Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1905-02-16
THE STRESS OF THE TRAIL
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Co.,

We better go back a piece-eh,
Jeff! advised the Freak. as they I'M
tied their horses There's little
cOuice, yuh remember back about
four miles. Maybe them cayuses To-
Gated in that. There's little thanks
along it,
'Sure." the big man answered, hope
fully. We got t have EN- t. break a
ROAD for these critters. Maybe We'll
run onto Il bunch O broom tails
though l guess the Injuns keep EN-
pretty we'll chased out o here"
They turned the cattle out of the
corral to browse around as best they
could; there was little danger Of their
straying far. Not voluntarily would
they trample their way through the
encOmpaSsing SNOW.
On top of Il little eminence, half a
mile from the cOulee of which the
Freak had spoken, they halted Back
at the corral they could see the bunch
of cattle-a black blot on the dazzling
white page of the prairie; before them
spread away a vast eXpanse Of mo-
notOnoUs level; for many miles the
brown breast of the earth was clothed
in the glittering robes of winter.
ugh! Big Jeff shivered. Not
blasted horse in sight. | guess we
better go back an try to shove them
cattle through the best we can"
For answer the Freak pointed down
the coulee which they overlooked.
Amt that smoke down there:" he
! Intercepted, anXiOusly.
1t was smoke, Big Jeir averred. To-
| ward it they headed their horses, pIOd-
ding patiently. AS they came nearer,
| the almost invisible eXhalation devel-
oped into a half-doZen well-defined
| blue spiralS, floating straight I'D
through the tranquil atmosphere. They
| eyed them with disfavOr; and, when
| rounding a bend of the cOulee, they
came upon bunch of scrubby ponies,
orange buckskinS and gayly marked
pintOs predOminating in number, the
Freak pulled up in disgust.
"A bunch of skulkin' eros Ventres,'
he lamented. Lot o good they'll do
US
Maybe we could get m t. break
trail for us Jeff hazarded, hopefully.
It's worth quite a bit to the outfit,
yuh know. t get them cattle through;
an maybe some O these buchOS
wouldn't mind maxim a few spondu-
licks."
Wont do no hurt t. try, / reckon"
admitted the Freak, but these here
eros VentreS are lazier than a fat
COW in July. l know 'em."
So they rode to the teepee that. by
its size and ornamentation, they
judged to be the abode OF the chief.
In many Indian dialects was the
Freak versed, and so he was able to
state their wants with dignity and
much sOnorous language.
But the chief grunted disapproval.
His ponies were weary, he said. and
the snow was deep. Also his young
men were weary. and the smoke of
the teepee fires was strong in their
nostrils Therefore the trail could not
be broken for his white brothers. even
though he offered much flat silver
This tie Freak communicated to
Jeff as they rode away. Around the
bend, past the Indian ponies, jeff pull
ed up his horse. He curled one chap
encased leg around the saddle-horn,
and eyed the Freak.
How many ponies they got tied up
in, Sl- c-1IIi
yuh notice, m son "
1.-TWO was all | seen. Why"
AN if them two was loose they'd
be afoot, wouldn't they? Big jeff went
on, ignoring the question.
why, yes, [ guess they would But
what if they was"
I'll tell yuh." JEFF swung his horse
| closer 10 the Freak. and lowered his
voice-,hOugh there was none within
three hundred yards to hear. At ia
tervals, the Freak nodded his head
| and calculated Sure" with much en-
phasis. Then Big Jeff resumed his
normal position in the saddle. and they
| turned back to the eros Ventre camp.
! The white brothers of the chief Of
the eros NentTcS." the Freak grated.
| have little grub wherewith to face
the deep SHOWS, and their stomachs
| would be as the stomach Of the gray
wolf ere they reach the wooden tee
PEGS of the White Father at Snake
Butte Can the great chief spare Il
| few pounds Of -four and leg Of deer
meat? His white brothers will give
many pieces of fiat silver
Yes. the great chief coulI-for fiat