The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-05-09
SPIDER CHAPS.
y w0LO0TT LIE CLEAR BEARD.
ecopyrtght. isss. by American Press Asso.
ciation.l
CHAPTER Nv.
- WHICH 1HE CATTLE ARE srAxPEDED BY

CHAPTER Nv.
- WHICH 7HE CATTLE ARE srAMPEDED by
LoRENA's GANG.
had not an idea as to Spiders prob
ablo whereabouts The desert was so
very large and Spider so very minute a
epeck upon its surface that it struck me
after we had started out that our quest
was q singularly hopeless one Lee.
however. differed from me.
81 don't zee no trouble in KNOWN
where ter go. he said. "Pug Hollis,
he'll be prutty sure ter strike lords
Aqua Caliente. an Spider'll sure be in
BE wake. All we got ter do is ter go
~ Aqua Caliente. too; that's all. II
onything's wrong an that kids alive.
Ae'n Be maxim some noise er other ter
1T us know. He's a star at maxim q
noise. Spider 20. It's right in his line :"
~ this time we were well away from
- camp ont Of sight OF the FIRE. But
- Ne pole star that hung burning
LIGHTLY over clr heads / would not
1nve bad the fah test notion of the di-
~ ION In which We were going But
La with the plainsman's unerring in.
G(inct. lop,d steadily along without
ovog raisinG his eyes. Lee was not a
1n1kative person. The only sound that
Doke the oppressive stiffness was the
t NAL yelp of q distant coyote. the
eooehered pad OF the hoofs Of our
Deruts ~ they fell on the soft sand
ond the regular click Of the spur chains
9yaanst our heavy wooden stirrupa
ossy once Gid Lee speak.
Moons comm mp Seef That'c fne
On tell what we're doin now He
Dointed to q silvery sheen ON the dark
01oo horizon. into which few minutes
-. the full moon climbed. streaking
80 rolling surface of the desert with
tE1oht light and blackest shadow and
alvezing the stately forms Of the tree
.oocous that studded the desert thic<ly.
- mint white line mile ahead marked
- eourse Of trail. toward which. by
0e1t consent We turned our horses.
Suddenly Lee held mp his hand as
GlEnal that should listen. At first ]
GnA hear nothing Then, sounding
hit 10 the distance. there came three
Uspe q pistol
That's him--somebody what wants
1o1R anyhow. !" called Lee. lover be-
- tb3 rise. thar. they are. We ca eco
01om the top Les hastle-quicki
AUtdxs spurs to our horses. we soon
0Rs climbing long. stony ridge that
- niles divided the plain. concealing
- ha1f from the other.
Or hossss stopped of their own &C.
oDd - they reached the top. At first
~ eoud ses nothing. Then my atten-
- wse attracted by moving blot
Dov the edge Of the black shadow
EUWn ~ the ridge. As we looked the
oDot pessed out Of the shadow and was
g once defined a. bunch OF cattle
<Rlven By three hc-semen toward Aqua
Cbhent& Who these men were we
eoah not tell at that distance. but they
WG0 not Of our forcc. aud one of them,
nom the peaked crown OF his hat. was
IEobab)y Mexican. They were driving
~ esttle rapidly. One of the men stop
30. and. turning. looked intently in
80 direction from which he had come.
o. Of his companions came back and
9Daned him. Then. after moment. they
eo>h wheeled and galloped back to the
1erd, where the third man seemed anx-
tously 20 await them. Evidently the
three were uneasy about something.
s'Thsy think somebody Is a-follrrin
en-" said Lee softly in my ear They
were not far from the truth IL they did
think %. A horseman emerged from the
eoodow. and the brilliant moonlight fell
- she dimiuutive form and bright.
,oew chaps Of Spider.
'eIhs men saw Spider nearly as soon as
y Two of them at once pulled mp their
bceses and stopped. evidently intending
- bar the way. Spider stopped also.
he men rode on. and Spider followed.
preserving his distance unchanged.
They repeated this maneuver two or
three times until at last the man with
the Mexican hat lost his temper. He
turned suddenly and darted after Spider
at the full speed Of his horse.
Firing three quick shots at bin pur.
ner. Spider whirled about. and. with
Q yeii OF delight. vanished In 70 the shad-
--