Bull Hunter

em heavily back. They could hear the fire flare and flutter in the

ull and, lowering his he

as probably not their father. Who could imagine Bill shouting for help? Such a thing had never been dreamed of by his worst enemies, an

he form of a horseman and the great bulk of Bull com

in the dark, with the wind twitching his beard sideways. When they calle

Bill Campbell was actually tied upon his horse. He gave no order

anded, "lift me

under him, and he fell forward on his face. Any of the three could have saved him, but th

n!" said Bi

ealed a grisly spectacle. Crimson stains and dirt literally covered him; his left leg was bandag

inst the wall, his legs falling in the odd position in which they were put down by Bull. It was illustrative of his cha

ramped, the stern old man still controlled them with th

pipe," he

n torturing him, he filled the pipe bowl, his fingers moving as if he had partially lost control of them. He filled it raggedly, shreds of tobacco hanging down around the bowl. He bent his head to meet the left hand wh

light a match

were a dozen wrecked matches before the blood began to stir in his numbed arm and he was able to light the match and the pipe. He drew several breaths of the smok

rm. Yet, after much labor, he managed to stuff a roll of the blankets into the corner and then shift himself until his back res

nother, as if they expected a blow to descend upon them at any moment, as if each labore

the second great event to him, all in one day. First he had discovered that by fighting a thing, one can actually conquer. Secon

dropped his head again and was deep in the pages of his book. At length Bill

goin' to keep me

e hissing on the pan, and the clouds of bacon smoke wafted through the cabin. When they reached Bill Campbe

n silence and devoured their own meal; the two sons swiftly, but Bull Hunter fell into musings, and part of his food

ess to light a match, was far too inaccurate to handle a fork; and Bull saw hi

alled him. But, as he watched the old man feed himself like an animal, the emotion that rose in Bull was the sadness he felt when he watched old Maggie stumbling among the rocks. There was something wrong with the forelegs of Maggie, and she wa

man merely set his teeth and continued to glare his challenge at the three. B

invincible Campbell to this shaken wreck of his old self. Mere bullets could tear wounds in flesh and break bones; but me

austible strength. The power of a bear and the swift cunning of a wild cat-such must have b

l Campbell and bind up the wounds he had himself made? Here the mind of Bull Hunter paused. He could no

them in the little tub of lukewarm water where

at stump?" asked U

if they had not carried out his orders! All three of

swered Joe in a

e it?" a

ty well clear, then

ce of Bill as he glanced at the huge

l a

d man went over him fr

slowly, speaking

day-m

s boots, but his strength had been ebbing for some time. His sons dared not interfere as the old man leaned slowly over and strove to tug the b

speed with which he had grown, and he was expected to become normally bright later on; and in those days Bill Campbell occasionally l

ing hand of Uncle Bill. His cousins stood at one side, literally quaking. It was the first time that they had actually seen their father defied. They saw the huge hand of Bull settle around the leg of

dow of the corner. He demanded that they stand forth and tear Bull limb from limb. He disinherited them for cowardice. He threatened Bull with a vengeance compared with which the thunderbolt wo

unk. He struck at Bull's head with it, but the stick was brushed out of his palsied fingers with a single gesture, and, while Uncle Bill groaned with fury and impotence, Bull continued the task of pre

pbell was laid on a double fold of blanket in lieu of a pillow. A pipe had been tamped full and lighted by Bull and-crowning insult

y looked upon their father with a gathering complacency. They had found it demonstrated that it was possible to disobey their father without being

, already beaten in battle by a foeman and now requiring as much care as a sick woman. The shame of it burned in him; but the comfort of the smoothed bunk and the filled pipe between his teeth was a blessing. H

had sharpened their tempers, and he rejoiced in the sullen ferocity with which they looked at him now, unloving, cunning, biding their time and finding that it had almost come. But he was not yet done. His body was wrecked; there remained his mind, and they would f

to town together to celebrate. In the celebration he had drunk with Reeve till the boy stupefied. Then he had induced Reeve to gamble for h

rd. He rode a fine bay gelding, and had stopped Bill to ask some questions about the region above the timberline because he was drifting south and intended to cross

arm to listen. He was beginning to get the full sense of the words for t