West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-11-29

The moo that night was too bril-
liant FOR hcnisons: the gaunt. red world
lay nakci and unshriven for the sin
that long ago had brought upon IL the
wrath OF God. Sometimes the cattle
split and one OF them tried 10 turn
back TO the last water they had drunk.
for cattle. though blinded with thirst.
nevc forget the last stream nj which
they have quenched thirst and will
turn back TO II though they drop on
the way. But the men pressed them
farther and farther, and for yet a little
while the cattle yielded.
At midnight the saddle stock was in
capable OF moving farther. One horse
Ind fallen and lay too weak to rise.
The. others, limping and f~ootsorc. no
longer responded 20 quirt and rowel.
Th foreman ordered the herd thrown
ON the bed ground for the night. The
hcrders for the first watch began to
circle. The rest OF the outfit took to its
blankets TO snatch a little res; for the
double duty that awaited every man
that night. Now. II Is a time honored
belief among COW men that the herd
must be sung TO, particularly when Il
Is restless, and tonight they tried all
the old favorltes. the Cowboys La.
ment" being chief among them. But
the herd refused 10 be soothed, and
round and round It circled; not onco
would IL lie down.
The moon cleaned almost brazen,
showing the cruel scars, the trenches
torn by cloudbursts. She lines wrought
by the long, patient waiting OF the
earth for the lifting Of the wrath OF
God. 1mpcvishable GRIEF was writ oil
the land Ak on "A human face. The
night wore on. the watches changed,
the herd continued restless; not more
than a third OF II had bedded down.
The third watch was from 1 o'clock
TO half past 9 in the morning. Simp-
son and another NIX man, with two
Of the Wetmore outfit. made up a
double watch and rode. singing. about
the herd as the long. drcary watch
wore away. The cattlc's lowing had
taken on a gasptng. cracked sound
that WAS more frightful than the mad
dened below OF the early evening.
Simpson, who was past the age when
men live the life OF the saddle, felt
the hardship kcenly.
He had ridden since sunrise but for
the respite at noon and the scant time
ut the dry camp while the evening
meal was being eaten. He was more
than half asleep now as he lurched
heavily In the saddle, crossing and re-
crossing Ills partner in the half circle
they completed about the herd. Sud
denly Tie sharp yelp OF Il coyote rams
out; IL seemed 20 come from no farther
thar twenty yards away. The cattle
beard e, TOO. and a wave OF panic
swept throggi them. Simpson stlff-
ened In his saddle. The sound, which
was repeated. was an exact r~cproduc-
ton of Il coyotes yelp. yet he knew
that Il was not q coyote.
The herd rose TO its feet as n single
steer anl for n second stood -undeter-
mined. from Il clump OF ~sagebrush
not more than two feet high nuttered
somethirg long and white like a sheet.
1t waved in tho wind MS the cry was
repeated. The herd crashed forward
In n stampede. Simpson in the lead on
a tired h1rac, but n scant length ahead
OF n thousand maldencd steers boiling
In n pan.c of thlrst and fear.
Ills loose!' yelled the men in
their blankets, making for the tenn
porary rope corral 10 secure horses.
Simpson, tallow colored with fear,
chung Ike n cat to his horse and dug
the rowels into the beasts TANKS till
they We're bloody and dripping. He