The indicator., 1904-12-03
CHAPTER XNIII.
THE rILor's LAST PORT.

III regarded in the Swan Creek
Y6eSse9I country rs a kind of solemn
CAe4s.J fcstlvity. In those days for
the most part, men died in their boots
and were planted with much honor
and loyal libntion. There was often
neither shroud nor coffin, and In the
far west many poor fellow lies as he
fell, wrapped in his own or his com
rade's blanket.
1t was the manager of the Y L com
pany's ranch that introduced Grape.
The occasion was the funeral of one of
the ranch cowboys. killed by his bron
co, but when the pallbearers and
mourners appeared with bands and
streamors of Grape this WIS voted by
the majority as too gay That cir
cumstuuce alone was sufficient to rpn-
der that fun raj famous. but it l5G5 re-
membcred too, rs having shocked the
proprieties in another ard NOR" srrinua
manner No one would br so marrow
minded as to object to the custom of
the return procession, falling into a
series of horse races of the widest de
scription and ending up at Latours in
a general riot. But to race with the
corpse was considered bad form. The
corpse driver" as he was called. could
hardly be blamed on this occnslon.
His acknowledged place was at the
head of the procession, and 1t was II
point of honor that that place should
be retained. The fault lay clearly with
the driver of the y l. ranch sleigh,
tni nj hn lun
ton, by the way). who felt aggrieved
that Hi Kendall driving the Ashley
team with the pallbearers (another
innovatlon), should be given the place
of honor next the corpse
The Y /. driver wanted to know
what, in the name of all that was black
and blue. the Ashley ranch had to do
with the funeral? Whose was that
corpse, anyway? Didn't it belong to the
X L ranch? Hi, on the other hand.
contendcd that the corpse was in
charge of the pallbearrrs. 1t was
their duty TO see it right 10 the grave,
and If they We're not on hand how was
1t goin' to get there? They didn't eI-
pect that it would git up and get there
by itself, did theyl Hi didn't want no
blanked mourners foolin' round that
corp till it was properly planted; after
that they might git in their work
But the y l. driver could not accept
this view. and at the first opportunity
slipped past HI and his pallbearers
and took the place next the sleigh that
carried the coffin. 1t Is possible that Hi
might have borne with this affront and
loss of position with even mind, but
the jeering remarks of the mourners as
they slid past triumphantly could not
be endured. and the next moment the
three teams were abreast In a race as
for dear life. The corpse driver, hav-
ing the advantage of the beaten track,
soon left the other two behind running
neck and neck for second place, which
was captured finally by HI and main
tained TO the grave side in spite Of
many attempts on the part of the X LIS.
The whole proceeding, however, was
considered quite improper, and at La
tours that night, after full and bibu-
lous discussion, it was agreed that the
corpse driver fairly distributed the
blame. For his part, he said, he knew
git any such move on, but he wasn't
goln' TO see that there corp take second
place at his own funeral. Not If he
could help it. And as for the others, he
thought that the pallbearers had q
blanked sight more to do with the
plantin' than them giddy mourners
But when they gathered at the Mere
dith ranch to carry out the Pilot to his
grave 1t was felt that the foothill coun-
They were all there-the men from
the Porcupine and from beyond the
Fort, the police with the inspector in
command. all the farmers for twenty
miles around, and of course all the
ranchers and cowboys of the Swan
Creek country. There was no effort at
repression. There was no need, for in
the cowboys for the first time In their
experience there was no heart for fun.
And as they rode up and hitched their
horses to the fence or drove their
sleighs into the yard and took off the
bells there was no loud voiced saluta-
tion no guying nor chatting but with
silent nod they took their places in the
crowd about the door or passed into
the kitchen.
The men from the Porcupine could
not quite understand the gloomy ST.
lence. 1t was something unprecedent-
ed in n country where men laughed all
care to scorn and saluted death with
nod. But they were quick to read
signs, and. with characteristic courtesy,
they fell in with the mood they could
not understand. There is no man liv-
ing so quick to feel your mood and 20
ready to adapt himself to 1t as is the
true westerner.
This was the day of the cowboys
grief To the rest of the community
the Pilot was preacher; to them he was
comrade and friend. They had been
slow to admit him to their confidence,
but steadily he had won his place with
them till within the last few months
they had come to count him as of
themselves. He had ridden the range
with them, he had slept in their shacks
and cooked his meals on their tin
stoves. and, besides, he was Bills
chum. That alone was enough to give
him right to all they owned. He was
theirs, and they were only beginning to
take full prile in him when he passed
out from them, leaving an emptiness in
their life new and unexplained.
No man in that country had ever
shown concern for them. nor had 1t oc-
Cured to them that any man could till
the Pilot came. 1t took them long to
believe that the interest he showed in
them was genuine and not simply pro
fessional. Then. too, from preacher
they had expected chiefly pity. warn
ing, rebuke. The Pilot astonished them
by giving them respect. admiration and
open hearted affection. 1t was months
hnSoro <hov could GOT ovar fhoir ana,