New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1905-11-15
THE BIT
or RED
By HONORE WILLSIE
Copyright. 1905, By &. c. Parcels
By HONORE WILLSIE


Bruce sat alone at the head Of the
herd trying to remember and to for
get, trying to remember her voice, her
face, her vivid beauty; trying to for
get the words that cut short his course
as a newspaper man and sent him out
on the ranch Was it. after ALL only
a year since she refused him? Could
he never again close his eyes without
seeing the red of her gown? 1t seemed
half a lifetime that he had been guard
ing these beasts, rounding up stray
glers, 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 docility. The hot
noon sun blistered down on their
brown backs. The black flies buzzed
above them and their
The broncho raised his head suddenly.
1t was so unusual for Dick to show
signs of life during the noon hour that
the man was startled from his reverie.
A subtle disturbing wave seemed to
sweep through the herd. Here and
there a head was tossed, and dilated
nostrils shifted the summer air. The
man, vaguely disturbed, looked to-
ward the rear of the herd. Far out
on the plain was blackboard with a
bit of red tluttering in it. Good
Lord" he said aloud, lone of the fool
beasts has caught sight of that! It's
hold tight now Or the devil to pay.'
His year on the plain had taught him
that the cattle herd is more sensitive
to panic than even the human throng
A sudden movement, a strange tutter
of sound or color, and far down in the
grazing herd comes sudden closing OF
ranks, a slow moving forward of a
constantly augmented mass that, with
quick increase Of speed, sweeps on, un-
til a thousand panic stricken steers
stampede across the plain.
Bruce sat rigid upon his broncho at
the head of the herd. Alone, he knew
it was hopeless to attempt to make the
herd "circle," the one sure remedy for
a stampede Even the slightest move
mention his part might precipitate mat
tiers, while absolute quiet might pre-
vent the breaking Of the storm which
was slowly brewing.
A half mile out ON the plain the
blackboard and the f1uttering bit OF red
drew nearer. More heads were tossed
~, ~. 10, 1%ci- fptu % +ho Nd
nearest the coming blackboard here
and there a steer ceased grazing and
moved hesitatingly toward the center
1nquiring heads were lifted to see
what the movement meant. Those that
spied the fiuttering 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 We're
struck by the panic wave. With brain
clear and tense, as full realization of
his danger came upon him Bruce held
in bis restless pony and thought rapid
ly. Facing him was the herd. Behind
him, three miles out across the plain,
was the river. If the stampede came,
heaven alone knew whether the mad
dened cattle would plunge headlong
over the banks. those in front forced
on by the unseeing ones in the rear, or
whether the leaders could turn all at
right angles and follow the river bank
For one moment Bruce thought of
trying to turn the stampede and by
whip and shout endeavor to send the
frightened brutes back, away from the
river, but danger to the nearing buck
board, now so close that he could see il
contained the figures Of a man and q
| woman, precluded that plan. Then al
| power of controlling affairs was takeI
from him, for Dick, suddenly attacked
| by the fear contagion, gave a pitifu
| Whinny Of terror and, with the bit be
| tween his teeth, bOlted toward the riv
er. The sudden sound and movement
were all that was needed, and in the
J next instant Dicks hoof beats were
drowned in the roar of hOofs in mac
flight about him.
| Bruce, with knees that gripped thu
saddle like iron, gave one glance be
hind him. He was riding among tn
leaders, but the heavy HURTING rank
behind them threatened at any mo
ment to ride them down. If he coult
make an opening Dick had three mile
in which to pull away from them, ant
the roar of the maddened beasts, thei
wild snorts, and the occasional shrie
Of one of their number, who fell am
was instantly trampled to death, mad
spur or whip or word unneeded for tn
broncho. Trembling, with head thrus
far forward and nostrils distended, b
sped on with all the speed the beast
crowded about him would permit.
) Could they turn at the river? If no
Bruce knew that death for him was
matter of a few moments. And sue
denly life seemed very sweet to hin
Even life without her seemed suddenl
bearable The scent of the linden bud
the red of the gown she wore, how VII
i'd and how lovely even the memor
was! And was this all that life was
: hold for him-a few years of hope d
ferred and early destroyed, then fe
t memories, and then death? And VIII;
| Ioo+ t,.op ,,Io rrlo in