The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-11-12

COyOte leg. Befhaps the meSc6TS lu-
fiuence was on the wane, for a big
brown knee was thrust quickly mp from
the sand and big brown hand clutch
cd the ugly knife at the Coyotes side,
but the hand fell and the noble red
man snored on.
Dubs tried on the cartridge belt and
became an Indian, all but the indis-
pensable knife, and he concluded to
borrow that from the sleeper. whose
fingers had lost their grip on the buck
horn handle.
ITS bigger'n mommie's butcher
knife. amt it. Gay?" the young savage
asked as he grasped the handle Of the
devilish looking blade. "Now, you 'tand
over we're, and I'll get hind Wis wock.
Ven you tum along, Ill jump ont and
kill you.''
Gay demurred.
"Oh, it's on'y make b'lcye. vese
kind O. Injuns don't kill nobody" And
he stuck a contcmptuous finger toward
the innocent Coyote. ITS on'y 'Paches
Fat kills, an yey's none yound here,
mommie says. Pm 'Pache, so you
better look out"
1t was a dubious sport for Gay. and
when it came TO the killing part she
screamed Justify.
you've woked him up an 'poiled 1t
ALL" said Dubs In tone Of accusation
"Now he'll want his knife"
Sure enough, the Coyote That Bites
did shake his brown legs and arms
quite vigorously. but the last two big
swallows of mescal held him down.
So, after turning over and burying his
hatchetlike face In the sand. he lay
quiet again.
When he had thus turned over. was
brought into view the rife. which had
been concealed by his dirty blanket.
Dubs eyed the weapon with covetous
eyes. He could not Withstand the temp
tation Of feeling 1t all over. standing
It up on Its butt and trying to shoulder
II, but this last feat he could hardly
accomplish. Just what 1t was that
kept his fingers on the hammer and
trigger and prevented sound that
would surely have brought the Coyote
to his feet with yell. ! am sure can
not tell. but Dubs played with that
fascinating weapon nearly an hour,
while Gay poured sand over the car
| tridges. hiding nearly all Of them from
view.
BY this time the suns rays were on
| the long slant. and the children were
| very hungry. by this time. too. the
Apache was growing restless, for the
mescal had nearly lest It's grip upon
L him fro In lv r,,unh
less, a swift brushing against his
black foot. spider dropping on his
leg. or even big hy buzzing at his
ear-any of these would have set his
demon force Into play again.
But the children could not wait for
| such demonstrations as these. though
| why 1t did not occur to Dubs that fh.
| Coyotes ear needed tickling with +
| grease wood twig the Lord only knows
The wind was up. and the wires wer,
| murmuring louder than ever. The we,
| ones had sported in the black shadow,
long enough-had played with the fang:
| Of the deadly serpent until they wer.
tired and their stomachs were empty
So they set OF on a trot for home.
| Just as they turned the bend anC
| came In sight of the low roof OF tht
station a dust devir' swept by tn,
rocks where lay the Coyote That Bites
He jumped TO his feet. grasped hi,
empty sheath, gave q mad whoop ant
started about in feverish rage. There
was his knife. half covered by thu
sand and there was his rife. far from
his side. Here was the cartridge bel
empty. and all about him in the sant
were countless little footprints.
A bewildered look stole over his face
but 1t passed away when his eyes rest
ed on the empty demijohn. The ex
preston that replaced 1t was one Of de
moniacal ferocity. and the lust o
slaughter lay heavily upon him. Blu
the cartridges-wbere were they? H.
saw Gays mound Of sand and. kicking
it. gave a grunt Of delight to see tn
brazen capsules that were scattered
right and left by his foot.
He picked them all up, grunting owe
each one. Filling the belt and graspinl
his rife, he started OF in the direction
in which the small footprints led. Lik
a bloodhound. he chased along tn
track. His eyes scanned the plain a
every turn. and his breath was hot an
strong. But when he turned the bi
curve and saw the station he knew tha
he was late-tOo late-and he gave
grunt of disgust and was on like tn
wind over q side trail that led towar
the sunset.
In the low rooted station house tn
mother crooned to tired little Gay. iy
Ing so soft and limp In her arms. Sh
looked out over the desert. saw the SUI
touching the tips Of the solemn gian
cacti with purple dots. saw the prickl
pear shrubs holding their grOtesqu
arms above the great sweep of san
that ran down TO the low horizon an
felt the inspiration Of the scene. as sh
had often felt II before. for the deser
has a beauty that is all its own. Sh
knew that other women i'm the grea
cities and In the cool. green valley
might pity her i'm that desolate spo
but she felt that she needed not thei
pity. Dubs came and leaned his hea
| against ber arm where she sat. and III
tie Gay nestled down with a tired sigl
Yes. there was much. she thought. fo
which TO be thankful.
And I'm truth there was.
Man and Woman.
|, 1 AL Ex.I. In 1a