Reese, after the captain’s reproof, turned his trophy over to some of the men, and was bringing his line down and closing up with the forward movement of the drive.  On Miller’s return, no fault could be found, as the line was condensed to about a mile in length, while the beaters on the points were just beginning to emerge from the chaparral and anxious for their horses.  Once clear of the grove, the beaters halted, maintaining their line, while from either end the horse wranglers were distributing to them their mounts.  Again secure in their saddles, the long yell circled through the plum thickets and reechoed down the line, and the drive moved forward at a quicker pace.  “If you have any doubts about hell,” said Cave to Miller, as the latter rode by, “just take a little pasear through that thicket once and you’ll come out a defender of the faith.”

The buck and doe came out within sight of the line once more, lower down opposite the sand dunes, and again turned back, and a half hour later all ears were strained listening to the rapid shooting from the farther bank of the river.  Rebuffed in their several attempts to force the line, they had taken to the water and were swimming the river.  From several sand dunes their landing on the opposite bank near the ending of the salt plain could be distinctly seen.  As they came out of the river, half a dozen six-shooters were paying them a salute in lead; but the excitability of the horses made aim uncertain, and they rounded the cut-bank at the upper end and escaped.

While the deer were making their escape, a band of antelope were sighted sunning themselves amongst the sand dunes a mile below; attracted by the shooting, they were standing at attention.  Now when an antelope scents danger, he has an unreasonable and unexplainable desire to reach high ground, where he can observe and be observed—­at a distance.  Once this conclusion has been reached, he allows nothing to stop him, not even recently built wire fences or man himself, and like the cat despises water except for drinking purposes.  So when this band of antelope decided to adjourn their siesta from the warm, sunny slope of a sand dune, they made an effort and did break the cordon, but not without a protest.

As they came out of the sand dunes, heading straight for the line, all semblance of control was lost in the men.  Nothing daunted by the yelling that greeted the antelope, once they came within range fifty men were shooting at them without bringing one to grass.  With guns empty they loosened their ropes and met them.  A dozen men made casts, and Juan Mesa, a Mexican from the Eagle Chief, lassoed a fine buck, while “Pard” Sevenoaks, from the J+H, fastened to the smallest one in the band.  He was so disgusted with his catch that he dismounted, ear-marked the kid, and let it go.  Mesa had made his cast with so large a loop that one fore leg of the antelope had gone through, and it was struggling so desperately