The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25

cOnpllSnmenIS, DeIC
made in circling The cattle and closing I
immovable mass. Then came the il
round and round, lest the treacherous n
unguarded points. 1t was a mOonless
which follows the intense heat of the da
mesa Shivering a little and swearil
the boys lit up, a good smoke being tn
per in sight for while. They were no
hard riding and yelling ard yet it would
fore the cattle would begin to lie down
into two relays, one half kept up the wa
took n few moments rest.
Charley Beesam Manuo and three
mounted and were beginning to stretch
Pete set up a loud ''wee-ya- -hoop.'' at
ing to a figure silhouetted in bold relic
coming on at a stiff pace.
Likes as not that's Dave fetching
hoss sandwiches" he said, turning to the
intent on watching the figure.
Wouldn't go so bad jes now If he d
Flapjack, Bill "a name attained by his
tiality to this diet)
The man had now come within sigl
all and, TO Pete's JOY AID satisfaction,
proved TO be Dave, mounted on the idel
tical mustang Of few hours be-
fore. now a model of docility and
patience. He came TO sharp halt,
digging his hocfs deep in the soft earth
and then pirouetting around on one
toe until brought to quiet stand by
Dave. cussing all the while as if the
" hole Ten Commandments had gone
out OF style.
What's yer word, Dave?" chorused
the men before his breath had fully re-
turned
'Word?" he roared. - Pears to me
,-aS I,aadad hapY, Mo
in hell while you fellows was out chas-
ing steers. Turnin' in 1 seed the cook
and Jimmy Pixies devouring scrub rags
with their hands clinched up in the
rear and the corral of prize steers
empty as the trail Of a Commanche
raid
This startling piece of informa-
ton was greeted by dead silence,
then general outburst of oaths
and exclamations of surprise. Pete
stood motionless and whistled a
long drawn, melancholy whistle,
like an engine on down grade, even
the sandwiches and prospective
supper fading into a pale, misty
past. Benjamin William Smith
cussed the red-headed bandit, his
successors and ancestors as far
back as Cain, and then cussed him
and them up the line again.
We'll, 'tain't no use standing there
cussin'" said Pete, and that commits
sary department back where IL amt
doin' us any good; and anyways /
banks if that red head blows around
this camp by accident he won't need
to swipe cattle for a Twin"
Likes as not he'll have so much lead
IN his system that Dawes pony couldn't
carry him a rabbit jump" said Char
ley Beesam. throwing a piece of sage
brush on the fire.
I'm off to fetch the chuck wagon
here to you coyotes, or guess there
won't be enough of me in two
shakes to scent a rat trap" said
Dave, wheeling round and disap-
pearing at a stiff gallop into the
darkness.
Took the hint kind o nice for
Davie, didn't hep drawled Pete.
We'll, guess 1t weren't so much
charity as his own canteen talkin',''
said Benjamin William Smith.
The second relay of men was
stretched out around the camp
fire tired and hungry when the
chuck wagon rumbled in sight.
and a roaring cheer went up as
the cook himself stepped out, a
glorifed spirit onsthe desert sands
After hearty supper the boys
turned in again on the relief
shifts and gradually the long
night of watching faded into a
pale purple dawn, emerging with
jump from lilac glow into the