She resolved to feel these, even though she had to
endure agoniesof dread. The other white horse plunged on, dragging his mate tohis
feet and into the race again.
Nevertheless, she sat down presentlyand ate as
heartily as ever before in her life.
Wereaimin to cross the prairie to the Red
River.
Theyhad come to edge of slope on river brake.
Pruitt pondered this suggestion for a moment and then somberlyshook his head.
Follonsbee held his hands over the heat,though they could not have been
chilled.
The endhad not come then; it had been averted, but
it was inevitable. Andinto that dark gulf of mind flashed the thought and the vision
ofTom Doan. The buffalo were then comingout of the south and they were crossing the
Pease. He chose an instant,probably the one in which Catlee decided, and like a
flash drew hisgun. The sun sank low in the west and turned gold.
Once and for allshe drove herself passionately into
a spirit of daring and faith.
What would be the end of this awful
race?
Milly had seen him draw maps in the dirt. Panthers,
bears, wildcats, wolves livedin these river brakes. Hislook, his whisper, had made
of her a comrade, brave to stand theoutcome. The horses plungedas the drag on the
wagon held them back. Suddenly she heard a soft step close to the
wagon.
The whole horizon to fore and right was streaky
withdust and moving buffalo.
Jett cursed low and deep fumed in his effort to
confront these menon an equality.
I dont know WHAThe is, but hes got me figgerin.
Lets pull out, ford theriver below, an strike for the Brazos. His taking to this
frontier woman was perhaps the worst step.
No doubt the annualinstinct to migrate northward
had been the cause of this movement. It hadbeen just after daylight when she escaped
from Jetts camp. When she could seeclearly again the horses were no longer in the
lane through thebrush.
Wed better give him a hoss anpack an turn him
loose. They appeared to be loping in their easy,lumbering way.
She had crossed the brakes of thetributary and was
now headed east. Slowly they appeared to pack together,to obliterate the open
spaces, and to close in on the horses. She uttered a wild cry that was joy, wonder,
reverence,and acceptance of the thing she had trusted. They reached the camp fire,
the burned-out sticks of which Pruittkicked with a wet boot.
And she shivered there through a long moment of
feeling.
Hank, we stuck together for aboot two years, an I
reckon were agood team. They trotted on as if no buffalo were near.
A dark form appearedagainst the dim
background.
They were spreading on all sides, and those in the
lead had stoppedto graze.
The buffalo were then comingout of the south and
they were crossing the Pease.