The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-02-01

these meant high altitude South
ward the barren red simply mer;-c'
into distance. The field of crater
rose in high, dark wheels toward the
dominating peaks. When Gale with
drew his gaze from the magnitude q
these spaces and heights the crate
beneath him seemed dwarred. Ye'
while he gazed it spread and deer
ened and multiplied Its ragged lines
No. he could not grasp the meanin
of size or distance here There wa.
too much to stun the sight But tn.
mood in which nataure had creatc
this convulsed world seized hold uroi
him
The hours p:.ssesi "a 'le g
climbed the clear s,ly, stvcly Il .nts v;t...|
ished, the blue hazes deeptneh ;n,
slowly the glistening surfaces of lava
turned redder. Ladd was concerned
to discover that Yaqui was missing
from his outlook upon the high point.
Jim Lash came out Of the shady crew
ice. and stood up to buckle on his car
fridge belt. His narrow, gray glance
slowly roved from the height Of lava
down along the slope. paused in doubt,
and then swept on to resurvey the
whole vast eastern dip Of the plateau.
II reckon my eyes are pore," he said.
"Mebbe it's this d-n red glare. Any
way, what's them creepin' spots up
therer'
"Shore seen them. Mountain
Sheep" replied Ladd.
"Guess again, Laddy. Dick,
reckon you'd better flash the glass up
the slope"
Gale adjusted the field glass and be-
gan to search the lava, beginning close
at hand and working away from him.
Presently the glass became stationary.
II see half dozen small animals,
brown in color. They look like sheep.
But couldn't distinguish mountain
sheep from antelope"
"Shore they're bighorn," said Laddy.
II reckon II you'll pull around to the
east an search under that long wall
of ava-there-you'n see what l see,"
added Jim.
The glass climbed and circled, wa
vered an instant. then fixed steady
as a rock. There was a breathless
silence.
Fourteen horses : two packed =
some mounted-others without riders
and lame" said Gale, slowly.
Yaqui appeared far up the trail
coming swiftly. Presently he saw the
rangers and halted to wave his arms
and point. Then he vanished as If the
lava had opened beneath him.
"Lemme tina, glass;" suddenly said
int I fo11
. +. Well, pore as my eyes are they
had 1t right Roias an his outfit have
left the trail. Laddy, I'll be DANCED
If the Greaser bunch hasn't vamoosed
Gone out of sight Right there not
half mile away, the whole caboodle-
gonew
"Shore they're behind a crust or
have gone down into rut," suggested
Ladd. They'll show again In a min
ute. Look sharp, boys, for I'm fig
germ Rojas II spread his men,"
From time to time the rangers
looked inquiringly at Gale. The field
glass, however, like the naked sight,
could not catch the slightest moving
object out there upon the lava. A
long hour Of slow, mounting suspense
wore on.
ashore it's all goin' to be as queer
as the Yaqui," said Ladd.
Indeed. the strange mien, the silent
action, the somber character Of the
Indian had not been without effect
upon the minds of the men. Then the
weird, desolate, tragic scene added to
the vague sense Of mystery. And now
tho disappoo ro moo ~ Rotoos hopd <bo
long wait in the silence, the boding
certainty of invisible foes crawling,
circling closer and closer, lent to the
situation a final touch that made 1t
unreal.
I'm reckonin' there's mind be
hind them Greasers." replied Jim. "Oi
mebbe we amt done Rojas credit
II somethin' would only come
ofrw
That Lash, the coolest, the most
provokingly nonchalant Of men In
times of peril, should begin to show
a nervous strain was all the more In
dicative of subtle pervading un-
reality.
Boys. look sharpi" suddenly called
Lash. Low down to the left-mehbe
three hundred yards. See. along by
them seams of lava-behind the cho
vas. First Off I thought 1t was
sheep. But it's the Yaqui!
Crawlin' swift as lizardi Can't you
see him?"
1t was full moment before Jim's
companions could locate the Indian
Flat as snake, -Yaqui wound him
self along with Incredible rapidity
His advance was all the more remark
able for the fact that he appeared to
pass directly under the dreaded cho-
vas. Sometimes he paused to lift his
head and look.
"Shore he's headin' for that high
place." said Ladd. Hes going slow
now. There. he's stopped behind some