Gunnison news-champion., 1907-12-27
CHAPTeRI
Tes Lelsos Oan . 0ysasry.

scra&gy backskin Cow pony. that they
would ride to the summit of this one
hlsF. and tha; !; should be the las;
but BE- had said the same thing many
times since striking the barren hiIl re-
giou fanking bath sides of the river
hump ef Bactrisn camel. the monot.
cd since the sound of the FIRST prom
Use had ticsied the ears of the tired
bToacho. humps a. alike as the txo
humps Of Bastrian camel. the mono,
onoas continuity of which might very
~ell have confused the mind OF one
less at home on these ranges than
George Nilliston. Eveu h.. riding a
blind trail since sun-up. sitting his
saddle with a heavy Indifference born
of heat and fatigue began 20 think n
might be thai they we're describing a
circle and the sun was PLAYING them
strange tricks. sun. he urged his pony
TO one more effort. Just So much
farther and they would retrace their
steps. giving up for this day AT least
the locating Of small bunch of cat
tie. branded lazy 5. missing these
three DAYS
Had not untowsrd circumstances
intervened. he might stin have gone
hlindly on for laying aside the gam
bling fever that was on him. he could
I'll AFFORD to lose the ten or twelve
steers somewhere wandering the wide
range or huddled into some safe place.
there to abide the time when a daring
rustler might conveniently play at
witchcraft with the brand or other
wise dispose Of them with profit to
himself and with credit to his craft
Moreover, what might possibly never
have been missed from the vast herds
Of Langford, his neighbor Of the plains
country, was Of most serious import
to Williston.
Devil take you. Battle Az, bat
you're slow" muttered Williston. ia
give = good deal to sit down this min
ute to some Of my little girls nap
Jacks and coffee. But nothing for us.
lazy bones. till midnight-or morning.
more likely. Do walk up ~ II you had
come little standing in the world Of
COW ponies. You haven't. Of q surety.
but you might make An effort All
things are possible to hin who tries,
yea know, which 10 . tremeaAOus Ne.
II course. But perhaps II doesn't ap-
ply to poor devils like us Who are
has beens.' Here we are. All"
There were no more hills. Almost
directly at his feet was one of those
precipitous cut-aways that character
ize the border BLUFFS Of the Missouri
river. A few more steps. in the dark,
and horse and rider would have plune.
ed over . sheer wall Of nearly 200
feet. As 1t WAS. Williston gave . gasp
Of Involuntary horror which almost
simultaneously gave place to one Of
wonder and astonishment He had
struck the river at . point absolutely
new to him. II was the time Of lOW
water. and the river. In most Of its
phases muddy and sullen looking.
cleaned silver and gold with the gilt
highway to the dwelling place of
Phoebus. A little 10 the north Of this
sparkling highroad lay what would
have been an island in high water,
thickly wooded with willows and cot
tonwoods. Now a long stretch Of sand
reached between bluff and island
Dismounting. with the quick thought
that yonder island might hold the se-
cret of his lost cattle, he crept as
close to the edge as he dared. The
cut was sheer and tawny. entirely de-
void of shrubbery by means of which
one might hazard a descent. The sand
bed began Immediately at the foot OF
the yellow wall. Even though one
managed to gain the bottom. one
would hardly dare risk the deceitful
sands, ever shifting. fair and treach-
erous. Bafiled. he was on the point of
remounting to retrace his steps when
he dropped his foot from the stirrup
amazed. Was the day of miracles not
yet passed?
II was the sun, OF course Twelve
hours of sun in the eyes could play
strange tricks and might even cause
. dancing black speck to assume the
semblance OF a man on horseback.
picking his way easily, though may
hap a bit warily. across the waste OF
sand. He seemed to have sprung from
the very bowels of the bluff Whence
else? Many a rod beyond and above
the ghostly fgure frowned the tawny.
wicked cut-away. Path for neither
horse nor man appeared SO far as eye
could reach. II must be the sun. But
it was not the sun.
Motionless. intent. a figure cast in
bronze as the sun went down. the lean
ranchman gAzed steadfAstly down
upon the miniature man and horse
creeping along so far below. Not un
til the object Of his Axed gaze had
been swallowed by the trees and un.
derbrush did his muscles relax. This
man had ridden ~ II uAafraid.
What man has done. 0aa can do.
ran swiftly through willistoa's brain,
and with no idea Of ahanAoaing his
search until he had probed tie mys
tery, he nounted and rode norfhWard
e3poely exAmining the edge OF the