The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-11-28
CHAPTER VIII.
The Trapper Of The Rimrocks.

He was known from one end of the
desert to the other, as well by the red
men as the white. His life was spent
in solitude. When the SHOWS of win
ter began to fly and others fled to
shelter he worked the more persist
ent. For eight months in the year his
solitude was complete, so far as the
rest of the world knewofor it was in
the winter time that the wild
animals of the desert widened
their range In search OF food,
owing to its scarcity at this season.
and many of all kinds were tempted to
partake of the fresh morsels of anti,
lope, deer, rabbit and sage hen, so
attractiyely prepared and placed In
their trail and many of these same an
imals found these nice "baits" sur
rounded by jagged iron circle that
closed with a merciless clasp about
their legs or noses and held them as
prisoners. The traps of the Trapper
of the Rimrocks always held their
prey.
The Trapper of the Desert was a
young man of eight and twenty years.
For ten years he had been known upon
the desert. While he was man of
peace, yet his keen grey eyes and
firm set chin told those who saw him
that he would face the worst of the
human race in any kind of an encoun-
ter as readily as he would battle
alone with the fiercest animals of the
desert, II the necessity arose. His
hair was also light and he wore a
CLEAN of friendliness upon his face.
But the cloud that drove this CLEAN of
sunshine away when he become an
gered was an immediate warning not
to trespass against the will of this
man of firmness, and his well proper
toned form was able to carry out the
desire of the mind. He was five feet,
ten, weighed 1S0 pounds, and with all
this possessed well proportioned mus
cles, as 1.-THE as rubber and strong as
gutta percha.
He was known simply by the name
of William Hammersley, but his an
cestry and place of birth were as
mysterious as the man himself. When
first known he was on the desert en-
gagged in trapping, and as he had no
competitors, he had no enemies. His
abode, a crude affair." partly a cave
and partly house in the rimrocks,
was always welcome to the weary
traveller or stockman, who happened
to pass his way, but this did not hap
pen often. as few people travelled that
way. He was a friendly host and
looked to the comfort of his guest. but
he had little to say and asked but few
questions. A guest after leaving his
place knew no more of him than when
he came, and there was always feel
ing on the part of the visitor that no
extended conversation was desired.
And the wishes of William Hammers
ley were usually respected.
But the reader shall know more
about this trapper of the desert and
his abode than the visitors of those
days knew. He was not alone, and
the compartments which the visitors
saw were not all that were possessed
and occupied by this man. The small
corral made rock in front of the prem
ises and the few traps and skins that
hung about the rooms opened to Wis
itors were only small and Insignificant
in interest compared with what was
concealed in the background
A subterranean passage lead to
larger cave beyond that occupied as
the open home of the trapper. A crev-
asse let in the light from the side and
the finest pelts supplied a bed with
warm covering and soft place to lie
while others lay upon the floor as
rugs and hung from the walls to keep
out the cold of winter. A perfectly
constructed fireplace, connected with
the crevasse in the rocks which was
utilized as a chimney, supplied the
room with warmth in cold weather.
Upon the bed lay an invalid. Once
gigantic form with powerful ply.
slque and muscle. he was now emac-
lated to almost skeleton. His limbs
had been frozen and his hands and,
feet were mere crisps. though he still
retained his intelligence and was
great comfort to the trapper who
brought him the tenderest and best
prepared morsels from the table and
fed him with his own hands, and at
tended him as carefully as a mother
tends her own child
81 sometimes fear that I worry you,
and that my monotonous life may ef-
feet yours" said the invalid one day
to the trapper, "in carrying out my de-
sire to strike for vengeance apd wait
until | can strike the most killing