Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-02-02

but I shouted 10 them 10 sheer on and
at rife point warned them across the
river to land where they might and
thank God had not driven them ia
the bottom with an ounce Of buck.
was still watching them to see they
landed safely and had half turned ia
take the trail again when almost under
the river bank and seized my ankle.
| tripping me fiat. The next moment u
man leaped up from the shore where
he had been crouchng but as lay on
my back gave him violent kick in
the face and rolled over out Of reach.
Before could grasp my rife his
hatcher few, plnning one flap OF my
hunting shirt TO the ground. | wrench
ed the Ratchet free and hurled it back
at him so that the fat of the blade
smacked his face. and he dropped into
the water with a scream.
Shaking all over. rose and lifted
my rife, instinctively repriming. But
the sight of the man In the mud. crawl
Ing about. gasping and blowing bloody
bubbles, made me sick. and the next
moment turned tail and ran like II
rabbit.
1t was late In the afternoon when
turned once more from the trail and
limped into the forest and | was now
close enough to exhaustion TO feel for
the first time in my life a touch of thar
desperation which makes a fury out of
a cornered creature be it panther or
mouse.
As / crept once more into the forest
my hatred for Butler gave me new
strength, and | staggered on searching
for vantage colgn where ! might
take another shot at the grotesque
crew. Up and up crawled, family
alarmed at my increasing weakness.
for now when a vine tripped me
could scarce make out to rise again.
needed rest An hour would have suf-
feed to steady the palsy of exhaustion-
If only the night would come quickly!
But there were two hours of daylight
yet-two long hours of light in which
to track my every step.
/ caught a distant glimpse of them
far below me. searching the ravine and
river bank How they had been lurcd
off 10 the river | know not. but ii gave
me Il brief chance for breath. though
not for shot, and | rested my face on
my rifle stock pnd closed my eyes.
had been kheeling behind granite
rock in bare waste of BURBERRY
scrub. close TO the edge of the woods.
and presently as | attempted to rise |
fell down and began to claw around
like blind kitten.
Then a culver swept through me like
aAicy wind. With a pang | remem-
bered my mission and the wampum
pledges, the boast ANA the vow to Sir
William. Darkness crowded me down:
my head reeled, yet / rose again to my
knees. swaying and clutching at the |
rock which | could barely see All
around a thick night seemed to hem |
me in. CROPPED through a chilly void |
FOR my rife; it was gone. Paaic strick-
en-, | staggered up. drenched with dew.
and | saw the moon staring at me over |
a mountains ghostly wall.
Slowly | realized that had slept: |
that death had passed me where lay |
unconscious in the open moorland.
My heel struck my rifle. In an in
slant was down behind the rock to
prime with dry powder: but. to my hor-
ror, | found flint missing, charge
drawn, pan raised and ramrod sticking
helplessly out Of the barrel. The shock |
me for moment: then |
at knife and Ratchet only to
ind an empty belt dangling to my
ankles.
In the impulse of fury and despair |
crouched fiat with clinched fists. trem-
bling for spring. and at the same in
slant tall figure rose from the bushes
At my elbow. laughing coolly.
Greeting. friend" he said God
save our country iii
Speechless and dazed. / turned to
lace him. but Ae only leaned quietly on
l long rifle and pincbed his chin and
,huckled.
There are some gentlemen yonder
looking for you, young man." he said.
4 sent them south. for somehow |
thought you might not be looking for
them.Y
ITO Do Cn,<.r-oxyA