| Show AT asil HAL F W A Y li S E A 5 0 R L A t N S SY E HOUGH AUTHOR OF THE STORY OF THE COWBOY 1903 if D Ait leff flew CHAPTER X continued and so it was the procession of the sand dunes began to show gaps and open places the hills grew less tall and more regular of outline we re all right for water now said sam see that little pile of rod s bout as high as your head off to the right down the creeke water anere sure they now rode on more rapidly bearing off toward the cairn which made the water sign all at once juan lifted bis head listened for a moment and then said with positive cess in his loice cows cattle curly straightened up in his saddle as though electrified juana where s any cows muchas repeated juan carelessly lot of em well id e to know where they are my lily of the val ley said curly for once almost in credulous ana then he stopped and listened hold on bos listen he said look out look out here the come avery ear caught the faint distant pattering which grew into a rapid and insistent rumble cavalry b gad cried Batter sleigh frani lin s aea ahone presently there appeared at the blink looming through the white dust loud a mingling mass of tangled surging brown a surface of toeing hairy backs spotted with darker fronts over all and around all the pounding and clacking of many hoofs it was the stampede of the b tiffalo which had been bistu bed at their wat bering place below and which had headed up to the level that they might the better make their escape in fl ahe horses of the hunters terrified at this horrid apparition of waving horned heads ani bagg manes plunged and snorted in terror seeing of four rifles following them steadily a sight which to them carried a tain significance the mingling shifting line obedient to some loud word of command swept up near to the front of the barricade then came to a sudden halt with half the fore feet off the ground the ponies shuffled and fidgeted and the aren still and called out ble sounds but the line halted it parted and there rode forward an imposing egure gigantic savage stern clad in the barbaric finery of his race h s body nearly nude h s legs and his little feet covered with bead laden buckskin busk skin his head surmounted with a horned war bonnet whose eagle plumes trailed down the pony s side almost to the ground this indian headman made a picture not easily to be forgotten nor to be desp sed he sat p ebald stallion with no heed to its restive prancing erect immo bile as a statue such was the dignity of his carriage uch the stroke of his eye that each maa behind the barr cade sank kofl er and gr aped his gun more tightly this was a per sodality sona lity not to be helff in any hasty or ill advised contempt the indian wall ed his horse direct ly up to the barricade his eye alpar antly scorning to take in its crude de tails me white calf he exclaimed in like the croak of a parrot striking his hand up n his breast with a gesture which should have been ludicrous or pompous but was neither me W h te calf said the chief again and lifted the medal which lay upon his breast good white man come white man go me hunt now franklin stepped boldly out from the barricade and extended his hand calf good friend said he the indian took his hand without a smile and with a look which felt the butchery wa and all too complete which the first rank of the boffilo in turn fell smitten of panic and braced back to avoid the evil at their front overturned by the crush behind them these none the less served to turn the course of the remainder of the held which now broke away to the right paralleling the course of the stream and leaving the wagons 0 the hunters behind them and at their left the herd carried now upon its flank three figures which clung alongside and poured sharp blue jets of smoke into the swirling cloud of ashy dust at such range it was out of the ques tion to miss franklin and batter sleigh 1 tiled two buffaloes each losing other head by reason of delivering kneir fire too high up in tl body a common fault with the beginner on bion curly ran a good cow and at the third shot was able to sea the great creature stumble and fau yet another he killed before his ver was empty the butchery was sudden and all too complete the hunters looked at the vast bodies lying prostrate along the ground before them and felt remorse at their intemperance the hunt s over said franklin looking at the dead animals we ve enough for us all es sir said curley we shore got meat and got it plenty sudden juan banios pronto he made signs showing that he wished the lean to skin and dress the buffalo and the latter as usual proceeded to give immediate and unhesitating obed ence CHAPTER XI the battle occupied for a few moments with the others at the wagon franklin ceased to watch juan as he went slow ly but not about the wort of dressing the dead buffalo sudden ly he heard a cry and looking up saw the mexican running hurriedly toward the wagon he pointed out over the plain as he came on and called out ex indies los indies the little party cast one long care tul look out toward the horizon upon which now appeared a thin waving line of dust A moment later the two wagons were rolled up side by side the horses were fastened securely as possible the saddles and blanket rolls were tossed into breastworks at the end of the barricade and all the feeble de fences possible ere completed pour rifles looked steadily out and every face was set and anxious the indefinite dust line turned from gray to dark and soon began to show colors black red roan piebald he ponies came on with what seemed an effect of a tossing sea of waving manes and tails blending and compos ing with the deep sweeping feather trails of the grand war bonnets red browa bodies leaning working up and down rising and falling with the mo alon of the ponies came into view dozens of them scores of them their moccas ined feet were turned back un fi der the horses bellies the sinewy legs clamping the horse from thigh to ankle as the wild riders came on with no bridle governing their steeds other than the jaw rope s single strand the indians came on close up to the barricade where they saw the muzzle u through him at last the chief stunted out something and dismount ing seated himself down upon the gi und young men taking his horse and leading it away others alpar ertly also of rank came and sat down franklin and his friends joined the rude circle of what they were glad to see was meant to be an impromptu bouncil white calf arose and faced the white men white men got he said bis voice rising injun heap shoot gad I 1 believe the hartlen s be can u us said Batter sleigh calmly pointed to the carcasses of the I 1 buffalo and made signs that after thay bad taken the meat of the but f lo 10 they would go apparently he was understood loud words arose among the indians and white calf answered gesticulating excitedly heap goad horse he said point ing to the horses of the party white man go injun heap get horse in jun heap shoot give up our not by a d d daht said curly you can heap shoot if you want to turn loose but you 11 never set me afoot out here not while im it the situation was tense and prank lin felt his heart thumping soldier though he was it was an edged in tant any second might bring on the climax and suddenly the climax came from the barricade at the rear there rose a cry halt roar and half abal enge the giant mexican juan for a time quieted by curly s commands was now seized upon by some impulse which 1 e could no longer control he came leaping from behind the wagons brandishing the long knife with which he had been engaged upon the fallen buffalo he would hae darted alone into the thick of the band had not franklin and curly caught him each by a leg as he passed the chief hite calf moved never a muscle in his tace as he saw his for adversary coming on nor did he oln in the murmurs that arose among his people rather there came a glint into his eye a shade of exalta tion in his heal face big chief he said simply heap fight you bet 5 our blame life hell heap fight said curly from his position upon juan s brawny breast as be held alm ilm down he s good for any two of ou you scree chin cowards the ind an chief stood silent for a moment his arms folded across his breast with that dramatic instinct bever absent from the indians mind when he spoke the scorn and bravado n his voice were apparent and his words were understood though bis speech was broken big chief 1 e said pointing to ward juan white calf me big chief pointing to himself heap ight then he clinched his hands and thrust them forward knuckles donn sard the indian sign for death or falling dead or being struck down with his delivery this was un able me he said me dead white man go big chief meaning juan him dead injun heap take horse in eluding in the sweep of his gesture all the outfit of the white men he wants to fight juan by cried franki n yes and b gad he s doin it for pure love of a ight and hurray for mm cried Batte hurray boys give him a cheer and carried away for the moment by Batte s own dare deviltry as well as a man s ad mra tion for aluch they did rise and him a cheer they cheered old white calf self offered champion knowing that he had death in a bun dred blankets at his back there was no time to parley or to decide juan the mexican was regard ing the indian intently perhaps he gathered but little of the real meaning of that which had transpired hut something in the act or look of the chieftain aroused and enraged him with one swift upheaval of his giant body he shook off restraining hands and sprang forward he stripped off t s own light upper garment and stood as naked and more colossal than his toe vt capon of his own he had none nor cared for any adre primitive even than his antagonist he sought for nothing better than the first weapon of primeval man a club which should extend the sweep of his own arm from the land of the nearest adian he snatched a war club not dissimilar to that which hung at white wrist a stone headed beetle grooved and bound fast with rawhide to a long slender hardwood handle which in turn was sheathed in a heavy rawhide cove ing shrunk into a steel like re armed alike naked alii e savage al 1 e and purely animal IE the blind desire of battle the two were at issue before a hand could stay them all chance of de ay or separation was gone both white and red men fell back and made arena for a unique and adf il combat there was a moment of measuring that grim advance balance struck when two strong meet for a struggle which for either may end alone in death the indian was mag ent in mien superb in confidence I 1 i ear was not in him his vast figure nourished on sweet meat of the plains fed by the pure air and developed by continual exercise showed like the torso of a minor hercules pow orfil but not sluggish in its power his broad and deep chest here and there spotted with white scars arched wide ly for the vital organs but showed no clogging tat his legs were corded and thin his arms were also slender but showing full of easy playing muscles with power of rapid and un hampered strength two or three inches aboe the six feet mark be stood as be cast off his war bonnet and swept bacis a hand over the stand ing eagle plumes whipped fast to his braided hair white calf was him elf a giant to be continued |
