Bull Hunter

he forest of tender small roots below; but when they had passed the main body of the stump and worked under it, they found that their hole around the trunk was not large enough in diamete

hoped to crystallize that stubborn taproot and snap it like a wire. Still it held and defied them. They laid hold of

ere no cottonwoods, though the cottonwoods will follow a stream for more than a mile above sea level. Far below them a pale mist obscured the beautiful silver spruce which had reached their upward limit. Around the cabin

ly six feet tall, with mighty bones and sinews and work-toughened muscles to justify their stature. Behind them stood their home, a shack better suited for the housing of cattl

They began moiling at the stump again, sweating, cursing, and the girl halted her horse near by. The profanity did not distress her. She was so accustomed to it that the words had lost all edge and po

presence that at length she called, "

ent. Her laughter was young and sweet to the ear, but there was n

an unnecessary luxury, soon taxed out of existence by the life. She possessed the main essentials of social power; she could dance unflaggingly from dark t

ss, but to scratch his head. "Say, Jessie, where

down like rain

ghed heartily

under yonder. Better chop out a bigger hole, boys. But, say, what you clearing this here land for? Ain't no good for nothing, is it?" She looked aroun

nothing," said Joe. "It's

to indicate the controlling and absent pow

lways sets us to grubbing up roots; and if we ain't diggin' up roots, we got to get out

uld do nothing," said

ng where the rocks are under the ground, and somehow he seems to make old Maggie hoss

his strength is in his back, and none is in his head, my dad s

r two wallopin' licks with it and then stands and rests on the handle and starts to dreaming like

y to get the stump up,"

n lift a pile," Joe ass

rr

ly shouted, "B

was no

d Joe. "He don't never hear nothi

ode to the do

?" said the girl. "I couldn't

on't understand. He just likes to read because he can s

," he announced with disgust. He cupped his hands ov

s figure filling it. There was nothing freakish about his build. He was simply over-normal in bulk, from the big head to the heavy feet. He was

"we didn't call you o

he book

ed to waken from a trance, then, with a muffle

e he

rom a high tension was shown again in the heavy fall of his feet and the forward slump of his head. His hands dangled aimlessly at his

supported, were patched overalls, frayed to loose threads halfway down the calf where they were met by the tops of immense cowhide boots. As for the shirt, the sleeves were inches too short, and the unbuttoned cuffs

ckered more than before. One felt that, coming from the shadow, he was dazed and startled by the brilliant mountain sunshine; and the eyes were dul

Campbell. "Come on over here to the stump.

face of Bull Hunter and made his head bow. He sh

he hole, you foo

sence of a lady; it was manipulating an elephant by power of the unaided voice. Slowly Bull Hunter dropped his g

l-faced little king had just sprung out and wrenched the weapon from the hands of the sleepy boy. Bull Hunter could see the story clearly, very clearly. The scar o

w terrible they were! One could never tell what passed behind the bright eyes of other human beings. They mocked one. When they seemed sad they might be about to laugh. The minds of the two bro

that sound of mirth. He wanted to hold up his hands and cower away from her and from her dancing eyes. So he stood, ponderous, tortured, and the three pairs o

that stump,"

ance to look down to the ground and avoid their cruel eyes. How bright those eyes were, thought Bull, and how clearly they saw all things! He never doubted the justice behind their judgments of him; all that Bull asked from the world was a merciful silence

ctions at him; perhaps they had

tand there all day? We didn't give yo

slipped off their separate grips, and the stump, though it g

ways laughter, no matter what he did or said, but he never grew calloused against it. It was the one pain which ever pierced

She murmured to Harry, "Ever

Jessie? What's he ever d

irl. Growing excited wi

, Bu

ient feet of the girl's mustang; he waited for another stroke of w

strong. About the biggest a

subtle form of mock

d they couldn't so much as budge it. But I bet you coul

h; his face suffused with a flush; his big

that?" he as

ruel wit was actually speaking words of confidence. A great, dim joy wel

try, will

ll

s knees gave, sagging under the strain from the arms. Then the back began to grow rigid, and the legs in turn grew stiff, as every muscle fell into play. The shoulders pushed forward and dow

ing. She had set that mighty power to work, and she was amazed by the thing she saw. And they, looking back at Bull, were amazed in turn. They had seen him lift great logs, wrench boulders from the earth. But alway

he had not reached the limit of his power. He seemed to grow into the soil, and his feet ground deeper into the soft dirt, and ever there was something in him remaining to be tapped. It seemed to the brothers to be merely vast, unex

or it showed that the limit of that apparently inexhaustible strength had been reached and that now the anguish of last ef

licked across his back. With a great rending and a loud snap the big stump came up. A little shower of dirt spouted up with the parting of the taproot. The trunk was flung high, but not ou

xclaimed Bull

om the sweat and pallor of that vast effort. The very mustang winced from this mountain of a man who came with a long, sweeping, springing stride.

thank you. You

ugh she had labored to a larger end than she dre

red stain on

cut away had worked through the skin and his hands were literally c

e next thing they knew she would be inviting him to come to the next dance down her

he ordered sharply. "We don

long and still looking d