The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-21

load Of No. rs in each barrel Of his gun,
while Bill had q No, Q and a No. Q.
The clouds had cleared away and the
suns warmth sank drowsily into the be-
numbed bodies OF the hunters, who lay
aimlessly putting their pipes. The yellow
food Of the Arkansas Tapped monotonously
its low banks. The day was passing away
In ~unspeaksble silence.
Then came the big buck.
His APPEARANCE, 90 unexpected, at first
scarcely disturbed the half dreaming hunt
ers. Even after he had stood a moment
on q jutting point at the mouth Of the Ope-
tonka, in plain sight, cycling the broad
reaches OF the river, and then plunged into
the water and waded majestioally to the
sandbar, hardly could they believe he was
not an illusion that had moved into the fore
ground Of this beautiful panorarca OF hills
and river. What a singing Of heartstrings
at the sight Of this lordly buck Of the Ope-
Eonkal
Splash splash went his feet in the water,
q~uickening in the shallower places TO a trot.
He seemed weary. and the farof baying OF
hounds In the hills told the story OF his
flight
John and Rill sat paralyzed gazing upon
this dream that had come true. The buck,
seeming no danger, for the wind was right,
drew closer and closer along the sandbar.
Would he get close enoughp The anguish
Of having left the long range rifles in camp
was too poignant for words.
The crisis was at hand. Bang went a load
Of No. rs at his spine, just in front Of his
hips, to uncouple him. His right hip
dropped for a moment as he gathered him
self to spring. Bangl bangl bangl went
three more loads at his head, searching, In
the ignorance Of tenderfootism, for q vital
spot.
Sand and water were flying many feet
In the air, the buck tearing madly up the
sandbar, quickly TO disappear behind a
clump Of willows that concealed the upper
reach Of river from his enemies. Not daring
to expose himself by trying to escape across
the open river, the buck turned toward
the nearest shore and was heard to strike
the deeper water Of the channel with a
boom that sounded as il he had fallen.
With only No. 0's for final onslaught, the
hunters sprsng 10 their feet in pursuit.
John stopped horrined at the sight Of Bill.
! Bills face had the pallor Of death: his facial
| muscles were distorted and rigid as II frozen
WAlAO 1NAbkCu W oOulO sCAAAbAO Hhuup HIS
| eyes were CLASSY; he struggled and painted
| for breath and his tongue seemed swollen
and iammed between his teeth.
Hang it, Bill, what's the matter1 Are
you shotl'
-N-no; n-not by a d-damned sight. ]
n-never had il b-befOre and n-never saw
anybody with 1t, b-but I g-g-guess I've got
Nb-buck ague."
/ And buck que was what he had.
The buck OF the opetonka had not fallen
Tho soft bank Of the river bore the imprint
OF his spearlike hoofs that cut the eartE
with many a bounding leap, led up a pre-.
cipitous bank, over a high rail fence and
across q narrow valley to the hills. The
hunters thrilled at the sight Of a red splash OF
the brown leaves; then another and another
The buck was wounded and bleeding.
Pursuit. without horses and hounds waG
useless, and the hunters hurried to camp
-Four horsemen were soon In the saddle "a
taks up the trail