The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-05-16
CHAPTER V.

In WHICH SPIDER REIOfNS IN 1HlCAtt1.
7 had never seen rain fall as it did
then. It seemed to come in streams 1t
beat through tho heavy canvas of my
tent, forming mist On the inside. The
continuous crash of the falling water
would have drowned the report of a
mortar.
Itrained and rained and kept on rain
5ng. Little brooks formed on the plain,
then came together and made larger
ones that finally tumbled over the edge
of the cliff in a series Of cascades.
When an hour later the foreman and
Spider returned to the camp, there
were no signs of a let up. One by one
our disheartened cowboys struggled IN
and repaired to my tent. where the
nearest approach to shelter was to be
found. None of them seemed particular
ly surprised when told Of the disappear
ance of our cattle. They had expected
it.an along, they said.
.1I don't never remember seein rain
las so long as this aroun here, said
Lee as he tried vainly to light damp
match on the sole of his soaked boot in
order to ignite the wet tobacco with
which he had filled his pipe. So '.cm
fellers must a seen the storm comll np
an then come over purpose ter STAN
pede the herd. Course we can't CO moth
Ia till it lets up, an then We'll have ter
do some huntin. reckon. This rain II
have washed out all the tracks .
"We'il fin the tracks again without
much trouble. . replied the foreman.
ether ain no doubt but what we got
ter do sunthin. though Question is.
wbat?''
.sLooks to me as though We were in
something of scrape, observed, try
ing hard not to speak despondertly-
.'None so bad as what it might be.
replied the foreman philosophically.
"We got ter make plan. that's all.
We held disconsolate council with
the water drumming over US on the
strained canvas so that We had to raise
our voices in order to make them heard.
The plan. when finally decided upon,
was very simple one That the thieves
had made a clean sweep was evident.
for none of the men who had come IN
had found any cattle. They had all been
driven away. Now, to cover so much
grornd in so short time argued that
our enemies had a force much larger
than ours-one that we could hardly
Io~,o o~oSloI fo 1ofoof
Therefore it was decided that as soon
as it stopped raining some of the men
would scatter over the desert to fnd. if
possible, some trace of the missing cat
tie, while we would send messenger
to some ranches that lay on the other
side Of the river some 80 miles below
us, with instructions to bring back all
the men that could be mustered Cat
tlemen are usually ready to help each
other in cases of this kind. for 10 one
knows when his own tarn to require
help may come In this instance. too
the community of cattle thieves had
long been menace to the men On whom
we called All of them probably had
suffered from this or another raid.
The rain ceased as suddenly as il be-
gan. The clouds parted and were blown
in dark shreds across the sky. The pools
that lay in shallow depressions of the
plain were like beds of Goals as the level
rays of the setting sun re6dened them.
As we had planned, the foreman sent
FIVE men in different directions with
orders to search for traces of the miss
ing herd. to let us know at once if any
were found. and to report by midnight
in any case Delighted at the prospect
of action. the men trooped out Of my
tent Some of them spread their blaE-
kets out to dry Others offered needless
help to the men who were preparing to
set out. The rest. Spider among them.
lounged about the cook wagon and
..ioshed the Ballet Girl. to use their
OVID phrase. because he could not start
his FIRE. For some minutes the foreman
stood in the door of my tent rubbing
his chin thoughtfully Then he called
to Spider
.tLcok = here. you kid. said he
You heard what we said bout sendln
down the river ter get more men. Well,
Iwant you ter saddle up fresh pony an
beready ter start in i've minutes. Hear7
The boss. here. he'll write a note fer
you ter take Get wiggle on, row.
The laugh that Spider brought with
hir. faded from his face. This was
business, and without word he nodded
and strobe away.
81 reckon he's about the bes~o ter
sen. continued the foreman, turning
to me. Hell do what he sets out ter
do every time Then it amt likely
Tiers any danger down that way, an
you cant tell what II turn up here. lt'll
keep the kid outer mischief fer awhile
While the foreman was speaking l
had torn a leaf out of an account book
and had written the note. Suddenly l
became aware that the laughter and
talk of the men had hushed- A second
later Spider. his face working with
rage, dashed into the tent. caught up a