Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1911-05-12
BY
FRANCIS LYNDE

missed Ills lunC0eou companion.
Now that he recalled 1t he remem-
bered that lie had seen nothing Of the
hawk faced man since the early after
noon. But the absence OF companion
ship was relief rather than depriva-
ton.
Almost without knowing 1t he found
himself Fastening through his dinner
so that he might return TO the Pullman
window. When at length he had the
ionged for sight Of bunch of cattle,
with The solitary night herd hanging
by one leg In the saddle to watch the
passing train. the call of the west was
once more trumpeting in his ears
At small timber shipping station
well within the mountains where the
logs were shot down to the mills In a
trough-like water chute from the wood
ed heights twenty miles distant there
was a longer stop than usual, and
Blount got off to make inquiries.
There was a freight wreck at some
point a few miles farther west, and
the train would probably be delayed
for several hours.
By this time Blount was on well re-
membered ground. Forty miles away
in direction somewhat east Of north
lay the Blount home domain, where he
had spent his happy boyhood. An
hours gallop to the westward the level
rays Of the setting sun would be play
Ing upon the little station Of Painted
Hat, which had been the shipping point
for the home ranch. And halfway be-
tween Painted Hat and the Circle Bar
lay the horse corrals Of one Debbleby.
a hermit Of the mountains and the
boy Evans earliest schoolmaster in the
great book of nature.
Since BlOunt could not go on by
train, what was to prevent the taking
Of an immediate and delightful plunge
into the land of heart stirring recol-
lectiOns?
Arranging with the Pullman con-
ductor to have his hand baggage left
in Gantry's Office at the capital, Blount
crossed quickly to livery stable op-
pOsite the station, bargained for sad
die horse. borrowed n poncho and a
pair Of leggings and presently, with
the squeak Of the saddle leather max
ing sweet music in his ears. had bro
ken violently, for the moment at least,
with all the civilized traditions
He would 60 to see Debbleby: drop
In upon the old ranchman without
warning and thus get his first taste of
the homeland unmixed with any of
the disappointing changes which were
doubtless awaiting him ut the real
journeys end.
Now, 1t CHANGED that the livery sta
BILE was an adjunct to the single ho-
tel In the small sawmill town, and as
Blount swung up into the saddle he
was little surprised to see his COM
panion Of the Pullman smoking COM
partment standing on the porch Of the
hotel in earnest talk with three 9th.
ers who from their appearance might
have figured either as timber Jacks"
or cowboys.
Blount was on the point Of speaking
when he rode past the porch on his
way to the northward trail pointed
out by the liveryman, but q curious
feeling restrained him.
He was almost sure that the pros-
porous looking gentleman with the
bird of prey eyes was making him the
subject Of his earnest talk with the
three men Of doubtful occupation.
Quite naturally this impression deep
ened into conviction when he looked
back from the road crossing Of the
railroad track and saw that all four
OF the men on the porch were watch
ing him.
After leaving the railroad Blount
found himself crossing the broad mesa,
with the eastern mountains near at
hand, and the Lost river range struck
out sharply In Its sky line against the
sunset horizon.
On this mesa the trail disappeared
entirely, but SO long as he was sure Of
the general direction Blount let it 20
and gave the tireless little broncho a
loose rein. Debbleby's ranch lay
among the foothills Of the distant
western range. and he was quite sure
that he could ride straight to It In the
dark II need be.
1t was some little time after he had
left the shoulderings Of the eastern
range behind that curious thing hap
pened
Far away to the right he heard the
sound Of galloping hoofs. Though the
moon was nearly at its full and the
treeless landscape was bare of any
kind Of cover. he could not see the
horseman who was evidently passing
him and going In the same direction.
At first he thought 1t was some one
who was making a detour to avoid
him. Then he smiled at the absurdity
Of the thought and concluded that he
himself was of the trail.
This conclusion was confirmed a Lit.
tie later when two other travellers, an
nouncing themselves to the ear rs the
first one had done and also, like the
hrst invisible to the sharpest eye
sweep Of the brown plain, passed him
at speed.
After that he had the solitudes and
immensities to himself, and 1t was not
until the broad mesa had been crossed
and the broncho was picking its way
among the hogback hills Of the west
ern range that the boyish thing he had
been led to do took shape as a VEN
lure which might have Disseminating
consequences. for after the broncho
fad wandered through many canyons
and had climbed a good half score of
the hogback hills the young man from
the east reluctantly admitted that the
boyhood memories were altogether at
Iault IN the deceptive moonlight. He
was very thoroughly and painstaking-
ly lost
CHApTISD TX