The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-05-17
CHAPTER VII
The Pass Of tho Goata.

In the throat Of the gorge the sun
shone red on the tawny cliffs. 1t was
close to seven o'clock. Sandy's lean
face was anxious. The girl drooped
In her seat. tired from the long climb,
not yet Injured to the saddle.
Sandy had only once crossed the
Pass Of the Goats and that was years
before. There had been washouts
since then. Several times they were
forced to dismount and lead the nerv-
GUS beasts, Sandy doing the coaxing,
helping Molly over the difficult places.
lie rode mare named Goldle and
the girl bay with white blaze that
Sandy had chosen for the mountain
work and which had been brought to
them at the lava strip.
The mare halted, neck stretched
out, turning 1t to look inqulringly at
her master. A sharp incline lay ahead
the path little better than one made
by the goats for which the pass was
named. Behind, Molly's mount fol.
lowed suit, blowing at the dust. Sandy
fatted the mares neck and dis
mounted.
"Yore sure game, Molly" he said
admirlngly; you must be clean tuck
cred out"
She shook her head with an attempt
ut smile.
"lll be glad when we start goIn'
down, fer change" she admitted.
looking into the gloomy trough Of the
canyon through which the night wind
soughed.
"I'll tighten up ycre cinches," said
Sandy. Worst Of the, climbs Jest
ahead. Then we start to drop down
t'other side. You don't have to Git
or" He tugged at the feathers, his
knee against the bays ribs as she
grunted.
"You amt much furtheh to 60 III
hawss." he chatted on. "DownhiIl all
the way soon, an then drink to
wash out yore mouth an the best feed
In Caroca TO the pair of you"
"Gits dark mighty quick up here"
said the girl.
A great cloud was baIloonIng above
them, like n dlrigible that had lost
buoyancy and was humping along the
mesa ridge. Its belly was black. Its
western side rudy in the sunset.
Sandy viewed 1t apprehensively. The
cloud was soggy with moisture. Burst
Ing. It would send torrents roaring
down every ravine, wash out wealth
cred masses Of earth, sweep all be-
fore 1t as 1t gathered forces and
rushed out on the desert.
Where Molly and Sandy rode thew
we're exposed to the first drench of a
cloudburst.
Sandy examined his own cinch and
frightened 1t before he mounted, And
he whispered something in the mares
ear that caused her to lip his sleeve.
Let yore hawss have his own way.
Molly" he said. I'm lettin' Goldle
do the pickin' To- the lead. Ready ?"
1t was growing cold In the twilight.
One splre ahead glowed golden. The
cloud drifted down upon 1t, gloomIng
and glowing on Its sunset side. The
crag pierced 1t, ripped 1t as 1t glided
along, like the knife of diver in the
belly Of shark. A cold wind blew
from the riven mass. Then came the
hiss Of descending waters.
Through the steady ratter began to
sound the savage voice of torrents
falling over cliffs, rapids rising and
surging in deep gorges. The wetness
and the cold Slapped Molly's vitality.
She rode with hands on the saddle
horn. her head bowed, water stream
ing from the rim of her Stetson the
thud Of the rain on her tired shoulders
heavy as shot. She saw Sandy ahead.
dimly, like a sheeted ghost, twisted in
his saddle. watching her.
To her right was the cliff. slImy
with water, the trail SO narrow that
now and then her elbow dug into the
soft stun. The light rayed upward
at an acute angle. In few moments
It would be dark. But they were
close to the top. The mare already
stood on level ledge of side jutting
rock, from which one could look down
into the canyon Of the oaks and the
unfailing stream.
Sandy heard cry from Molly and
saw, through the curtain of the fall
ing rain, the wide-fared nostrils of
her horse. Its eyes protruding as the