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

mind, a sort Of second wind, during
which a mans thoughts remain station
airy, fixed upon i-nconsequental objects.
It NAV be that the mind, weary with
the contemplation of dread things, seeks
to relieve the strain in this manner, or
that fear produces a vacuum through
which nc new thought or sensation can
be projected from the outside. This or
that, Selden, peering along the barrel of
his gun, noted how much the ridges OF
earth in the breastwork between which 1t
rested looked like the walls Of a canyon,
and the cleaning cylinder like a stream
at the bottom of it. The notched sight
at the end of the barred assumed the
definite shape Of a Latin rugged craft
poised before a plunge into some unseen
cataract miles away.
He realized suddenly that he was very
thirsty n reached out his hand Tor the
water canteen at his feet. He found that
it was empty. A rifle bullet had drilled
it through. He touched the jagged edges
of the hole with the tips Of his fingers
absently. A small patch Of earth, damp
to the touch Of his palm, showed that
the parched soil had sucked up the
spilled water to the last drop. Outside
the tent, almost within arms length,
but with death as the penalty for the
venture, the brook rippled softly.
A volley of shots from the rocks made
him drop the empty canteen and in
stinctively duck his head. He felt a sud-
den sharp sting in his left heel, and when
the firing had ceased felt a warm trickle
follow the curve Of the instep. At first
he thought hat his leg was going to
sleep at the cramped position in which
he was lying, and moved it a little. The
result was an oozy sensation as if he had
stuck his foot into a morass. Never hav-
ing been wounded by a rifle bullet he
merely wondered at the comparative
painlessness of it. He ascribed this to
the fact that the ball had probably
passed through the heshy part Of the
heel without touching the bone.
He glanced at his son. The boy was
lying motionless with his cheek pressed
against the stock Of his rifle. The lad
perfect immobility made Selden tense
with a shock of fear. But his low spoken
interrogatory, "All right?" brought a re-
assuring "Uhu" from the still form.
The vague outlines Of the lava rock;
claimed his attention again. He tool
careful aim at what he saw move there
= When he pressed the trigger the thing he
2 had aimed at leaped into the air with
the projectile s-uddenneSs Of a tack-in'
the-box, and disappeared. The result o.
: this shot was a rush from the rocks
! Bending low and shooting from the hil
4 as they came, Selden counted nine Indi
ans. His and his sons rifle spa
n name BOBGbQeI. Inc IOreuOSB OF TN
= band dropped and his gun went clatter
4 ing over the stony ground as he flung i
4 far and wide at the impact Of the ball
The rest wavered for a moment, then re
tired in haste to the shelter Of the rocks
: not before, however, Selden saw by tn
n limping Of the hindmost that anothe
shell had taken effect.
They'll think before they try to rus
us again." Bob remarked laconically
: Pass me the canteen, will you? DR.
work"
Selden, tapping the empty vessel wit
his foot to drown the concern in hi
= voice, explained what had happened.
mot so good" was all the boy salt
Il Beneath the bravado his father detecte
the note of fear. His hand came to re.
= upon the lads shoulder. He felt til
~ young body rise under a deep intake
= breath, and he knew that his son under
stood that he was trying to share wit
him his own scant store Of courage. Sc
: den turned his face away. Across Il
"A valley the red rim Of the rising su
cleaned like q flaming scimitar over II
= rounded summit Of a hill.
N BY ten o'clock the heat blazed dow
b upon them in great ~throbbing wav
n against which the thin, bullet riddle
8 canvas afforded but little. protection. IT
= whole universe seemed like a casket
FURNISHED metal pressed down again
= the glittering sand. Even relief fro
:. Precipitation was denied them. The gro
ing sun rays sucked every drop Of moi
ture from their burning bodies befo
f. It was distilled in their pores. Tit
swollen n parched tongues filed TIT
= mouths to bursting. Each breath vas