The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-12-30

was inevitable.
Selden's mind conceived and rejected a
dozen wild plans, only to return to the
realization that in his selfish desire to
win his son for himself he had brought
about a predicament that might at any
moment take the lad away from him for
ever. He became possessed Of a great
senseless rage at himself and hurled si-
lent curses upon the land n the cop
perry sky. These paroxysms, futile as
they seemed, served to clear his brain Of
the helpless confusion hat bound it,
and presently he began to think con-
structively. The dark mouth Of the tun-
mel beckoned invitingly. 1t seemed to
be trying to articulate and impart to him
the knowledge Of a means by which he
could guide his son to its sheltering
safety. He regarded with a speculative
intensity the lava spur that lay a hun
dred and fifty yards from the entrance.
It's position interested him. If they
could gain this, a dash for the tunnel
would be simple, since the spur was in a
direct line etween it n the spot where
the attacking party was intrenched. The
creek skirted the base Of the spur. If the
Indians could approach unseen between
its steep banks as they would when they
discovered the way, this same route was
open to his son and him. The problem
was how to reach the creek whose water
rippled maddeningly within ten or twelve
IeeC OF their Darched lips.
Selden's tortured mind toyed with the
problem, cropping Town the aisles of race
memories. Somewhere among the null
titudinous experiences Of his kind lay
the solution. Somewhere in the delicate
convolutions Of his brain was recorded
the answer to some similar problem
solved by a father battling for his young
in the dawn Of life. Tt receded, advanced,
eluded him, and then burst upon his
1 nA~EAf2wWnaA. -wgAT 49,
OF an exploding meteor. They had dug
themselves into the earth, already; why
couldn't they dig themselves into the
creek? Tunnel through the ten or twelve
feet Of gravel that separated them from
ttP His heart leaped at the simplicity Of
it
/ The first thing he did was to tear
loose n Of the wire bedsprings, and
from it fashion a hook which he fas-
5 tened to the end of his rifle. With this
: hook he managed to reach one Of the
short handled shove without exposing
? himself. He also managed to convey to
/ his son what he meant to do. The boy
nodded and signihed that he would keep
watch alone.
Selden fell to work. The first few
? shovelfuls Of gravel thrown over the
: b~reastwork brought a fusillade Of lead
t ripping through the canvas overhead, tc
e which Bob emptied his rifle in reply
After this the firing became deSultOry
t and the lad replied in kind. The Indians
were-as long as daylight lasted-in &
predicament not unlike their own. Bob'i
rife prevented a thanking movement, and
e until dark, the attackers could not ever
T retreat from their rocky shelter, as thI
ground was open in all directions, ant
b as the elevated position Of the besiegeC
T.. enabled them to overlook the slopinl
mesa beyond the rocks.
Selden worked with a sort Of savag
b elation. It was not long before the hol
Is was deep enough to stand upright II
and swing the pick. The hard packel
i. gravel was an advantage now. 1t pre-
d vented the tunnel from caving in.
st After two hours Of labor his pick struc
lie through the last foot Of gravel, and hi
Of hand, thrust through Tho aperture, cam
in contact with the water of the creel
h so well had he judged the pitch Of tn
l. ground. A moment or two Of hackin
le and he plunged his lips into the &c
IN water, LAYING his burning face and wrist
le Dragging himself back to the trench
he ordered his son to precede him, at til
same time picking up his own rife ar
es firing 1t steadily, lest a prolonged ssilenC
ed should awaken suspicion in the IndtaI
be and cause them to make q rush. II
Of shots brought reassuring reply from Il
st rocks, showing that the attackers suspec
m ed nothing Of their plan. He saw Il
p crouching figure Of his son move swift
IS up the creek between the high bank
IRE When the boy was abreast Of the spl
cir Of lava. he waved his hand by prea
cir ranged signal, and Selden fired his la
an volley from the trench. Filling the char