Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-03-05
CHAPTER I.
The leland With Mystery.


bluff, and that it should be the last.
But he had said the same thing many
times since striking the barron hill re-
Eion fanking both sides of the river.
Hump after hump had been surmount-
ed since the sound Of the first prom
isc had tickled the ears of the tired
broncho humps as alike as the two
humps of a Bactrian camel, the monot-
onous continuity OF which might very
well have confused the mind of one
less at home on these ranges than
George Williston. Even he, riding
blind trail since sun-up. sitting his
saddle with a heavy indifference born
OF heat and fatigue. began to think 1t
might be that they were describing a
circle and the sun was playing them
strange tricks. Still. 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 q small bunch Of cat
tie, branded lazy 5, missing these
three days.
Had not untcward circumstances
interviewed, he might still have gone
bindly 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
wltchcraft 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 AK, but
you're slow" muttered Williston. I'D
give a good deal to sit down this min
ute to some OF my little girls flap
Jacks and coffee But nothing for us,
lazy-bones. till midnight-or morning,
more likely. Do walk up as If you had
some little standing in the world OF
COW ponies You haven't, of surety,
but you might make an effort All
things are possible TO him who tries.
you know, which is tremendous lie,
of course. But perhaps 1t doesn't ap-
ply to poor devils like US who are
has beens.' Here we are. Ah!"
There were no more hills Almost
directly at his feet Ta8 one of those
precipitous cutaways that character
ize the border bluffs of the Missouri
river. A few more steps, in the dark.
and horse and rider would have plung
ed over a shser wall Of nearly 200
-
OF involuntary horror which almost
simultaneously gave place to one OF
wonder and astonishuent. He had
struck the river at q point absolutely
new to him 1t was the time of low
water, and the river in most of its
phases muddy and sulleG-looking,
cleaned silver ard cold with the gilt
ser OF the setting sun, making a royal
highway to the dwellingplace Of
Phoebus, A little TO the north of this
sparkling hishroad lay what would
have been an island in high water.
thlckly wooded with willows and cot
tonwoods. Now a long stretch of sand
reached between bluff and island.
Dismountng with the quick thought
that yonder island might hold the Sc
cret Of his lost cattle, he crept as
close to the edgc as he dared. The
cut was sheer and tawuy. entirely de-
void of shrnbbory by means of which
one might hazard a descent The sand
bed began immc diatoly 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. Bahled, 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?
1t was the sun, or course, Twelve
hours of sun in the eyes could play
strange tricks and might even cause
dancing black spcck to assume the
semblance of man on horseback
picking his way easily, though may
hap bit warily, across the waste oil
rand. He seemed to have sprung from
the very bowels Of the bluff Whence
Else? Many rod beyond and above
The ghostly figure frowned the tawny
wicked cut.away. Path for neither
horse nor man appeared so far as eye
rould reach. 1t must be the sun. Blu
1t was not the SUI.
Motionless, intent, figure cast II
bronze as the sun went down, the lear
ranchman gaZed steadfasty dow
upon the miniature man and hors
creeping along so far below. Not III
til the object OF his fixed gaze ha,
been swallowed by the trees and IN
derbrush did his muscles relax. Thi
man had ridden as If unafraid.
What man has done, man can do,
ran swiftly through Willistons brain
and with NO idea of abandoning hi
search until ne had probed the my:
terry, he mounted and rode northwarc
closely examining the edge of tn
precipice as he went along for an
evidence of possible descent. Pre-:
emily he came upon cross ravine, d.
void Of shrubbery, TOO steep for
horse, but presenting possibilities fo
man. With uncrring instinct he 70
lowed the cross,cut westward Sool
2 scattering Of scrub oaks began t
appear, and sumach already streake'
with crimson. A little farther and tn
trees began to show spiral wreaths o
woodbine and wild grape. Yet littl
farther. and doubtless there would b.