The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-10-07

band. which had almost won the prize |
The race was long. but always un-
equal. The ruffans. who had dashed |
from the scene of the cabin almost in
an even line. scattered and struggled
unevenly. Now only two were able to
send bullets whistling about Willock's
head: now only one found it possible
to cover the distance. At last he fell
out of range.
The child who had lain SO trustingly
upon Willock's wild bosom. who had
clung to him as to father-she was
safe! An unwonted smile crept under
the bristling beard of the fugitive, as
he urged the pony forward in unrelaX
ing speed Should he seek refuge
among civilized communities his crimes
would hang over his head. To venture
into his old haunts In No Mans Land
would be to expose his back to the as
sassin's knife. or his breast to ambush
ed murderers.
These were desperate reflections. and
the future seemed framed in solitude
yet Brick Wilcox rode on with that
odd smile abcslt the grim lips The
smile was unlike him. but. the whole
affair was such an experience as had
never entered his most daring fancy,
| Never before In his life had lie held
| child in his arms, still less had he felt
| the sweet embrace of peaceful slum-
| ber
The sun had risen when the pony,
after a few tottering steps, suddenly
sank to earth. Wilcox unfastened the
halter from its neck. tied it with the
lariat about his waist. and without
pause set out afoot.
Though stiff from long riding. the
change Of motion soon brought renew
1 ed vigor. Wilcox had grown thirsty.
| and as the sun rose higher and beat
down on him from an unclouded sky,
his eyes searched the plains eagerly
for some shelter that promised water.
He did not look in vain. Against the
horizon rose the low blue shapes of the
Wichita mountains. looking at first like
fiat sheets of cardboard, cut out by a
| careless hand and set upright in the
sand. He advanced, growing weaker.
breathing with more difficulty. but still
muttering. Not yet-not just yet!'
The mountains had begun to spread
apart. There were long ranges and
short. Here and there. form that
had seemed an integral part Of some
range, defined itself as distinct from
all others. lying like al island of rock
in a sea of unbroken desert. Wilcox
was approaching the Wichita noun.
tains from their southwestern extrem-
ity. AS far as he could see 10 one di.
rection the grotesque forms stretched
In isolated chains or single groups; but
In the other the end was reached. and
beyond lay the unbroken waste Of the
Panhandle.
Swaying on his great legs as with
the weakness of an infant. he was
now very near the end Of the system
A wall Of granite sparsely dotted with
green rose above him to n height OF
about $50 feet.
He sank to the ground. his eyes red
and dimmed. For some time he re
mained there inert, staring, his hrair
refusing to work. II yonder stood &
white object between him and thu
mountain, a curious white something
with wheels. might 1t not be a covered
wagon? No; it was q mirage. Bn
was 1t possible for mirage to deceiv,
him into the fancy that wagon stoot
| only few hundred feet away? Per
haps it was really a wagon. He star
ed stupidity, not moving. There wer
no dream horses to this ghost wagon
There was no sign Of life. II captures
by the Indians It would not have bee
left intact. But how came a WACO
into this barren world?
He stared up at the sun as If to az
II sure himself that he was awake, the
Is laughed hoarsely, foolishly. He bega
r to crawl forward, but the wagon di
:! not move. AS 1t grew palmer In a
it's details new strength came to hin
IS He strove to rise and. after several a
. tempts, succeeded. He staggered 70
Il ward till his hands grasped one of th
G. wheels. 1t was no dream.
n A searching look distinguished tw
II objects that excluded from attentio
Il all others. Upon mattress at tt
(. rear Of the wagon lay a woman. h
le face covered by a cloth. and near tt
:. front seat stood keg Of water. tt
a, rigid form of the woman and the pos
a ton of the arms and hands Shove
that she was dead.
q. The man recognized this truth. but
1t made only dim impression. Th
to keg Of water meant life-and life WI
It | a thousandfold more to him than deaf
d. He drew himself upon the seat, snatc
a ed at the tin cup beside the keg al
le drew out the cloth covered cornc'
ell that stopped the flow. Having slak
his thirst there was mingled with !
be sense Of ineffable content an ovt
lie whelming desire for sleep. He dro
,ir ped on the second mattress. on viii
es bedclothes were carelessly strewn. z
en- head found the empty pillow that l
rd indented as it had been left by sol
y. vanished sleeper. As his eyelids clos
of he fell sound asleep. But for the I
ing and falling of his powerful bre:
ad he was motionless as the body OF
&c woman.
OK On the domelike summit OF Mou
to Welsh. mile away. a mountain 4
ad showed his sinuous form against
lat sky TOO feet in air. and from
" mountain side near at hand stal
as from among the thick greenery OF
cedar the face Of an Indian VIII
'ck black hair was adorned by sin
'ei red feather.
elf When Wilcox started up from
of mattress in the covered WAGON the
of had set Every object. however, I