The Dolores star., 1924-06-13


lowed up in the tawny sameness of
the ranges; the vision catches only
the higher levels. and one may gallop
to the verge of precIplce before be-
coming aware of Its existence. II was
to this that Zen had referred in speak
Ing of Transley's precipltateness.
Drazk followed the gully up Into
the hills, letting his horse drop back to
walk in the hard going along the
dry bed of n stream which flowed only
In the spring freshets. Pete had to
pick his way over powders and across
stretches of sand and boggy patches
Of black mud formed by little springs
leaking out under clumps Of willows.
Here and there the white ribs of
steers skeleton peered through the
brush; once or twice an overpowerlng
stencil gave notice of carcass not
wholly decomposed.
1t was not pleasant environment,
but in an hour Drazk was out again
on the brow of the brown hills, where
the sunshine flooded about and fresh
breeze beat up against his face. After
all his winding in the gully he was
not more than a mile from the cut
bank.
81 reckon could get great view
from that cutbank Of what Landson is
doln'," he suddenly remarked to him
self. He took Off his hat and scratched
his tousled head in reflection. "Linder
said to beat It," he ruminated, "but
can't get back tonight anyway. an 1t
might be worth while to do little
scoutln'. Here goes!"
He struck smart gallop to the
southwark, and brought his horse up,
spectacularly, yard from the edge
of the precipice. The view which his
position commanded was superb. Up
the valley lay the white tents Of Trans
ley's outfit, almost hidden in green
foliage; the ford across the river was
distinctly visible, and stretching south
from 1t lay, like a great curvlng snake.
the trail which wound across the val
ley and lost itself in the foothills far
to the south; across the western hori-
zon hung the purple curtain of the
mountains, soft and vague in their
monday mists, but touched with set
tings Of ivory where the snow fields
beat back the blazing sunshine; far
down the valley was the CLEAN Of
Landson's whltewashed buildings, and
nearer at hand the greenish-brown Of
the upland meadows which his hay
makers had already cleared of their
crop of prairie wool. This was now
arising in enormous stacks; 1t must
have been three miles to where they
lay, but Drazk's keen eyes could dis
tlngulsh ten completed stacks and two
others In course of building. He could
even see the sweeps hauling the new
hay, after only few hours of SUM-
drying. and sliding 1t up the inclined
platforms which dumped 1t into the
form of stacks. The foothlll rancher
makes hay by horse power. and almost
without the aid Of pitchfork. Even
as Drazk watched he saw load skid
ded up: saw Its apparent momentary
poise in air; saw the well-trained
horses stop and turn and start back to
the meadow with their sweep. And
up the valley Transley's outfit was at
q standstill.
Drazk employed his limited but ex-
pressive vocabulary. 1t was against
all human nature to look on such a
scene unmoved. He recalled Y.D.'s
half-spoken wish about random
cigar. Then suddenly George Drazk's
mouth dropped open and his eyes
rounded with great idea.
OF course 1t was against all the
rules of the rangeit was outlaw
stakes in a hay meadow? Drazk's
philosophy was that the end justifies
the means. And If the end would win
the approval of Y.D.-and of Y.D.'s
daughter-then any means was justi-
fed. Had not Linder said, Burn the
grass on the road?" Drazk knew we'll
enough that Linder's remark was
figure of speech, but his eccentric
mind found no trouble in converting 1t
into literal instructions.
Drazk shifted the air and looked at
the sun. A soft breeze was moving
slowly up the valley; the sun was just
past noon. There was every reason
to expect that as the lowland prairies
grew hot with the afternoon sunshine
a breeze would come down out of the
mountains to occupy the area Of great
atmospheric expansion. Drazk knew
nothing about the theory of the thing
all that concerned him was the fact
that by mid-afternoon the wind would
probably change to the west.
Two miles down the valley he found
a gully which gave access to the wa
ter's edge. He descended, located
ford, and crossed. There were cattle
trails through the cottonwoods; he
might have followed them, but he
feared the telltale shoe-prints. He
elected the more difficult route down
the stream itself. The South Y.D. ran
mostly on wide gravel bottom; 1t
was possible to pick out course
which kept Pete in water seldom
higher than his knees. An hour of
this. and Drazk, peering through the