Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-28

hind them with the roar and crash of a
cannonade.
Kent's teeth were ehattering: he was thin
ly clad wet to the skin. and the air had
suddenly become very cold Thinking that
he might find better shelter, he urged the
horse on. The thoroughly frightened ami
NAL had his headquarters under water.
much as IL he were standing upon his hind
legs. with his fore feet frantically clawing
at the crunbling bank.
At last. in response to kents urging, he
made another desperate struggle. but fell
heavily on his side against the bank partly
In and partly out of the water with one of
. the boys legs pinned fast beneath him.
Kent tried his best to free his foot, but
could not. Except for the foot, he was well
out of the water. and in a momentary lull
of the storm. he looked anxiously about
him. He saw that the bank, UP which the
horse had been trying to climb, terminated
in the country long enough to recognize this
peculiar formation butte" Another
glance told him that the big ditch made an
abrupt turn at the base of the butte.
It's the Quicksand Butte; we're In the
quicksands!' The roar of the wind and the
hiss of the hail on the water behind him
were lost. for the moment In the horror Of
his situation. He made another mad at
tempt to free himself, but 1t was useless.
Then he lay still. outstretched along the
horses back. He did not know whether the
horse was sinking or not, but the water.
cold with hailstones was creeping higher
upon his quarters.
The lariat had dropped from his hand. and
was trailing in the water; he drew it in,
carefully. loop by loop. making sure that
there were no kinks, and that it would run
free. With the loose coils in his left hand,
the moose in his right, he drew himself as
nearly erect in the saddle as possible and
waited. A moment later a hundred or more
OF the Wild cattle came rushing through the
storm. and tore down the bank below him;
too far away for cast. he thought, and
yet he must try: 1t was his only hope
Gathering up all his strength for one mighty
effort. he sent the coils of the lariat whiri-
ing through the air, toward the struggling
herd. Dimly across the storm he saw the
lasso settle over the horns of one of the
he and his horse were UP the bank tearing
along like the wind, in the midst of the
herd. The storm had nearly ceased now,
but Kent knew that his presence among
them would furnish excitement enough to
the cattle to keep them running. When
they had gone two miles, or more, sweeping
over the ground like a living avalanche,
Kent thought he saw that the horse had a
plan of his own. and was trying to put 1t
into execution.
He then recalled the fact that the horse, a
recent purchase of his fathers, had the rep
utation of being one of the best cow ponies
on the range. His former owner had said
of him: IF you ever have any cutting out
or any fancy range work to do, jest leave 1t
to Tom. All you want to do is to let him
know which critter you're after; then you
stich 10 your sdooie, gnu I'm ~ = ~ 80
rest" Kent resolved to follow his advice.
The cattle had spread out considerably by
this time the distance between the roped
steer and his mates having increased so as
to leave bit of clear space for him to work
in the horse stopped, bracing himself, stin-
legged for the coming pull. The stop was
so sudden that Kent In spite of his watch
fitness, nearly went over the horses head,
and the steer was jerked headlong to the
ground Kent instantly slipped the slack
ened rope off the saddle horn, and the steer,
regaining his feet, made off with the rope
trailing after him, while Kent, turning his
horse about, made off as rapidly In the OPP
postte direction.
Dusk was falling as he rode soberly into
the home Enclosure, to find the entire FAMILY
about to start out in search of him. The
pet Jersey, urged on by the storm. mad
made straight for home and greeted her
young master with a cordial "loo-o-o!
When warmed. dried and fed he presently
umped out TO see her.