The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-02-23

the camp outfi, Presently. when no
had arranged tho load TO his saua-
faction. he threw tho diamond hitch
and stood back TO take q chew Of
tobacco while hc surveyed his work.
He was . squat. heavy oct man with
q Chihuahua hat Also he was a
twogun man. After q moment hs
circied an arrowhead thlckst and
moved into the chaparral where bis
horse was hobblcd
The man who had spoken rose with
one 1.-The twist OF his big body. Ills
eyes. hard and narrow, watched the
shorter man disappear In the brush.
Then he turned swiftly and STROBE
toward the shoulder of the ridge.
In the heavy underground OF dry
weeds and grass no stopped and tr~,.
ed the wind with bandAnna hand.
kerchiss. Tho breeze was steady and
fairly strong. IL blew down the
canon toward the foothills beyond.
The man stripped from a scrub
oak handful 81 leaves. They were
very brittle and crumhled In hts
hand. A match flared out Hia palm
cupped V for q moment 20 steady
tho blaz. before h. touched u to tho
crisp foliage. Into a nest Of twir.
no thrust the small flame The twigs.
dry an powder from four months
drought. cracked like miniature fire
works. The grass caught. and
small line Of fire ran quickly out
The man rosa. On his brown face
vns an evil smile. In hts hard eyes
som.thinx mAlsvoient and sinister.
The wind would do the rest
He walked back toward the cansp.
At tho shoulder crest he turned To
look back. From cut OF the chap
parai q thin column OF pale gray
smoke was rising.
His companion stamped out the re-
mains OF the breakfast fire and threw
dirt on the ashes 10 make sure no
live crnber could escape in tho wind.
Then he swung TO the saddle.
Ready. Dug he asked
The big man growled an assent
and followed him over the summit
INTO the valley beyond
Country needs a rain bad the
man IN the Chihuahua hat com
mentsd. Don't know as I recolsect
dryer season"
Tho big hawk .nosed man By his
side cacki-d In his throat with short.
spienctic mirth. -It1l be some dryer
before the rama" he propheuicd.
They climbed out Of the valley 10
the rim The short man was bring.
ing up the rear along the narrow
trail ribbon. He turned In the sad.
die 10 look back. a hand on his
horses rump. Perhaps he did this
because OF the power OF suggestion.
Several times Doble had already
swing his head 10 scan with
searching gaze the other side OF the
valley.
Mackerri clouds were floating near
the horizon in n sky Of blue. Was
that or was II not smoke just over
the brow Of the hilig
"caynt be our campfire the
squat man said aloud II smothercd
that proper"
'Them's Clouds pronounced Doll.
quickly. Clouds an some mist
risin' from tho gulch'
Il reckon" agreed the other. with
no sure conviction. Doble must be
right. OF course. No fire had been
In evidence when they left tho camp
ing ground. and no was sure he had
stamped out the one that had cooked
the biscuits. Yet that stringy gray
film certainly looked like smoke. n.
hung In the wind, half OF n mind 10
20 back and make sure. Fire IN the
chapparal now might do untold dam
age.
shorty looked at Dobie. IF tha's
fire. Dug"
1T amt. No chance snapped the
ex.foreman. Wen travel II you
don't feel called on 10 go back an
stomp out the mist, shorty" he add.
ed with sarcasm.
The cowpuncher took the trail
again. Like many men. he was not
proof against a neer. Dug was
right. Shorty decided. and
he did not want to make n fool OF
himself. Doble would ride him with |
heavy jeers all day.
An hour later they rested their |
horses on the divide. To the west !
Law Maiapi and the plains. Eastward /
were the heaven. pricklng peaks. A |
long. bright line xigzagged across
the desert and reflected the sun rays. !