strain. From horn to cantle the sad
die creaked as, trampling and tugging
in wild, wide waltz. straining horse
and hauling steer made the mad cir
cult of the precipices.
The Navajo, active in the saddle
with rein, spur and rope, was, in spite
of all his efforts, dragged past the
break where the trail ran down the
slope. His horse, always straining
desperately, was tugged on and on
until he circled along the perilous
porphyry brink, and Jim glanced
longingly from the saddle on the cor
raj, seemingly almost directly beneath
him, its great square shrunk to the
measure of his saddle-b blanket.
Holden, pounding down bareback on
the blue roam, had stopped to gather
up his rope, but now Jim heard his
encouraging shout. The quickened
tramp of his rushing horse, the whirr-
ing of his big rope as he swung it
aloft, sounded close at hand, and the
sweating roper relaxed his strain.
The steer, alert to the slack, ierked
his hoof from the loop. Needless of
the cutting rope, instantly tightened
across face and frontlet, his stately
head was lifted, and he stood, Wild
eyed, quiveriug, cornered, caught but
not conquered. He was ON four legs
again. Conquered? Never! With
resistless pull on the rope, he wheeled
and broke for escape across the cliff
that rises, red-banded, above the cor
raj.
"Stay with him, Jimr roared the
young foreman, swinging his rope,
sure the steer would stop at the edge.
Stay with him? 1t meant death
surely. Already under the plunging
front hoofs OF the desperate rebel the
porphyry rim crumbled. Jim's obedi-
ence did not falter, although he was
fairly staring down on the corral.
How would the falling feel?
The Indian had swift picture of it
the steer lowest in the air on the
taut lariat, horse aud man whirling
after-but Navajo Jim set his savage
jaws. No foreman should dare him
to stay with roped beastl He would
not look on the faces of white ropers
sneering. He was hired body and
soul--he was obedient he would
stay.
Holden, for this mad second, watched
incredulously. The steer would not
go over-surely not. What? Straight
on And jim! Was the man also
crazy? Then the Navajo heard once
more his masters voice.
"For Gods sake, Jim-let goi O
heavensp'
Jim obeyed. He flung loose the
hrk Ia he. .ko