The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1908-03-06
Copyright by A. c. McClurg y Co., 1901
CHAPTER |.
The Island With Mystery.

The Island With Mystery.
He said positively to Battle AK, his
scraggy buckskin COW pony, that they
would ride to the summit of this one
bluff, and that it should be the last.
But he had said the same thing many
times since striking the barren hill re-
gion fanking both sides Of the river.
Hump after hump had been surmOunt'
ed since the sound of the first prom
ise 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
we'll have confused the mind of one
less at home on these ranges than
George Williston. Even he, riding a
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 a small bunch of cat
tie, branded a lazy S, missing these
three days.
Had not untoward circumstances
interviewed, he might still have gone
blindly on; for, laying aside the gam
bling fever that was on him, he could
Ill 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 AK, but
you're Slow" muttered Williston. I'D
give 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 it 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
lie the border bluffs of the Missouri
river. A few more steps, in the dark,
and horse and rider would have plung-
ed over a sheer wall Of nearly 200
feet. AS 1t was, Wiliston gave a gasp
Of involuntary horror which almost
simultaneously gave place to one of
wonder and establishment. He had
struck the river at point absolutely
new to him. 1t was the time of low
water, and the river, in most of it's
phases muddy and sullen-looking,
cleaned silver and gold with the gilt
ter of the setting sun, making royal
highway to the Gwelling-place of
Phoebus. A little to the north of this
sparkling highroad lay what would
have been an island In high water,
thickly wooded with willows and cot
tonwoods. Now long stretch of sand
reached between bluff and island.
Dismounting, with the quick thought
that yonder island might hold the Sc
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 Baffled, he was on the point OF
remounting to retrace his steps wher
he dropped his foot from the stirruI
amazed. Was the day of miracles moi
yet passed?
It was the sun, or 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 bit warily, across the waste O
sand 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 neithe
horse nor man appeared so far as ey,
could reach. 1t must be the sun. Blu
1t was not the sun.
Motionless, intent, figure cast II
>~onze as the sun went down, the leal
ranchman gazed steadfastly dow,
upon the miniature man ar2 hors
creeping along so far below. Not u
til the object of his fixed gaze hat