The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-03-01


| finished, he relieved them of their hop
| pies, and, leading them around behind
| the crag, picketed them close in its
shadow. Then, carrying the improvise6
coffee pot in the crown of his hat. he
ascended again to the eyrie. And as
he reached the summit, far back across
the plain on the line of his own trail
he saw small and s1owIy-approac
ing cloud of dust.
| He reused his wife and accompanied
her down to the pool. Better drink
enough to last WHILE he said, and
she smiled back at him sleepily.
Reckon I don't need no urging she
| answered; and. while he filed the can
teen again, endeavored perplexedIy. to
set her clothing to rights.
Now Wen eat a bit" he announced,
when they had regained their camp:
tied to one of the saddles, produced a
little food.
You're not eatin',' she remarked
after little.
I had a bite before you woke UP. =
he replied, with averted eyes, lying
clumsily.
She studied his face for a moment,
and then her cheeks whitenad under
the tan. They're coming" she cried.
in sharp whisper; and. rising to her
knees, saw over the edge of the rock
three men riding toward them swiftly.
The three came quickly nearer, and
the man on the rock poked the muzzIe
of his rifle through the loop-hole, ITS
them,' he whispered. Bill Dundas
and old man McGaran and Simon Britt
president, secretary and treasurer of
the Buckle Bar Cattle Company-pres>
ident, secretary and treasurer of the
Palo-Verde Bank-president, secretary
and treasurer of this whole neck of the
woods!'' He chuckIed savagely. "And,
by G." he added, eff they try to pass
that rock across there, I'll start new
company in hell
Trotting up to the crater, the three
were about to pass through cleft in
the opposite rim, when a sharp word
of command and the imperfous voice
of a close-passing bullet sent them
tumbling from their horses and under
the cover of the rocks. Immediately
a gun-muzzle rose over the lower rock,
but the man above had all the adj
vantage, and his antagonist was glad
to retire with bullet-torn hat. Ter
rified by the firing, the three horses
bolted back along the trail, stopped
for a moment paving uneasily, with
appraised heads, and then galloped out
of sight
There followed confused murmur
of consultation from behind the low
er rock Then voice called out,
threateningly:
rs that you up there, John How
ard2"
Yes"
you'd better come out and give
yourself up observation-disclosures three
of u.s.
Had I? There's two of us up here, |
and we amt peaceable."
Who's the man with your
"a good man, Bill-a better man /
than you or me-"
Just the same you'd better come |
out and give yourself up while we
give you the chance. Well sure get |
you somehow. Starve you out if we
have to. you He ended inecherent- !
~, in hoarse snarl of curses.
A silence ensued; then another muir
1luf Oh DeIOW, .CnSn d
voice again uplifted in parley:
Look here, John Howard There's
10 good making this business any
worse than it is. We can't get to the
water while you're up there; and you
,an't while were here, either. If you'll
ct US go down and get drink, Wen
ct you have one, too. That's fair
Howard laughed-a laugh that had
n it something of triumph but very
little of mirth. ''Oh, you're thirsty,
ire you, Bill? Pobrecito. I certain
I'm sorry, but / drank my skin full
ust before you came and we've got
canteen besides, so l reckon you'll
lave to wait a bit" In lowered
roice, he added, We've got 'em. girl;
,ot 'em nailed up in a box. The man
hats got the water has the power
lere. And you get what you're strong
.nough to take; that's the law of the
lesert"
Again came the voice from the OPP
,osite side of the crater. half-choked
With anger sAlI right, Howard, We'll
vait-until dark. And then Wen get
o that water-and wen get to you,
co.
The sheep-man's voice ran up and
Town the scale of sarcasm. You winp
Oh, you will? Do you think I've never
hot coyotes at night before? And
herel! be a moon too Just you try
t" He clicked the hammer of his
fife suggestively, and, after waiting
n vain for an answer, spoke again to
he woman. whose quick. frightened
,reathing he could hear behind him.
STEADY. girl. They won't try any
hing until night now. and if it don't
loud up. it won't do them any good
hen. Keep your nerve; you've stood
90 much TO lose 1T now He stretch
q his left hand behind him and press
a the small and tremulous fingers
hat were extended to meet it.
Hours passed in an absolute silence
tense. ominous. terrifying. Like a
all of molten metal from which the
ky itself caught fire, the sun at last
ropped down below the horizon and
he life of the desert awoke. From
yer distant hillside. a little troop
f antelope trotted daintily into sight.
rev nearer. and then halted with up
flied heads. stamping impatiently in
npotent protest against the superior
over that deprived them Of their
ountain A coyote skunk down TO the
,