The St. Mary banner., 1902-03-08
The Cyclone.
By Major Hamilton.
NSeeseRH&kHEHHN


The long. weary day was drawing
TO close. Away in the distant vault
OF the western sky the great sun hung
round and golden. shedding his burn
Ing rays upon the brown and parchins
earth; no sound of bird nor breath oi
air disturbed the dread oppressiveness
OF the atmosphere, while under foot
the prairie scorched and cracked, and
covered with matted carpet Of dead
and dried grasses, stretched for many
= mile on either hand to the far-off
aevel horizon, that waned and flicker.
ed In the terrible heat. Above, the
bending blue of pitiless heaven; be-
low, the dull desolation of uninhabit-
Cd earth; on every side, silence
In the foreground Of this picture
wen two men-frontiersmen evident
H-tattered. worn and travel-stained,
haggard and wild eyed. both on foot.
and both half staggering as they press
ed onward beneath the weight of their
rfhes-men who had passed some
great danger, saving life only-men
who were now face to face with utter
<xhaustion and despair. but who. from
very habit, would plod forward until
deaths arrow struck them down
nen who knew all the joys and terrors
of this untamed Western land, but
who grsppled with or enjoyed the
same to the final end with an eQuanim-
itys that II seldom to be found except
among Indians-true advance guards
In the great march of civilization.
At length one paused with q half
muttered curse. and. dropping his rifle
but to, the ground. leaned heavily
upon Il. and turned to view the path
over which they had come.
Long and earnestly he looked, his
bronxed face as immovable as though
carved from the knotted wood, his
deepsSt eyes fierce and hunted. but
des3sfate withal. His companion lay
prone beside him. At length the lat
ter spoke;
We'll, Toni"
"Thar's naught," returned Tom, with
sigh Of relief. as he seated himself
at his comrades side-"naught but the
dry prairie, the parching heat an the
SKY. They are following, no doubt
but . long way behind yet"
Both men were quiet for 4 little |
space. and the declining sun fell |
athwart.them as they sat, casting long,
dark shadows before them upon the
dry earth, hardly more sileht than
themselves. The shadows lay close
together, as graves might. After a
moment one of them noticed 1t.
Look, DAM" and with outstretched
finger he pointed to TIA grim remind
ers. s"thars the end!"
IT, don't much doubt It," Dan re-
turnedi -sbut it's not YETI" and he
tharis life thar's hope. Come on"
Again shouldering their arms, after
D long look behind, they turned once
more westward, and plodded wearily
forward.
Three days before, Dan Taylor and
Tom Burt were as happy and prosper
Jus as men need be whose claim
vas good one and whose every pan"
Ihowed color.
Located in narrow gulch in the
Willaw sHAls,o securely screened, as
hey Thought themselves from wander
ng H1xcHeets rwith three comrades
hey shAd been placer-mining for q
nonth most successfully, and had stor-
I'd iAHtleir lowly cabin more than ten
houfzpd dollars worth Of the yellow
lust Ter which men strive.
Then came i night Of blackness and
'loodsA .an6 nre--a night Of fighting,
md hdxtpf. ana death and as it were
y tAasusry hair of their heads, strip :
'ed Qf Al. but their clothing and
their comrades killed. these
wo NM escaped. only to fly hour af-
er heH1 out ACROSS the desolate prairie
nsh{ {3tYyed. unSed and pursued by the |
most sDialsss Of sall enemies, war /
arty 9f sGvaSes. sea t
Slowly the day waned, and, urged by G
conQeo .desire ito and shelter Of 7
ONE Aort IN dsht should tail. the t
len hAStened their weary steps r
oward . far-away fringe Of low trees, U
= some miles distant, that promised 8