Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1907-11-23

Brad's heart was in his ewes as he
watched 1t come creeping. cree ping
Now it rolled and SWctlcd, and now,
coming on with whirlWiud speed. 1t
took shape on either side in rounded
pufrs that rose and broke and were
ever renewed. Noting this. the broncho
breaker threw both hands cXultingly
above his head and cried. The cabal-
lda," for the herd was coming straight
Tor the corral.
Brad Strengthened up for one last
assuring look. Then. instead of fa-
miliar figure in n tapping hat and
flannel shirt, his amazed eyes caught
sight of a black crown with Il feather
He saw a braided long lock. a scarlet
blanket blown backward from a wild
rider, and then the figure vanished in
the dust.
At this sight Brad dropped down on
the stack. Along the center line of its
top a heavy pole had been laid to hold
down the hay in the wind In the de
preston made by the pole in the yield
ing hay Brad now tlattcncd himself
out.
lie had no time In his disabled condi-
tion to seek other hiding place. for al
ready the head of the horse herd thun-
dcred in the open corral. and he heard
the blowing and trampIing of the ex
cited beasts circling about.
Then came the bang of the gates,
closed violently, and the rattle of the
chain that held them. Then voices,
lao. l.
words, arose from the side of the cor
raj Brad blessed his lcauness as he
Shrunk close to the pole. He blessed
the wind that had RULED the hay all
along the top of the stack
The height of the stacks top. howev-
cr, as we'll as its wind rullled edges and
the depression in its center in which
he lay, effcctually hid him from the In
dams standing almost directly below
him. and he could not see them him
self without lifting his head. But from
his high place he could overlook the
buildings beyond, and as a shout came
from that direction he cautiously peer
ed ont through the spears of hay
At the corner of the cook house
Cheyenne diSmountcd. stood calling
and waving his hand toward the cor
raj. At first glance Erad was sure the
Indian saw him. and he in$.inCti"cly
reached for the six shooter in his belt
His apprehension. however, quickly
changed to Indignation as he noticed
that the fellow was foWriShiug in his
hand fat roast goose which Brad had
taken particular pains to brown to a
shade. The Indian called yoCiferouSly
to his companions.
\ shout in response came from be
low Brad, and he heard the sounds If
moving horsemen. AS they came across
his line of vision on their way to the
cook house he counted five other Chey-
cnnes
From the stack Brad could see the
gin on the face OF the Indian as he
pointed within when the others rode
Cp Then there we're lapGhs. cries of
! pleased surprise and distinctly audible
smiling of the gratifying odor from the
open door Five savage riders dis
mounted and vanished in the cook
house, leaving the man of the goose to
guard their ponies.
The sight and, above all, the sounds
of their feast made Rrad'S soul rage
within him. Nor was it at all uuicted
when, now that the Indians about the
corral were gone, lie looked over in it
and saw that they had rounded up ev-
cry Circle Dot horse on the range
For an instant only in looking in the
corral lie had taken his eyes from the
Indian watching over the ponies, but
the man had vanished in that moment
Brad surmised that Icing no sign of
life about the place, he had joined his
fellows at the feast Within
After stulling themselves they would,
he we'll knew, search for the maker of
that feast with other intent than
Thanksgiving. 1t was useless for him
TO lie there Whore should he conceal
himself securely? Somewhere he must
60 and that quickly.
Brad slipped to the ladder, clasped
either long side piece with a knee and
arm and began to slide down. But as
he started his eyes swept over the cor
raj and saw every horse in it look ing
up to him. Their eyes. staring and
CLASSY, seemed to appeal to him for
Succor palmer than any speech.
Swiftly down he slid, and the corral
wall, rising up, hid the horses from his
sight. But as he struck the ground on
his sound leg he had no further thought
of seeking hiding place for himself,
He stepped to one side of the stack
ana boldly surveyed the cook house
Not an Indian was in sight. The six
ponies, with heads down and reatas
trailing, stood motionless before the
door
Il reckon I'll jeS' mosey up to that
door seems they're all so busy with
that grub inside" Bral'S thought ran
ON. "Tll jerk the door to an hitch the
chain over the steeple, an I've got 'em
Corrallcdr'
His quick movement gave no indica-
lion of the pain it cost him. Indeed
he hardly felt the pain as he stole to
the back of the building, slipped along
the wall and gained the corner near
the door,
All his senses We're on u strain and
he felt rather than heard Il moccaslned
foot inside step for the door Forget
ting then all about his lame leg, Brad
made a rush for 1t, his six shooter
cooked in his hand
On the threshold he encountered the
guardian of the ponies coming out. SO
close were the two that Brad actually
thrust the muzzle of his six shooter
against the buckskin clad breast of the