Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-06-06

dozen broken lodge poles seemed rich,
es to us. We boarded some broken
moccasins which had been thrown
away
For myself. weakened by sickness,
such food us we had was Of little Scrv.
ice, knew that was starving and
feared that she was doing little better
| looked ut her that morning sitter we
had propped up our little canopy Of
hide TO break the sun. Her face was
clean drawn now into hard lines Of
muscle. Her limbs lay straight and
clean before her as she sat, her hands
lying in her lap as she looked out
across the plains. Her eyes were still
brown and clear, her figure still was
that of woman. She was still sweet
to look upon. but her cheeks were
growing hollow. Unless presently
could arise and kill meat for her then
must the world roll void through the
ether, unpeopled ever more.
| know not what thoughts came to
her mind as we sat looking out on the
pictures of the mirage which the sun
was painting ON the desert landscape
But finally as we gaztN there seemed
among these weird images one colossal
tragic shape which moved. advanced,
changed definitely. Now it stood in
giant stature and now dwindled. hut
always 1t came nearer We realized
at last that il was a solitary buffalo
bull, no doubt coming down to water
az litt1n an. hA,
turned to look ut her and saw her eyes
growing fierce She reached back for
my rifle, and arose.
Come | said, and so we started.
We dared not use the horse in stalking
our game
could stand, could walk short
way. but the weight of this great rifle,
sixteen pounds or more. which had
never felt before, now seemed to crush
ME down, She put her arm about me
firmly, her face frownins and eager
Can you go?" she said.
NO" said l. Il cannot. but must
and | shall" put away her arm from
me, but in turn she caught up the rifle
Even for this | was still too proud.
"No," said |, Il have always carried
my own weapons thus far"
Come. then" she said. this way"
and so caught the mu2Zle of the heavy
barrel and walked on, leaving me the
stock to support for my share of the
weight Thus we carried the great
rifle between us, and so stumbled on
until at length the sun grew too warm
for me. and dropped, overcome With
fatigue. Patiently she waited for me,
and so we two. partners, mates, Il man
and woman. primitive. the first, went
on little by little,
Go" said |. motloning toward the
rifle. II am too weak. ! might miss.
! can get no farther"
She caught up the rifle barrel ut its
balancing point, looked TO the lock as
n man might have done, and leaned
forward, eager as any man for the
chase. 1.-the brown, sinuous, she
crept rapidly away. and presently was
hid where the grass grew taller In the
fiat beyond The bull moved forward
a little also. and | lost sight of both
for what seemed to me an mconscion-
able time She told me later that she
crept close to the water hole and wait
ed there for the bull to come. but that
he stood back and stared ahead stupid
~ and would not move. She said she
trembled when at last he approached
so savage was his look Even man
might be smitten with terror mt the
fierce aspect of one of these animals.
But at last | heard the bitter crack
of the rifle and. raising my head, saw
her spring up and then drop down
again, Then. staggering a short way
up the opposite slope, | saw the slow
bulk Of the great black bull He turn
ed and locke nack. his head low. his
eyes straight ahead. Then slowly he
kneeled down and so died, with his
forefeet doubled under him.
She came running back to me, full
of savage JOY Mt her Success, and put
her arm under my shoulder and told
me to come, Slowly, fast as | could,
| went with her to our prey. We
butchered our buffalo as Aubcrry had
showed me, from the backbone down,
us lie SAT ueHu on MS lOIPuIulS, spun
ting the skin along the spine and lay
ing it out for the meat to rest upon
Again ! made fire by shooting tow
wad into such finder as we could ar
range from my coat lining. having
dried this almost into flame by burn
ing glass | made out of n watch cryS
tai filed with water not in the least a
weak sort Of lens. She ran for fuel
and for water, and now we cooked aud
ate, the fresh meat seeming excellent
to me. Once more now we moved our
camp. the girl returning for the horse
and our scanty belongings.
Always now we ate. haggling out the
hump ribs. the tongue. the rich back
fat; so almost Immediately we began
TO gain in strength All the next day
we worked as we could at drying the
meat and taking the things we needed
from the carcass We got loose one
horn. drying one side Of the head IN
-.y.aA a., oil ,hn ,;r