The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-05-23

SlRNt 10 De ii Urine DtlkfT, hIu III S'ui
ming the horizon he could discover no
pursuers. Choosing "A secluded spot,
he disnOunted, cut open his boot, n
found that a bullet, passing down
ward, had torn an artery under the
arch OF the foot. Making a rude tour
niquet, he succeeded in checking pretty
well the squirting flow that was sap
ping his ~sncngth. After he had ad-
tusted the bandage he stood up and
looked at IT..
Then he drew his revolver again and
broke It. He found five empty shells
In the chambers and threw them away.
The last cartridge had not been fired.
He could not even figure out how he
had happened to nave six cartridges In
the cylinder, for he rarely loaded more
than five. Indeed, ii was his fixed
hahit-to avoid acCidcnts-never to
carry Il cartridge under the hammer
of his guu-yct now there had been
one. Without trying To explain the
circumstance, he took fresh stock Of
his chances and began to wonder
whether he might yet escape and live.
He climbed again into the saddle.
and, riding to IA ridge. looked carefully
oyer the desert. 1t was .stth an effort
that he could steady himself, and the
extent of his weakness, surprised him.
What further pcrplcXed him as he
crossed a long divide, got another good
view and saw no pursuit threatening
In, any IL r.Ftitn NtnE fn identify tho
country he was in. The only landmark
anywhere in sight that he could recOg-
niZe was Music mountain. This now
lay to the northwest, and he knew he
must be a long way from any country
he was familiar with. But there was
no gaiuSaying, even in his confused
condition, Music mountain. After
looking ut it Il hong time he headed
with some hesitation cautiously toward
it, with intent t. 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
down and it was growing dark. He
was aware mt intervals that he was
s%teadying himself like Il drunken IA
His efforts to guide the horse only be-
Wildered the beast, and the two trav-
elcd 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 20 and give
the horse his head. A period of uncon-
seriousness, Il blank in De SPANS mind,
500 followed. How long he rode In
this way, or how far, he never knew.
He was reused to consciousness by the
unaccustomed sound of running water
underneath his horses feet.
1t 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 Il gulp, rinsed his mouth,
and pulled backward. The lines
slipped from De SPANS hand. Alarmed,
the weakened man scrambled after
them. The horse, startled, SHE'D, and
before his rider could get to his feet
scampered off in a trot. While De
Spain listened in CONSERVATION, the es-
copied 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 stu
alton in which the disaster left him.
1t was the worst possible blow that
could have fallen, but fallen it had,
and lie turned with such philosophy as
he could to complete the drink Of water
that had probably cost him his life.
When he had slakcd a seemingly I'M
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 singing ant
burning in it. There was now moth
, ing to do but to secrete himself unit
J daylight and wait till help should reach
hint was manifestly impossible fol
him tO Seek n
s Meanwhile. the little stream besid.
e him offered first aid. He tried it witt
his foot and found it slight and shall
8 low. albeit with a rocky bed that mad,
wading in his condition difficult. Blu
he felt so much better he was able Il
attempt this, and, keeping near to on
side If the current. he began to follow
1t slowly upstream. The ascent wa.
at times precipitous, which pleased
I. him. though 1t depleted his new
n strength. 1t was easy in this way t,
d ! his trail, and the higher and fast
er the stream took him into the noun
d talns the safer he would be from an