Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-04-29

Aco, Ben Chln Dult MS little
"shack." surrepitously, by night
Rem Chilli was half-breed, Mexican
ord Navajo, hunted and hated by
both nationalities.
lust now, he was hiding from JUS
tire in the form of a cowboys lasso
moose. For on the prairies near Ma
vaio. his former home, he had prey
cd ON the ranchers' cattle like a
lank, gray wolf.
For months he had been in hiding
in caves and crevices, coming out
only at night for food, and some
times venturing into a nearby town
for what his depraved appetite GRAY
cd more than food, "firewater."
AT last the winter came, and such
winter! The bitterest that had been
known in the memory of the oldest
inhabitant. Ben Chill, man-animal
as he was, shrank from the cold
dark caves. Perhaps, he thought,
will build me shack" So he work
ed, by night, stealing, from inhabi-
tants of .uam, such implements as
he needed, as well as a good part of
his food.
Once, as he carried soil for his
crude mortar, he thought he heard
low moan from nearby arroyo.
Ben Chill was not a coward, so he
stopped and listened. Yes, it was
quite distinct, the moan of man or
an animal in pain.
He crept to the side of the arroyo
And as the moon came out from be-
hind a cloud, he saw dimly a horse,
a Mexican mustang" or broncho,
lying on its side, in great agony.
On closer examination, he found
the animal to be in a critical con-
dition. Two legs were sprained, evil
IDENTIFY by a fall into the arroyo It's
flanks were foamy, and cruelty CASH
ed by the spurs of a cowboy or an
Indian.
For the first time in the half
breeds life pity awoke in his heart.
Here was a thing, prosecuted and
cast off by humanity, as he had
been! Awkwardly he ministered to
it, talking the while in a tender,
caressing way.
This was the dawning of the only
love that had ever come to Ben Chi
lis heart
Night after night he crept to the
arroyo, with water and such food as
he could find by foraging And the
animal rewarded him by speedily re-
covering.
AT last, stealthily, as he did every
thing he began to ride the pony out
at night. At Gallup, he sold stolen
goat skins and bought whiskey, the
merchants supposing him to be
Mexican rancher. And may times,
his faithful pony brought him back
to his little shack, a limp, uncon-
scious burden.
once, however, when much the
worse for liquor, wild thoughts were
born into his mind. Il will go to
Navajo" he said, Il will show those
-ranchers that one half-breed
Is as good as any ten of them! |
Will clean out the whole -
country And he spurred his bron-
cho on, in an opposite direction from
Guam and his little shack.
Madly he rode, as if possessed of
demon, beating and squirting his
faithful steed. Once or twice the
broncho whinnied uneasily and half
turned around, but his drunken mas
ter drove him around with blows and
curses, towards Navajo.
At last they came into the enemy's
country, and Ben Chill, worn by his
frenzy and overcome by liquor, knew
1t or not, for he lay, a limp mass,
with his head on the broncho's name.
Slowly the faithful steed turned
IN the path, just as the light from
the first rancher's house came into
view, and slowly, painfully through
lup, and the little shack.
Next morning, Ben Chill was mar
Veously sober. "Bronc, old man,
you saved my life," he said, for he
remembered as a dream the happen
lngs of the night before. IF you
mad lost your sense, as did, would
De this minute hanging between
heaven and earth, and you would
nave a better master"
But" he continued, Il have been
thinking, Bronze and l will say to
you, and to myself, No more fire
water for old Ben Chill. We will go
to Mexico, you and l, and begin life
. over. will hn