West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-01-07
CHAPTER /

CHAPTER /.
OWN an old trail I'm the GhoSt
range. IN northwestern Men.
leo. just across the Arizona
- border. a mounted prospec.ur
wound his way. his horse carefully
picking iis steps among the broken
granite blocks which had tumbled
upon the ancient path from the noun.
tain wall above. \ burro followed.
laden heavily With pack. bed roll. pick
frying pan and battered coffcepot. vet
stepping along sure footedly as the
mountain sheep that FIRST formed the
trail ages ago and whose pctrihcd hoof
prints still remain TO afford footing
for the scarcely larger hoofs of tie
pack animal
An awful stiffness hung over the
scene that was broken only 10y the
click of hoofs of horse and burro
upon the rocks and the clattcr of the
loose stones they dislodged that rolled
and skipped down the mountain side
Not breath Of air was stirring, and
the sun blazed down from the zenith
with such fierce and direct radiation
that the wayfarer needed not TO OBJ
serve the shadows TO note its exact
position In the heavens. SinSly among
the broken blocks and I'm banks along
tho lodges the cactus bad burst under
the heat, as IT were. into the spon-
taneous combustion OF flowery flame
TO the traveller passing beside them
their red blooms blazed with the irri
tating supernuity of torchlight pro
cesslon at noonday.
The trail leads down TO a Hat ledge
(which overlOoks the desert and which
is the observatory whittier countless
generations of mountain sheep have
been wont to resort TO survey the
strange world beneath them. with
what purpose ard what feelings Il re-
mains for some imaginative writer Of
animal stories 60 Inform us. From the
ledge to the valley below the trail
Is free from distractions and broader,
more beaten and less devious than
above. Indicating that II has been
formed by the generations OF men toll
Ing mp from the valley TO the natural
watchtower OF the heights
Reaching the ledge. the prospector
found that whut seemed from the an
gle above TO be an Irregular pile Of
large powders was an artificial forti
hcation, the highest wall being toward
the mountains. Entering the inclo-
sure. the prospector dismounted re
lieved his horse Of its saddle and his
burro OF It's pack and proceeded TO
prepare his midday meal Looking for
the best place where he might light
fire, he observed In the most protected
corner fiat stone marked by Ere and
near Il in the rocky ground pothole
evidently formed for grinding maize
The ashes of ancient fires were scat.
tered about, and i'm cleaning them OF
his new found hearth the man discov-
cred a pOtsherd, apparently of n ma
tive ola or water jar. and Clipped
fragment of flint too small 90 indicate
whether IL had formed part OF an In
dian arrowhead or had dropped from
an old flintlock muskct
Lucky strike!' observed the pros
pector. 81 was down to mg last
match" And, gathering some mes.
quite brush for fuel and rubbing n dead
branch into tinder. he drew out
knife and, rapidly and repeatedly
liking tbs back of it's blade with the
". produced stream Of sparks.
Hhich fell on tho tinder Blowing the
while. he started fame When the
IRE was ready the man shook his can.
teen Precious little drink left" he
said. "I wish that potshcrd carried
water as the flint chip does fire. How
ever. there's lots OF cactus around
here. and they're natural water Jars.
My knife may get me drink out Of
the deserts thorns as well as kindlc
, n FIRE from It's stones. And right here's
..rny watermelon, the bisnaga the first
one I've found in months!' he exclaim-
ed, going over to the edge Of the cliff.
above the level Of which peercd the
Fat head Of a cactus covered with
spines that were barbed like n fish.
hook. Its shOYt taproot was fixed IN
a crevice few feet below tho para.
pet Lying on the edge OF the cliff.
the mnn sliced or the ton Of the enc.
tus and began tabbing into lts interior,
breaking down the nbrOus walls OF the
water cells, Of which The top heavy
plant Is almost entirely composed In
a fcw moments he arose.
"Now ] can empty my ciuteeu in the
coffeepOt. sure Of fresh supply Of
water by the time am ready to
mosey along"
He filled the pot. set 30 ON the Gre
and then pressed tle uncorked and
empty canteeu down into the maccr
ated interior Of the bislaga.
While his coffee was boiling the pros
pector continued his examination of
The fortlncntiou beginning I'm the man.
ner Of his kind. with the more minute
signs" ana ending with what to n
tourist would have been the fret ana
only subject Of observation the view.
ON tho finer side Of The large bowlder
IN the wall he dlsccrncd the faint out
line Of cross painted with red ocher
scraping witb his pick beneath the
rock 90 see " The emblem was the sign
OF hidden treasure or relic. he uncarth
ed attlesnake Before it could strike
with q quick fling Of his tool he sent
the reptile whlrlinc high in the dir to-
ward the prcclpice But from the clump
Of cactus growth along tho p0rapct
arose a sahuaro with branching arms.
aud against tbis the snake was flung
Wrapped around the thorny top 10y tho
momentum or the cast, 81 hung, kissing
and rattling with pain and hatred.
The prospector looked up at the I'm.
paled rattlesuakc with a smile. Rem.
inisccnces Of Sunday school flashed
across bis mind