Evening star., 1931-06-21

sighted in his landmarks. and located the dim,
inconspicuous print of small heel
That's the last earthly sign, Mississip'"
Mississippi Tyler got down and brought his
dogs about him. He hardly knew how to put
them onto this new kind of trail. He made
them all lie down, then took Chicoree by the
Scruff.
This it." he told the red-and-white leader,
making his voice excited. He pushed the
dogs nose hard down on the track. Get
It, and like it, and hang on! Now, go on!"
In all that redbone pack Chicoree the
brains. Mississippi feared he would not get the
1dea since the method was new but Chicoree
did. The trail was old, considering the dry
heat of the soil, but Chicoree's voice blared,
and he set off at a trot.
Holding the rest in was hard, but Mississippi
managed it with voice and quirt, forcing their
noses to the heel print, one after another.
Last of all, the Thunder Pumper volunteered
and gravely examined the heel print as the
others had been forced to do
They pressed forward briskly for a little
while, for here the trail fairly favorable
ground. And presently, searching the tough
soil, the men found another visible print that
the way of the dogs had shown.
They've got it," Harky eXulted.
Don't cheer yet" said Mississippi.
you're thinking of Crackman's Rocky?"
That and something else" You see, they
did not know what would be at the end Of
that trail, even If it was ever reached.
Roy Linstrom Joined them presently, guided
to them by the clamor of the pack. Ahead
now loorned the far-stretching crack-laced
granite surfaces of the mesa called Crackman'S
Rocky. Mississippi had been dreading the ar
A rival of the hounds at Crackmans Rocky, and
hoping the trail would skirt it, for granite for4
ever baked in the Southwestern sun holds but
little scent-and that for not very long.
TIP the slope OF the granite Chicoree led the
pack and by the leaders instant. voice
change Mississippi knew that the granite told
them nothing. The dogs were running on gen
eral direction and hope After few hundred
yards Chicoree admitted it and back-cast to
the sand; but once more upon the granite lost
his way.
Casting carefully, checking both sides of the
widening dixie to that the trail did not
leave, Chicoree led them until at length
they came to widening of those naked long
reaches of stone, and Mississippi diSmounted.
Somberly he loosened his cinches and sat down
ON block of rock
Wen be here some little time" he told the
other two slowly. There's nothing to do now
but wait"
Now a long time passed without result. Once
Chicoree voiced uncertainty, and the pack rail-
lied to him full cry; but it came to nothing.
1--WE combed this throw of the rock twenty
times" complained Harky. II found out as
much as the dogs did, with my own eyes. II
this is the best they can do, we might as
we'll"
Give him time" said Mississippi. "Chicoree;s
left the pack and gone of on his own. You'll
hear him pretty soon now. There's hound
dog. don't suppose he's been Stumped three
times in as many years Give him a chance!"
Yet an hour passed, and two hours. Then,
ut the end of three hours, Chicoree came In. He
carried his head and tail low foolish looking
red-and-white form that was for once COM
pletely silent. That old dog, who had
made all the hunting reputation Mississippi
kaoA rxtk dofo knQu
Mississippi sat down for a moment, his face
in his hands. Glen Harky and Roy Linstrom
were silent. No one knew the Rimrock better
than these three but now they did not know
where to go that they had not already gone,
nor which way to turn. About Mississippi be-
gan to gather the weaker hounds, half dozen,
who Topped down around him in raglike
postures, plainly considering the hunt ended.
Chicoree was still casting. or pretending to,
at disconsolate walk, and so were Belle and
Strap; and the two pups Three Star and Hen
nessey, were stin running in their perpetual
circles, making a big show Of remembering what
they were after, which probably they did not.
And of course, there still kept coming to them
the deep bass bloomps Of the Thunder Pumper,
coming up slowly that he was still working
that part of the trail that was on favorable
earth.
"It's getting late" said Linstrom.
Mississippi rose, his face grim and gray as
the face of the battling rock itself. Slowly he
tigntened his cinch.
"They may pick it up some other place." he
offered without conviction. "WeIl swing some
long circles Of our own, using our heads the
best we can"
Mississippi stuck foot in the stirrup; but
there, suddenly, he checked. wait minute"
he said in a queer voice.
He had cast one glance back along the way
they had come, and something he had glimpsed
there held him immobile. The two other men
followed his eyes.
Then, through break in a split ledge, ap-
peared a slow low-headed FORM so far of that