The Ozark spectator., 1917-04-11

nize was Music mountain. This now lay to the northwest, and he knew he must be long way from any country he was familiar with. But there was no gainsaying, even in his confused condition, Music mountain. After looking at 1t long time he headed with some hesitation cautiously toward it, with intent to intercept the first trail to the northeast. This would take him toward Sleepy Cat.
 As his eyes continued to sweep the horizon he noted that the sun was fdown and it was growing dark. He was aware at intervals that he was steadying himself like a drunken man. His efforts to guide the horse only be- wildered the beast, and the two trav- eled on maudlin curves and doubled back on their track until De Spain de- cided that his sole chance of reaching any known trail was to let go and give the horse his head. A period of uncon- sciousness, a blank in De Spain's mind. soon followed. How long he rode in this way, or how far, he never knew.
 
 unaccustomed sound of running water underneath his horses feet.
 It was pitch dark everywhere. The horse after the hard experience of the evening was drinking a welcome draft. De Spain had no conception of where he could be, but the stream told him he had somehow reached the range, though Music mountain itself had been swallowed up in the night. A sudden and uncomfortable thirst seized the wounded man. He could hear the Wa ter falling over the stones and climbed slowly and painfully out of the saddle to the ground. With the lines in his left hand he crawled toward the water and, lying flat on the ground beside the horse put his head down to drink. The horse, meantime, satisfied, lifted his head with a gulp, rinsed his mouth, and pulled backward. The lines slipped from De Spain's hand. Alarmed, the weakened man scrambled after them. The horse. startled, shied, and before his rider could get to his feet scampered off in a trot. While De Spain listened in consternation, the es- caped horse, falling into an easy stride, galloped away into the night.
 Stunned by this new misfortune and listening gloomily to the retreating hoof-beats, De Spain pondered the situ- alton in which the disaster left him. It was the worst possible blow that could have fallen, but fallen it had, and he turned with such philosophy as he could to complete the drink of water that had probably cost him his life.
 When he had slaked seemingly un- quenchable craving, he dashed the run ming water. first with one hand and then the other. over his face. He tried feebly to wash away some of the alkali that had crusted over the wound in the front of his head and was stinging and burning in it. There was now noth- ing to do but to secrete himself until daylight and wait till help should reach him--lt was manifestly impossible for him to seek It.
 Meanwhile, the little stream beside him offered first aid. He tried 1t with his foot and found it slight and shal. low, albeit with rocky bed that made wading in his condition difficult. But he felt so much better he was able to | attempt this, and, keeping near to one side of the current he began to follow it slowly upstream. The ascent was at times precipitous. which pleased him, though it depleted his new strength. It was easy in this way to | hide his trail. and the higher and fast CT the stream took him into the noun. talns the safer he would be from any Calabasas pursuers. When he had re gained little strength and oriented himself he could quickly get down into the hills.
 Animated by these thoughts, he held his way upstream, hoping at every step to reach the gorge from which the flow issued. He would have known this by the sound of the falling water, but weakening soon. he found he must abandon hope of getting up to 1t. How ever by resting and scrambling up the rocks, he kept on longer than he NOulu nave DciltNeu poSSlDIe. LuCOuu- tering at length, as he struggled up ward, ledge and clump of bushes he crawled weakly on hands and knees into it, too spent to struggle farther stretched himself on the fiattened brambles and sank into a heavy sleep
 He woke In broad daylight. Con. sciousness returned slowly and he raised himself with pain from his rough couch. His wounds were stiff, and he lay for long time on his back looking up at the sky. At length he dragged himself to an open space near where he had slept and looked about. He appeared to be near the foot of mountain quite strange to him, and in rather an exposed place. He clambered hundred feet above where he had slept before he found a hiding place. It was at the foot of tiny waterfall where the brook, striking ledge of granite, had patiently hollowed out shallow pool. Beside this great mass l. ,l, f.n