Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1918-04-04
CHAPTER v.
In Deep Water.

In Deep Water.
The dawn thrust aside nights SOM
Der curtains while they ate, revealing
a sky overcast with slaty clouds. What
with her wanderingS of the night be-
fore and the journey through the dark
with Roaring Bill, she had absolutely
no idea of either direction or locality.
The Unfolding timber shut off the out
look.
do you suppose I can get home in
time to open school?" she inquired
anxiously.
Roaring Bill smiled ST don't know"
lhe answered. at all depends"
"You know where you are now,
don't your" she asked.
Mot exactly" he responded. "But
p will before long-I hope"
The ambiguity of his answer did not
escape her. She puzzled over it while
silk ambled sedately behind the other
horses. She hoped that Bill Wagstaff
knew where he was going. If he did
not-but she refused to entertain the
alternative. And she began to watch
Eagerly for some sign of familiar
iground.
| For two hours Roaring Bill trampled
Through aisles bordered with pine and
spruce and fir, through thickets of
berry bush, and across limited areas of
GRASSY meadow. Not once did they
tcross a road or trail. Eventually Bill
halted at a small stream to get a drink.
Hazel looked at her watch. It was
half past eight.
AREN'T we ever going to get there p
lshe called impatiently.
pretty soon," he called back, and
Struck out briskly again.
Another hour passed. Ahead of her,
Heading one pack horse and letting the
iother follow untrammeled, Roaring
Bill kept doggedly on. hating for moth
ling, never looking back.
They crossed q ravine and slanted
fup steep hillside. Presently Hazel
could look away over an area of wood
land undulating like heavy ground
swell at sea. Here and there ridges
stood forth boldly above the general
roll. and distantly she could descry a
Uninterrupted mountain range. They
turned the end of thick patch of pine
scrub. and Bill pulled up in a small
iopening. From a case swinging at his
belt he took out pair of field glasses.
and leisurely surveyed the country.
"Wcll?" Hazel Intercepted.
Nothing in sight, is there?" Bill said
thoughtfully. eff the sun was out,
now. Funny I can't spot that Soda
Greek trail.''
Don't you know this country at
lall?" she said gloomily.
81 thought 1 did," he replied 'sBut
II can't seem to get my bearings to
work out correctly. I'm awfully sorry
to keep you in such pickle. But 1t
cant be helped"
He took up the lead rope and moved
lon. They dropped over the ridge
lcrest and once more into the woods.
a spring. and fell to unlashing the
packs.
what are you going to do?" Hazel
asked
Cook a bite, and let the horses
Craze" he told her. do you realize
that we've been going since daylight
Its near noon. Horses have to eat and
rest once In a while, just the same as
human beings"
The logic Of this Hazel could not
well deny. since she herself was tired
and ravenously hungry. BY her watch
1T was just noon.
Bill hebbled out his horses on the
grass below the spring. made a fire,
land set to work cooking. He worked
silently at the meal getting, fried
steaks of venison, and boiled pot OF
coffee. They ate. He filled his pipe
and smoked while he repacked. Alto
.gether, he did not consume more than
forty minutes at the noon halt. Hazel
now woefully saddle sore. would fair
have rested longer, and. in default OF
resting, tried to walk and lead Silk