White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1924-11-14
CHAPTER
Christmas

Christmas
So the fine adventure had failed.
Not but what Hugh knew that on the
morrow he would begin to plan anoth-
er and equally fine adventure. Yet
he and Fred and old Red Wolf were
as deeply depressed as though all the
fossil remains of Wyoming had been
destroyed when the slide had crushed
the newly exposed body Of the giant
dinosaur. To be sure, Red Wolf,
after the first shock Of failure had
passed, had tried to tell Hugh of a
certain fabulous cliff dwelling full of
bones, sacred to the mysterious orr
gins of the Sioux tribe. But Hugh,
disappointed and bereft, would not
listen He gave orders to break
camp and the start for home was
made two hours after the south slope
of the mountain had jealousy recov-
cred the remains of that gigantic
memory of the past.
The mountain bordered the extreme
west line of the Old Sioux Tract. The
Roaring Chief River paralleled the
line of the Tract, fifteen minutes to
the east. Between lay rugged up
heaval of mountains and canyons
deep now in December SHOWS.
1t was mid-morning when Hugh led
the way out of the camp under the lee
of the mountain, SoutheastWard into
the wild valley that lay between the
fossil peak and the flat-topped plateau
known chiefly as the haunt of wild
horses. Save for occasional gnarled
cedar clumps, the brilliant orange and
red sides of the peak and the plateau
we're barren. Even the snow had been
walls. But the floor of the valley was
covered with quivering aspens whose
, pastel-green trunks and delicate gra.
boughs were set too thick to permi
, the passage of rider. Hugh led thu
little caravan along the rough snow.
space that remained open between
the wall of the plateau and the aspel
grove.
J The going was extremely rough
Hugh sat tense in the saddle, spul
= ring his horse, Fossil, over roc
heaps and through drifts as thong
he found mental easement in doublin
thus the difficulties of the trail. Ere
Allward, the little gray-bearded ma
| who drove the freight wagon, and oil
Red Wolf, driving the sheep Wagon
huddled in their mackinaWs, swore 8
the mules and glanced askance g
= Hugh.
- Hugh, in spite of the tensity Of hi
seat, rode with the easy assurance I
one bred to the saddle. He shove
I mackinaw and corduroy riding breec
- es. A round beaver skin cap, pull'
low, hid all his hair save a THU
chestnut lock that blew across b
forehead. His face was long a.
thin like his body, with high che
bones and long jaw line tn
showed sharply beneath his ea
There were lines around his gr
eyes, drawn there by sun strain,
irritation and by humor. 1t was
no means handsome face-though
= clearly showed a fine Intelligent
His mouth alone was beautiful.
was full curved and sensitive; a c,
iously ardent mouth to dwell in
tine-draWn face. Hugh was in t
thirtieth year of his age.
1t was three o'clock when he
4 the way out OF the narrow valley in
= wider one, blue with snow and tr
less save for grove of spruce m
to the north. Hugh headed direc
for this grove, and Fred sighed W.
relief and lighted his pipe.
Hugh, too, suddenly conscious
the unbelievable beauty about him,
Taxed little in the saddle. A wol
of blue sky and snow and dists
> heaven-kissing peaks. Even
spruce trees, as he led toward the
q showed true, though darker, bl
4 against the snow. The great bror
8 cones, massed in the higher boughs
the trees, gave the only variety to t
: great monotone.
AT the edge of the grove, HUI
turned in the saddle. Lets ma
camp, boys!" he called.
Fred pulled his mules to tn
launches so suddenly that Red VOL
team bumped their noses on the tt
board of the freight wagon. Red w
srunted swung his mules clear a
leaped over their fiinging hind legs
the ground. He began to unhitch
once, while Fred built the fire in t
little stove in the sheep wagon a
Hugh, with his gun over his arm,