The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-07-09


5 cutbanks are a terror to inexperl
, enced riders. The valleys are swal
lowed up in the tawny sameness o
the ranges; the vision catches onl,
the higher levels, and one may gallol
to the verge of a precipice before be
coming aware of its existence. 1t wal
to this that Zen had referred in speak
ing of Transley's precipitateness.
Drazk followed the gully up into
the hills, letting his horse drop back Il
walk in the hard going along the
dry bed of a stream which flowed only
in the spring freshets. Pete had t(
pick his way over powders and across
stretches of sand and DOGGY patches
of black mud formed by little springs
leaking out under clumps of willows
Here and there the white ribs of a
steers skeleton peered through the
brush; once or twice an overpowerins
stencil gave notice of carcass not
wholly decomposed.
1t was not a 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 mile from the cut
| bank.
81 reckon I could get great view
from that cutbank of what Landson is
doin'," 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 it
might be worth while to do little
scoutin'. 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 it lay, like a great curving 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 whitewashed buildings, and
nearer at hand the greenish-brown of
hn r,r,lo xrhinl, bic how
makers had already cleared of their
crop of prairie wool. This was now
arising in enormous stacks; it must
have been three miles to where they
lay, but DraZk's keen eyes could dis
tinguish ten completed stacks and two
others in course of building. He could
even see the sweeps hauling the new
hay, after only a few hours of sun
drying, and sliding it up the inclined |
platforms which dumped it into the |
form of stacks. The foothill rancher |
makes hay by horse power, and almost |
without the aid of a 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
a 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 a random
cigar. Then suddenly George Drazk's
mouth dropped open and his eyes
with a great idea
OF course it was against all the
rules of the range-it was outlaw
)usiness-but what about driving iron
stakes in hay meadow? Drazk's
was that the end justifies
he means. And if the end would win
he approval of Y.D.-and of Y.D.'s
laughter-then any means was justi-
led. Had not Under said, Burn the
grass on the rOad?" Drazk knew well
,nough that Linder's remark was a
igure of speech, but his eccentric 5
mind found no trouble in converting it'll
nto literal instructions. :
DTdZh Sulleu lUe air ana looked at | {
he sun. A soft breeze was moving |
lowly up the valley; the sun was Just
'ast noon. There was every reason I
o expect that as the lowland prairies
rev hot with the afternoon sunshine
breeze would come down out of the c
to occupy the area of great r
expansion. Drazk knew y
othing about the theory of the thing: n
II that concerned him was the fact
hat by mid-afternoon the wind would
robably change to the west. 4
Two miles down the valley he found
gully which gave access to the wa >,
er's edge. He descended, located
ord, and crossed. There were cattle Y
'ails through the cottonwoods; he ;,
light have followed them, but he -
Jared the telltale Shoe-prints. He -
ected the more difficult route down T,
he stream itself. The South Y.D. ran !.
ostly on q wide gravel bottom: If
as possible to pick out a course -
hich kept Pete in water seldom H
CHER than his knees. An hour of H