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He felt the queervibrations, and the sensation added to his terror. Tom had
before noted this tendency in the scout. They wereall at the front of Burns
fine ranch house. Dragging him up, Tom climbed to Pilchuck, who seemed toyell
at him.
Now and then another wouldwalk out of the crowd, and that was fatal for
him. Pilchuck was worrying about that herd of buffalo.
Below, far on each side,
the mass of buffalo spilled over theembankment to plunge into the river.
Pilchuck picked out buffalo slowly walking away and downed them. Get off, Tom,
an walk away from the horses.
An oldbull put something apparently like anger
into his actions. The old scout wasriding as he had never ridden away from
Comanches. Pilchuck dragged Tom away from the back position to the front ofthe
rock. And the thunder becamea roar, the roar a rumble, and the rumble died
away.
Most of those standing pressed closer in.
The old scout wasriding as he
had never ridden away from Comanches.
Some sergeant killed the oldchief an his
squaw, an that shore was a good job. But for the great number of hide-hunters
thesebuffalo might have escaped any extended slaughter. Why didnot his comrade,
or perhaps his mate, get up and come?
He spurred and wheeled his horse and,
goading him into a run,headed for the river ford. Moreover,Tom had an aching
and ever-present discontent which only actioncould subdue. There was no reason
to start north,unless in answer to the revulsion of hide-hunting. Big wagon
trains such as this one were always encountered at thePost. The storm of rain
was like thestorm of lead thatll follow them.
See that yellow dust way to the
right of the black sky.
As long as he could keep Pilchuck in sight he did
nothave any anxiety about the separation. We could cross, but itd take time,an
when we got over we might have to run south. Finally they quit usinit, thinkin
it was bad medicine. After that every red-skin who took Hudnallsrifle an
cartridges got his everlastin. Eager and excited also they appeared toTom.
The
herd kept massed, uneasy in some quarters, but for the mostpart not disturbed
by the shooting.
Now, here, you boys let medo the shootin. Id be willin tobet
the herd hasnt turned that bend.
Get off, Tom, an walk away from the
horses.
All view back toward the prairiewhence the herd rolled was soon
obliterated. Choosing the bull the farthest outside of the herd, Pilchuck
aimedwith deliberation, and fired.
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