THE MESA TRAIL 



the men singly and afoot on unguessable er- 

 rands, or riding shaggy, browbeaten ponies, 

 with game slung across the saddle-bows. 

 This might be deer or even antelope, rab- 

 bits, or, very far south towards Shoshone 

 Land, lizards. 



There are myriads of lizards on the mesa, 

 little gray darts, or larger salmon-sided ones 

 that may be found swallowing their skins in 

 the safety of a prickle-bush in early spring. 

 Now and then a palm's breadth of the trail 

 gathers itself together and scurries off with 

 a little rustle under the brush, to resolve 

 itself into sand again. This is pure witch- 

 craft. If you succeed in catching it in 

 transit, it loses its power and becomes a 

 flat, horned, toad-like creature, horrid look- 

 ing and harmless, of the color of the soil ; 

 and the curio dealer will give you two bits 

 for it, to stuff. 



