Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1907-06-06
CHAPTER xxxv.

II was dusk when they rode down
the hill together. They followed the
canyon road to its meeting with the
main highway at the northern edge
OF AMAZON. Where the roads Joined
they passed Bishop Wright, who, with
hts hat of, turned to stare at them,
and to pull at his fringe of whisker In
seeming perplexity.
He must have been on his way
to our house." Prudence called.
with that hair and whiskers," an.
swered FOllett, with some irrelevance,
"he looks like an old buffalo bull just
before shedding time"
They rode fast until the night fell.
scanning the road ahead for a figure
on horseback. When It was quite
dark they halted.
We might pass him." suggested
Follett. He was fairly tuckered out,
and he might fall on any minute"
Down out OF Pine valley they went.
and over more miles OF gray alkali
toward a line of hills low and black
In the north.
They came 70 these. followed the
road out OF the desert through a mar
row gap. and passed into the Noun
tain meadows. refining In their horses
as they did so.
Before them the meadows stretched
between two ranges OF low. rocky
hills. narrow ut first but widening
gradually from the gap through which
they had come. But the ground where
the long. rich grass had once grown
was now barren, gray and ugly In the
moonlight, cut Into deep Gullies and
naked OF all but a scant growth OF
sage brush which the moon was sill
vering, and a few clumps OF shadowy
scrub oak along the base of the hills
on either side.
Instinctively they stopped. speaking
In low tones. And then there came
to them out Of the nights silence a
strange. weird beating: hollow, NUT
fed, slow. and rhthymiGA but pene-
trating and curiously exciting. like an.
other pulse cunningly playing upon
their own to make them beat more
rapidly. The girl pulled her horse
close in by his. but he treasured her.
IT'S lndians-they must be holding
the funeral of some chief. But no
matter-these Indians aren't any more
account than prairie dogs"
They rode on slowly, the funeral
drum sounding nearer as they went
Then far up the meadow by the
roadside they could see the hard.
square lines Of the cross In the moon
light. Slower still they went. while
the drum beats became louder, until
they seemed to fall upon their own
eardrums.
"Could-he have come to this dread
full placer" she asked. almost in a
whisper.
we haven't passed him. that's sure;
and I've got notion he lied. Eve
heard him talk about this cross OF
and on--lts been a good deal in hii
mind-and maybe he was a little ou
of his head. But we'll socn see."
They walked their horses UP a lit
tie ascent, and the cross stood out
more clearly against the sky. They
approached It slowly, leaning forward
to peer all about Il: but the shadows
lay heavy at It's base. and from q
little distance they could dlstinguis
no outline.
But at last they were close by and
could pierce the gloom, and therA al
the foot of the cross. beside the cAirI
OF stones that helped to support II
was little huddIed bit OF blackBess
II moved as they looked, and they
knew the voice that came from a.
"oh God. am tired and ready
Take me and burn me,"
She was on her horse and quickly
Mt his eide. Follett, 10 let them b.
alone, led the horses to the sErinl
below. II was almost gone now, 0nly
the feeblest trickle OK rivulet re
manning. The once green meaeowi
had behaved. indeed. as II a curs'
we're put upon them. Hardly haS
grass grown or water run through q
since the day that Israel wrovgh
there. When he had tied the horses
he heard Prudence calling him.
I'm afraid he's delirious,' she said
when he reached her side. He keeps
hearing cries and shots. and sAes |
/ WumAu y mar NofAhh oeAOtS MIA 1Ai
he's afraid OF something back Of him
What can we do?"
At the foot OF the cross the littl'
man was again sounding his eadles
prayer.
Bow me, bend me, break me. 70
have been soui-p:Sud. Burn M
out"
She knelt by his side. trying t
so0th him.
"Father-lts all risht--it's Pru
dence--.
But at her name he uttered a CT.
with such terror in Il that she shut
dered and was still Then he begal
70 mutter incoherently, and she hear
her own name repeated many times
III that awful beating would onl
. stop" she said 10 FolIett, who hRl
now brought water In the curled hrir
OF his hat. She tried 10 have the III