Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-12-02
THE BIT
OF RED
By HoNoRE wILLSIE
COPYRIGHT. igO5. bU T.. G.. Parcels
By HoNoRE wILLSIE


herd trying to remember and to for
ret. trying to remember her voice. her
face. her vivid beauty: trying 10 for
ret the words that cut short his course
rs Il newspaper man and sent him out
on the ranch. Was II. after all, only
n year since she refused him? Could
he never again close his eyes without
seeing the rel of her gown? II seemed
half Il lifetime that lie had been guard
ing these beasts. rounding up strag-
glcrS. keeping watch lest the herd
stampede for the river. Day after day
Of burning sun and night after night
of stars the loneliness Of the plain
oppressed him: the cattle irritated him
with their stupid docllity. The hot
noon sun blistcred down on their
brown backs. The black flies buzzed
above them and their
The bronclo raised his head suddenly.
II was so unusual for Dick tn show
signs of life during the noon hour that
the man was startled from his reverie.
4 subtle disturbing wave seemed to
sweep through the herd. Here and
there head was tossed. and dilatcd
nostrils shifted the summer air. The
man. vaguely disturbed. looked to-
ward the rear of the herd. Far out
on the plain was n blackboard with q
bit of red iluttcring In 1t. Good
Lord" he said aloud. "onc of the fool
beasts has caught sight OF that. It's
hold tight now or the devil TO pay"
Ills year on the plain had taught him
that the cattle herd Is more sensitive
10 panic than even the human throng.
4 sudden movement. Il strange nutter
of sound or color, and far down In the
grazing herd comes II sudden closing or
ranks, a slow moving forward OF n
constantly augmented mass that. with
quick increase of speed. sweeps on, I'M
I'll Il thousand panic stricken steers
stampede across the plain.
Bruce sat rigid upon his broncho at
the head of the herd. Alone. he knew
IL was hopeless To attempt to make the
herd circle the one sure remedy Tor
stampede. Even the slightest move
mcnt on his part might prccipitate mat
tiers. while absolute quiet might pre-
vent the breaking Of the storm which
was slowly brewing
4 half mile out on the plain the
blackboard and the fluttcring bit of red
drew nearer More heads were tossed
IN the air. ON the outskirts of the herd
nearest the coming blackboard here
and there n steer ceased grazing and
moved hcsitatingly toward the center.
Inuuiring heads were lifted TO see
what the movement meant. Those that
spicd the iiuttcring red followed quick
" TO the center Those that failed TO
see the cause felt the vague wave OF
terror and with short snorts of fear
sought to move close TO their fellows.
In rapid succession the animals were
struck by the panic wave. With brain
clear and tense, as full realization Of
his danger came upon him Bruce held
In his restless pony and thought rapid
". Facing him was the here. Behind
him, three miles out across the plain,
was the river. II the stampede came,
heaven alone knew wheih r. the mad
dened cattle would plunge hcadlong
over the banks. those in front forced
on by the unseclng ones in the rear, or
whether the leaders could turn all nj
right angles and follow the river bank.
For one moment Bruce thought Of
trying To turn the stampede and by
whip and shout endcavor 10 send the
frightened brutes back. away from the
river, but danger 10 the nearing buck
board. now so close that he could see IL
contained the figures Of man and u
woman, prccluded that plan. Then all
power of controlling affairs was taken
from him. for Dick. suddenly attacked
by the fear contagion. gave n pitiful
whinny of terror and. with the bit be.
tween his teeth. boltcd toward the riv'
er. The sudden sound and movement
were all that was needed. and In the
next instant Dicks hoof beats were
drowned In the roar OF hoofs In mad
flight about him.
Bruce. with knees that gripped the
saddle like iron, gave one glance be-
hind him. lie was riding among the
leaders, but the heavy hurtling ranks
behind them threatened az any mo.
mcnt TO ride them down. II he could
make an opening Dick had three miles
In which 10 pull away from them. and
the roar OF the maddcncd beasts. thci'
wild snorts. and the occasional shrek
OF one OF their number. who fell and
was instantly tramplcd 10 death, made
spur or whip or word unncedcd for the
broncho Trembling. with head thrust
far forward and nostrlls distcnded. he
sped on with all the speed the beasts
crowded rhout him would permit.
Could they turn nj the river: II not,
Bruce knew that death for him was a
matter OF few moments. And sud
denly life seemed very sweet TO him.
Even life without her seemed suddenly
bcarablc. The scent OF the linden buds.
the rel OF the gown she wore. how Wv
III and how lovely even the memory
was. And was this all that life was 20
hold for 'him-a few years OF hope de-
fcrrcd nnd early destroyed. then n few
memories. and then death! And what
death -trampled. mangled. made into
n thin. unspcakuble bV those trampling