Belt Valley times., 1926-07-15

l0ce. lie $1,000 00Wu~Wiu0 from Ant
group and It was plain that he re-
sented their presence. The great
head was raised and lowered uncer-
tainiy. the wide curviRg horns tossed
menacingly.
There was no shelter II the bull
meant mischief. To run was to court
disaster
Carmen clung to her friend trem-
bling. her eyes big with fear. Betty
/ Clinton was pale but she faced the
bull and not a muscle had qulvered.
Il don't know Just what we had
better do" she said quietly to Caleb.
Hes working himself up into a rage.
II we could make Padilla hear and
understand"
Caleb resented this e little. He did
not realize that the girl was thinking
OF Padilla mounted. acting as vaQuero.
Perhaps the resentment quIckened his
wits to action. Carmen screamed
again just as the bull lowered his
head and charged straight for them
Caleb snatched at Garments hair
and grabbed the scarlet beret.
Its your hat that bothers him." he
cried. ''rIl handle him. Run-both
OF you. I'll hold him Rum
He waved them or with a shout as
the bull came on. He saw Carmen,
her black hair streaming from his
careless tug for the hat, snatch at
Betty's hand and start to run swiftly
toward the wal. He saw, for a split
second, Thurston's startled face APP
pearing over the, stones as he ascend
ed. heard the girls cry out and Thurs
ton shout. He faced the bull. the
flaming beret in his hand, prepared
to play toreador, unarmed.
The bull roared as his glaring eyes
caught the flare Of the scarlet taunt
waved by the man. Blind TO every
thing else, centered in the desire to
glut hts rage on the OFFENDING color,
he raced over the turf. leaving little
cloud-trail of dust, shaking the
ground with his weight as he pounded
It with his hoofs.
Caleb waited. not quite as coolly as
he had wished, warily Judging dis |
tance. AS the sharp horns swept up,
scooping for the cloth he held out at
arms length, Caleb sprang TO one side
and ran forward as the bafied brute,
snOrtIng and maddened, plOwed past
him, front legs stiffened in the at |
tempt to stop and wheel. the great |
head clumslly turned toward the red
beret and Caleb, who halted twenty
yards away and provokingiy dis
played the bait
The girls had got safely beyond the
wall In a second or so they would
be out Of sight. he had now only
himself to look out for. The bull
turned and came racing back. Caleb
knew that he could not dodge forever.
He could distinguish Betty,s clear,
high voice calling for Padllla. The
words were In Spanish. He recog-
nlzed few Of them. "ToroL Riata
- Then the bull took up all
his attention. II came on with In
credible speed. the numbering gait
seemed freed by rage. As Caleb
Ieaped aside the brute swerved 30
swiftly that a horn grazed Caleb's
arm, ripping cloth.
This time he had to turn and run
down hill away from the trees. His
foot caught In the hole of a ground
squirrel and his ankle was wrenched
as he stumbled and jerked Il clear. 1t
was not a bad sprain but It handi-
capped him and would not get better
With exertfon. The bull had halted
more easily going up hill. II was
chasing him before he had got well
nto HIS stride. He had to sprint to
ret the chance to dodge. And this
line he ran for all he was worth. He
lad almost won the trees when the
,ull caught up the distance between
hem.
Caleb glanced over his shoulder. He
.ould hear the snorts, Of the crazed
,rute. He saw the massive head shift
sideways for the toss, saw the roll Of
ne blood-rimmed eyes and he leaped
ldeways with the last Of his energy
ifs lungs straining and his heart
And. as he jumped, he
made the sacrifice Of the beret, drop
ing It fairly In the bulls course
While he felt the sweep Of air as the
'easts head was flung up. backed by
he force OF mighty shoulders, one
Iorn lmpallng the beret that cIung
here. driving the bull to frenxled fury !
vhile Caleb. painting. lodged among