Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-02-19
CHAPTER Iv-contlnued.

to che rift in the ridge where the white
pax stood sentinel over the watch
tower of rock. As he came over the
edge from one side his bare feet max
Ing no sound. he saw Sally sitting
there. with her hands resting on the
moss and her eyes deeply troubled
She was gazing fixedly ahead and her
dps were trembling. At once Sam
sons face grew black. Some one had
been making Sally unhappy. Then he
Jaw beyond her a standing figure.
which the tree trunk had hitherto con.
sealed. It was the loose-knitted figure
IF young Tamarack Spicer.
I'm course" Spicer was saying, I'VE
lon't low Samson shot Jesse Purvy,
but them Hollmans II 'spicion him, an
! heered just now tibet them dawgs
vas trackin' straight up hyar from the
mouth Of Misery. They'll git hyar
against sundown."
Samson leaped violently forward.
With one hand he roughly seized his
cousins shoulder and wheeled him
about
"Shet up!" he commanded. "What
tn fool stuff hev We been tellin'
Bally?"
For an instant the two clansmen
stood fronting each other. Samson's
lace was set and wrathful. Tamarack's
was surly and snarling. "Hain't got
! license ter tell Sally the news?" he
demanded.
Nobody hain't got no license" re-
torted the younger man in the quiet
pf cold anger, "ter tell Sally nothin'
1hetll fret her."
"she air bound ter know hit all
pretty soon. Them dawgs-"
Didn't tell ye ter shet up?" Sam
son clenched his fists, and took a step
forward. EFF We opens yore mouth
hgain. I'm a-goin' ter smash hit. Now,
git!"
Tamarack Spicer's face blackened,
and his teeth showed. His right hand
swept to his left arm-pit. Outwardly
he seemed weaponless. but Samson
knew that concealed beneath the
hickory shirt was holster, worn
mountain fashion.
What air ye a-reachin' after.
Tam'rack?" he inquired. his lips twist.
Ing in amusement.
"Thet's my business"
well. git hit out-or git out yeself.
afore throws ye often the cliff"
Sally showed no symptoms of alarm.
Her confidence in her hero was abso.
ate. The boy lifted his hand, and
pofnted of down the path. Slowly
and with incoherent muttering, spicer
took himself away. Then only did
Sally rise. She came over, and laid
hand on Samson's shoulder. In her
blue eyes. the tears were yelling.
Samson" she whispered. "ef they're
after We. come ter my house. I kin
hide ye out. Why didn't We tell me
Jesse Jurvey'd done been shot?"
"Hit faint nothin'' ter fret about.
Sally" he assured her. He smoke
awkwardly. for he had been trained to
regard emotion as unmanly. "Thar
hain't no danger"
She gazed searchingly into his eyes.
and then, with short sob, threw her
arms around him. and buried her face
IN his shoulder.
"Ef anything happens ter We, Sam.
son." she said. brokenly, "hit'n Jest
kill me. I couldn't live withouten We.
Samson. I jest couldn't do hit!"
The boy took her in his arms. and
pressed her close. His eyes were gag.
ing on o<er her bent head, and his Inns
twitched. He drew his features into
Z scowl. because that was the only ex.
preston with which he could safe.
guard his feelings. His voice was
husky.
Il reckon. Sally" he said, Fl couldn't
i've wfthouten you, neither"
The party Of men who had started
1t morning from Jesse Purdy's store
had spent q hard day. The roads fol.
lowed creek-beds. crossing and re.
crossing waterways In Q fashion that
save the bloodhounds hundred bat.
Aihg difficulties. Often, their noses
1ost the trail. which had at first been
- surely taken. Often. they circled
and whined. and halted in perplexity,
but each time they came to q point
where, at the end. one Of them again
saised his muzzle skyward, and gave
voice.
Toward evening. they were working
Up Misery along course less broken.
The party halted for q moments rest.
and. as the bottle was passed. the man
from Lexington. who had brought the
dogs and stayed to conduct the chase,
gut question:
what do you call this creek'"
Hits Misefy.'