A RANCHMAN'S RECOLLECTIONS 



one get Curley while Jack fought the others ? Would 

 Curley step on a rattler and be bitten ? 



All the frenzied fancy of human love alarmed 

 marched in hideous phantasy before them as they 

 searched. From hill and dale came the peculiar 

 rounding cry of the cowboy, but there was no sig- 

 nal. They rode carefully and closely covering the 

 ground. Hushed voices answered hushed voices as 

 they crossed on the hunt. The night was clear, but 

 dark ; the moon was not yet up. The coyote chorus 

 grew louder ; they seemed to be gathering from afar, 

 and "Molly" O'Hare, riding alone, cried in the 

 agony of his heart, "O God, if I only knowed how 

 to pray I'd tell you to take me and let Curley stay; 

 I'd tell you that there ain't nothing you could tell 

 me to do that would be too much; I'd — " 



Then out of the stillness of the night came a dif- 

 ferent note; a note that said, "I am here;" a note 

 that said, "All is well;" a note that said, "I do not 

 fear." It was the long-drawn-out bay of the wolf- 

 hound's answering call. It halted a dozen riders; 

 they waited to hear it once more, and it came clear 

 and sure, "All is well; we are here." It jarred the 

 stillness with its wave of triumph. 



The moon came slowly up as a frenzied bunch of 

 riders on horses which knew something was wrong 

 broke into a kiUing run. "Molly" O'Hare was the 

 first man in; Curley lay stretched out on a mat of 

 wild flowers, fast asleep. His little shoes were worn 



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