Biographical fiction; Jones, Charles Jesse, 1844-1919 -- Fiction; Pioneers -- Fiction; Western stories
Wallace's big sorrel plunged after him and the rolling stones cracked.
Suffering as I was by this time, with cramp in my legs, and torturing
pain, I had to choose between holding my horse in or falling off; so I
chose the former and accordingly got behind.
Dead cedar and pinyon trees lay everywhere, with their contorted limbs
reaching out like the arms of a devil-fish. Stones blocked every
opening. Making the bottom of the ravine after what seemed an
interminable time, I found the tracks of Jones and Wallace. A long
"Waa-hoo!" drew me on; then the mellow bay of a hound floated up the
ravine. Satan made up time in the sandy stream bed, but kept me busily
dodging overhanging branches. I became aware, after a succession of
efforts to keep from being strung on pinyons, that the sand before me
was clean and trackless. Hauling Satan up sharply, I waited
irresolutely and listened. Then from high up the ravine side wafted
down a medley of yelps and barks.
"Waa-hoo, waa-hoo!" ringing down the slope, pealed against the cliff
behind me, and sent the wild echoes flying. Satan, of his own accord,
headed up the incline. Surprised at this, I gave him free rein. How he
did climb! Not long did it take me to discover that he picked out
easier going than I had. Once I saw Jones crossing a ledge far above
me, and I yelled our signal cry. The answer returned clear and sharp;
then its echo cracked under the hollow cliff, and crossing and
recrossing the ravine, it died at last far away, like the muffled peal
of a bell-buoy. Again I heard the blended yelping of the hounds, and
closer at hand. I saw a long, low cliff above, and decided that the
hounds were running at the base of it. Another chorus of yelps,
quicker, wilder than the others, drew a yell from me. Instinctively I
knew the dogs had jumped game of some kind. Satan knew it as well as I,
for he quickened his pace and sent the stones clattering behind him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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