Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1912-08-01

enough, and was going to remain
there. No efforts made revealed any
knowledge of Hawley's presence In
Carson City; either he had not been
there. or else his friends were very
carefully concsaling the fact The ut
ter absence of any trace, however, led
Keith to believe that the gambler had
gone elsewhere-probably to Fort
Larned-for his new outfit, and this
belief left him more fully convinced
than ever of the fellows efforts to
conceal his trail.
The party escorting Waite reached
the town in the evening, and in the
following gray dawn the adventurers
forded the river, and mounted on fresh
horses and fully equipped. headed
forth into the sand hills. The little
company now consisted of Keith, Fair
balm, who. in spite of his rotundity
of form had proven himself hard and
fit Neb. having charge of the single
pack-horse, the scout Brlstoe, and the
two cowboys OF the Bar X" rough,
wiry fellow. accustomed to expo
sure and peril. 1t was emphatically
fighting outfit, and to be trusted in
emergency.
They followed the cattle trail south
toward the Salt Fork, as this course
would afford them camp ct the only
water-hole in all that wide desert ly-
ing between. With this certainty OF
water, they ventured to press their
animals to swifter pace. although the
sand made travelling heavy, and the
trail itself was scarcely discernible.
1t was hard, wearisome ride hour
after hour through the same dull,
dreary landscape Of desolation, the
hot, remorseless sun beating down
upon them, rejecting up into their
blistered faces from the hot surface OF
sand There was scarcely breath OF
air, and the bodies of men and horses
were bathed in persptration. Not q
cloud hung in the blue sky; no wing
of bird broke the monotony OF dis
lance, no living animal crept across
the blazing surface of the desert. Oc-
casionally distant mirage attracted
the eye, making the dead reality even
more horrible by Its semblance to wa
ter, yet never tempting tnem to stray
aside. After the flrst mile converse
ton ceased, the men riding grimly,
silently forward, intent only on COW
ering all the distance possible. Late
that night they camped at the water
hole. sleeping as best they could.
sceurged by the chill wind which
swept over them and dashed grit into
exposed faces. With the first gray Of
dawn they swung stiftened forms into
the saddles and rode on. straight as
the crow fies. for the Salt Fork. They
attained that stream At shutdown, gray
With sand dust, their faces streaked
from perspiration. feeling as though
the sun rays had burned their brains,
with horses fairly Keeling under them.
According to Keith's calculation this
cattle-ford must be fully ten miles be-
low where the cabin sought was stu
ated; two hours rest, with water and
food, would put both horses and men
again in condition, and the travelling
was easier along the bank of the
Fork. With this in mind, cinches were
loosened. the animals turned out to
Craze, and the men, snatching hasty
bite. flung themselves YEARLY on the
ground.
All but Fairbain were asleep when
Keith aroused them once more, little
before nine, unable In his Impotence
TO brook longer delay. Within ten min
utes horses wore saddled, weapons
looked TO carefully, and the little party
began their advance through the dark
ness, moving cautiously over the un-
even ground, assisted greatly by the
bright desert stars cleaning down up
on them from the cloudless sky over
head. The distance proved somewhat
less than had been anticipated, and
keith's watch was not yet at eleven,
when his eyes revealed the fact that
they had reached the near vicinity OF
the lonely island on which the cabin
stood Refining in his horse sharply,
he swung to the ground, the others In
stantly following his example, realiz-
ing they had reached the end of the
route. Hands instinctively loosened
revolvers in readiness for action, the
younger of the Bar X" men whistling
softly in an effort to appear uncon-
cerned. Keith, with a gesture, gather
ed them more closely about him.
1T Hawley is here himself he said
quietly. watching their faces in the
starlight, he Mll certainly have
guard set, and there may be one any
how. We can't afford to take chances,
for there will be five men, at least, on
the island, and possibly several more.
II they are looking for trouble they
will naturally expect 1t to come from
the north-consequently we'll make
our attack from the opposite direction,
and creep In on them under the shad-
ow OF the corral The first thing
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