Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1929-04-18

over there"
waddles interposed and seconded
her move.
@Let 'em rip" he said. there's
Just a chance"
Bangs was the first to change
mounts. The boys physical Qualifica-
lions were as sound as his mental
ability was limited and It was his
pride to have a string of mounts that
included the worst horses In the lot.
he rode from the corral on Blue, hold
ing the big roam steady, and headed
up the ridge a mile below where Har-
ris and the girl had come down. Rile
Foster chose the next; five riders
were but few jumps behind. Harris
did not change horses but searched
hastily In his war bag and slipped
the strap Of a binocular case across
his shoulders and rode OF with the
girl as she finished cinching her sad
die on q fresh horse.
In less than FIVE minutes from the
I time she had reached the wagon the
last Three Bar man had mounted and
gone. Harris rode with her up long
ridge that led up to the divide; they
followed another into the next bot
toms and assembled the second divide.
This was sharp and rocky, its crest a
maze Of ragged pinnacles. He chose
the highest Of these and dismounted
to sweep the range with his glasses.
| The high point afforded a view of
every ridge for miles. After perhaps
half an hour Harris caught five horse
men in the field Of his glasses. They
| were riding in knot.
They've picked up his trail" he
said. "But he'll have too long lead.
We might as well be going"
! They mounted and headed to the
right along the divide.
IF Rile Is in sight We can wait for
him." he said. "And see If he's
picked up any tracks"
A half-mile along the ridge they
saw Foster off through the breaks
and he was working back their way.
Thanks, Billie" Harris said. "For
. losing a circle trying to run him
down."
! I'D have done as much for any
Three Bar man." she returned.
"Of course" he said. I'D have ex.
! pected that. But all the same II
shows that I'm progressing. Maybe
my good qualities will grow on you
until you get to thinking right well of
me-"
! They waited till Foster Joined them
on the ridge.
Bangs crossed over a mile below"
| Rile said. 1--WE might pick him up"
! "Any sign?" Harris asked as they
moved down the divide.
F; "a bunch of shod horses went down
, through there a few days back" Rifle
said Three or four men likely, with
few pack horses along. He's pulled
out"
II saw him." Harris said. "He's
gone"
They stopped in the saddle Of the
ridge where fresh track showed the
spot Bangs had crossed.
! The girl was looking at Harris and
saw a sudden pallor travel up under
his tan and as she turned to see what
/ had occasioned it he crowded his
horse against her own.
"Don't look !" he ordered, and forced
her horse over the far side of the
ridge. you'd better ride on back to
the wagon" he urged. ''There's been
some sort of doings over across. Rile
and I will ride down and look into 1t. "
Without q word she turned her horse
toward the wagon.
"It's Gods mercy she didn't see"
Harris said, as the two crossed back
over the ridge. isn't that hi OF
a way for a man to die?"
But the girl had seen. Her one
brief look had revealed a horse com
ing round bend in little box can
yon below. A shapeless thing dragged
from one stirrup and at every third
or fourth jump the big blue horse
side-slashed the limp bundle with his
heels
As the two men reached the bottoms
the frenzied horse had stopped and
was fighting to free himself of the
thing that followed him. He moved
away from 1t in circle but 1t was
always with him. He squealed and
kicked 1t, then dashed off In fresh
panic, side-swiping his pursuer.
Harris rope frightened on his neck
and threw him. AS he rolled over
Fosters moose shared both hind feet
and he was held stretched and help
less between two trained cow horses
while the men disengaged the bundle
that had once been Bangs. One boot
heel was missing and his foot was
damned through the stirrup, evidence
that the horse had pitched with him
and the loosened heel had come off,
allowing his foot to slip through as
he was thrown.
Harris pointed to burnt red streak
across the right side Of Bangs neck.
He unbuttoned his shirt and revealed
q similar streak under his left armpit.
Old Rile cursed horribly and his
face seemed to have aged ten years.
"They learned that from the abb