The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-07-27
CHAPTER XII.

Some time during the night Duane
awoke. A stiffness seemingly so thick
and heavy as to have substance blank
eted the black willow brake. He could
not see star or a branch or tree-trunk
or even his hand before his eyes. He lay
there waiting: listening sure that he
had been awakened by an unusual
sound. Ordinary noises Of the night in
the wilderness never disturbed his rest
His faculties, like those Of old fugitives
and hunted creatures, had become
trained to a marvellous keeness. A long
low breath OF slow wind moaned
through the willows, passed away;
some stealthy, soft-footed beast trotted
Dy MIN In the darkness; there was a
rustlins among dry leaves; a fox bark
ed lonesomely in the distance. But
none OF these sounds had broken his
slumber.
Suddenly, piercing the Stiffness came
bay Of bloodhound. Quickly Duane
sat up. chilled to his marrow. The act
ION made him aware OF his crippled
arm Then came other bays, lower,
more distant. Silence EMBODIED him
again, all the moro oppressive and men
acing in his suspense. Bloodhounds had
been put on his trail, and the leader was
not far away. All his life Duane had
been familiar with bloOdhounds; and
ne knew that If the pack surrounded
him in this impenetrable darkness he
would be held at bay or dragged down
as wolves dragged stag. Rising to his
Feet, preparing to flee as best he could.
ne Wanted to be sure in the direction
he should take.
The leader Of the hounds broke into
cry again, a deep. full-toned, ringing
ray, strange, ominous, terribly signi-
rlcant in its power. 1t caused a cold
sweat to ooze out all over Duane's
body. He turned from it. and with his
unlnJured arm outstretched to feel for
me willows he CROPPED his way along.
AS Is was impossible to pick out the
narrow passages he had to slim and
squeeze and plunge between the Weld
ing stems. He made such a CRASHING
mat he no longer heard the baying OF
the hounds. He had no hone To eIude
them. He meant to climb the first bot
tonwood that he stumbled upon in his
blind flight. But it appeared he never
was gong TO be lucky enough to run
against one. Often he fell, sometimes
flat, at others upheld by the willows,
what made the work so hard was the
fact that he had only one arm to omen
clump OF close growing stems and
his feet would catch or tanCle in the
narrow crotches, holding him fast. He
nao 10 struggle desperately. It was as
II, tne WILLOWS We're clutching hands, his
enemies, fiendishly impeding his BRO
gress. He tore his clothes on sharp
branches and his flesh suffered mani
prick. But in terrible earnestnesl
ne Kept on until he brought up hard
against cottonwood tree.
There he leaned and rested. He found
himself as nearly exhausted as he had
ever Deen, wet with sweat, his hands
torn and burning, his breast laboring,
ms legs singing from innumerable
bruises. While he leaned there to catch
his breath he listened for the pursuing
hounds. For long time there was no
sound from them. This however. did
not deceive him Into any hopefulness.
There were bloodhounds that bayed
often on a trail, and others that ran
mostly silent. The former were more
valuable to their owner and tho latter
more dangerous to the fugitive Pre-
sently Duane's ears were filled by a
chorus of short ringing yelps The pacl,
had found where he had slept, and now
the trail was hot. Satisfied that they
would soon overtake him. Duane set
about climbing the cottonwood, which
In his condition was difficult of ascent
1t happened to be fairly large tree
with fork about Is feet up, and
branches thereafter in succession.
Duane climbed until he got about the
enshrouding belt of blackness. A pale
gray mist hung above the brake. and
through 1t shone a line Of dim lights.
Duane decided these were bonfires
made along the bluff to render his ed
cape more liff;cult on that side. Away
round in the direction he thought was
north he imagined he saw more fires,
but, as the mist was thick he could not
be sure. While he was there pondering
the matter, listening for the hounds, the
mist and the gloom on one side light
ed; and this side he concluded was east
and meant that dawn was near. Sat
isfying himself on this score, de de-
seconded to the first branch of the tree.
continued next week.
The number of suicides in the citv NJ