The Dolores star., 1921-05-06
CHAPTER III-Continued

Dan saw the door close behind him,
una he had an instlnt's glimpse of the
long sweep of uoonlt ridge that
stretched beneath the window. Then.
all at once, seemingly without warn
Ing. 1t simply blinbed out Not until
the next morning did he really know
why. Insomnia was an old acQuaint-
ance of Dams, and he had expected to
have some trouble In gerring to sleep.
HIS only real trouble was waking up
again when LennOx called him to
breakfast. He couldn't believe that
the light at his window shade was
really that of morning. 1't o.
Good Heavens!" his host exploded.
You sleep the sleep of the just"
Dan was about to tell him that on
the contrary he was very nervous
sleeper. but he thought better of it.
something had surely happened to his
insomnia The next instant he even
forgot to wonder about 1t in the reali-
zation that his tired body had been
wonderfully refreshed. lie had no
dread now of the long tramp up the
ridge that his host had planned.
But first came target practice. In
Dams baggage he had a certain very
plain but serviceable sporting rifle of
about thirtyforty caliber-a gun that
the information department of the
large sporting-goOds store In Gitche-
apolis had recommended for his pur-
pose. Except for the few moments in
the store. Dan had never held a rifle
in his hands. The first shot he hit the
trunk of fivefoot pine at thirty
PAGES.
"But I couldn't very well have
missed 1t" he replied to Lennox's
cheer. "You see, aimed at the mid
debut | just grazed the edge"
The second shot was not so good.
missing the tree altogether And it
was singular thing that he aimed
longer and tried harder on this shot
than on The first. The third time he
tried still harder, and made by far
the worst shot of all.
whats the matter?" he demanded
'Tm getting worse all the time"
Lennox didn't knoy for sure. But
he made long guess at might be
beginners luck" he said. "but I'm in
clined TO think you're trying too hard.
Take it easier-depend more on your
instincts"
Dams reply wos to lift the rifle
lightly to his shoulder. glance quickly
along the trigger and fire. The bullet
struck within one inch of the center
OF the pine.
For long second Lenno1 gazed at
HIN m open-mouthed astonishment.
"My stars. boy" he cried at last.
"Was mistaken In thinking you were
born tenderfoot-after all? Can It
he that little of your old grandfa-
theirs skill has been passed down to
you? But you can't do 1t again.
But Dan did do 1t again. II any
thing, the bullet was little nearer
the center. And then he aimed at a
more distant tree.
But the hammer snapped down In
effectively on the breech. He turned
with look Of question
your gun only holds five shots"
Lennox explained. Reloadng, Dan
tried a more difficult target-a trunk
almost one hundred yards distant OF
course 1t would have been only chlld's
play to IN experienced hunter: but
to tenderfoot 1t was difficult
mark indeed. Twice out of four shots
Dan hit the tree trunk. and one of his
two hits was practically bulls-eye.
His two misses were the result of the
same mistake he had made before
attempting to hold his aim too long.
Dan and Lennox started together
up the long slope of the ridge Dan
alane armed: Lennox went with him
solely - guide. The deer season he'd