Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1923-03-02
CHAPTER xl-contlnued.

49, nOtche8 between tne tumDIet
Gf1n6ens of lava. At the apex of thu
- where two streams met. a mar
- 6uily wound and assembled. Yaqu
- tablo into 1t, and then began thu
laborious and vexatlous anC
"a Of all slow travel.
"a dlsIntegrating surface of lava
vas at once the toughest. the
the meanest, the cruelest, the
deceitful kind Of ground to
49, The fugitives made slow
IS. They picked a cautious
hg way to AMI fro In little steps
md there along the many twists
q y trail, up and down the unavoid
1epresslons. round and round the
At noon, so winding back upon
had been their course, they APP
= d to have come only q short dis
up the lava slope.
1as rough work for them; It was
lie work for the horses. Blanco
811hao refused to answer to the power
~ 10 Yaqui. He baked. he plunged,
- III and kicked. He had to be pulled
ara beaten over many places. Mer-
eedot horse almost threw her, and
~ was put upon Blanco Sol. The
WhIoo charger snorted protest, then.
ob6nt to Gales stern call. patiently
loWo06d his noble head and paved the
lava tx a footing that would hold.
The lava caused Gale toll and
worry and pain. but he hated the
nj
what be had heard claimed by desert
fraxe3ers-that the choya was alive
ana leaped at man or beast. Certain
4 Was when Gale passed one. IL he
ala not put all attention to avoiding
&. ~ was hooked through his chaps
ana held by barbed thorns. The pain
Wa almost uncomfortable. 1t was like
no other. 1t burned. stung, beat
almost seemed to freeze. 1t made
useless arm or leg. 1t made him bite
bis tongue to KEEP from crying out
II made the sweat roll off him. 1t
made him sick.
Moreover, bad as the choya was for
man, 1t was Infinitely worse for beast.
A tagged stab from this poisoned cac-
tn was the only thing Blanco Sol
could not stand. Many times that day.
before he carried Mercedes. he had
wildly snorted, and then stood trem-
bling while Gale picked broken thorns
Aem the muscular legs. But after
Mercedes had been put upon Sol Gale
made sure no choya touched him.
The afternoon passed like the morn
Ing. In ceaseless winding and twist
ing and climbing along this abandoned
daif. Gale saw many waterholes.
-unGfly dry. some containing water. all
II them catch-bnsins, full only after
rainy season. Little ugly punched
bushes. that Gale scarcely recognized
- mosquitoes, grew near these holes;
also stunted greasewood and prickly
pear. There was no grass. and the
cAoya alone flourished In that hard
soil.
Darkness overlook the party as they
unpacked beside pool of water deep
ander an oyerhanging shelf Of lava
4 had been a hard day. The horses
drank their fill. and then stood pa
uentIy with dropping heads. Hunger
ard thirst were appeased, and a warm
~ cheered the weary and footsore
fuxitives. Yaqui said. sleep" And
- another night passed.
Upon the following morning, ten
miles or more up the slow-ascending
jAva slope. Gale was In the rear Of
"A the other horses, 30 as to take,
~ Mercedes sake, the advantage of
~ broken trail. Yaqui was leading
pfnblo. winding around break. His
Md was bent as he stepped slowly
- unerenly upon the lava. Gale
tuned t. look back, the first time In
aoveral days He thought. Of course.
- Rojas In certain pursuit; but 1t
u11naed absurd to look for him.
4hqui led on, and Gale often glanced
- from his task to watch the Indian
pTooently he saw him stop. turn, and
look pack. Ladd did likewise, and
thoa Jim and Thorne. Gale found the
1onlre Irresistible. Thereafter he
often rested Blanco. Sol. and looked
hack the while. He had his field
eiass, but did not choose to use 1t.
~Rojas will follow" said Mercedes.
Gale regarded her In amaze. The
1oae of her voice had been indefinable
II there were fear then he failed to
lotect It. She was gazing back down |
- colored slope. and something about
~, perhaps the steady. falcon gaze
her magnificent eyes, reminded him
y YBqui.
Many times during the ensuing hour |
- Indian faced about. and slways |
~ followers did likewise. II WAS high |
ION, with the sun beating hot and
~ laws rsdiDtiDg heat. when Ysqui |
Tilted for rest, The horses punched
- dropped their heads, The rangers
lDss shout 10 slip the packs and re-
pvs saddles when Ysqui resirsined
- SEED chsngsIsss, cleaning gaze
fI6 sky<k dsba 4Af bat did MOI ssexu