Mesa's nostrils flared and she pulled at her reins which were tied securely to the tree. Her master couldn't sense what she did, apparently, as he slumbered on without a care in the world. She pulled again at her reins and stamped her front hooves on the ground. There it was again…that scent…not quite human but not an animal either. Mesa looked over toward her master and nickered softly. He rolled over and pulled the blanket up over his shoulder mumbling something about his partner and getting even with him.
The offending odor dissipated and Mesa quieted down waiting for morning knowing her master would want to be on his way again. A few hours of peaceful sleep passed when her nasal cavities were again assaulted by the odoriferous odor. Mesa's eyes flew open and she reared as high as her reins would allow, her loud whinnies shattering the quiet of the forest.
Artie rolled over and jumped to his feet, pulling his gun from the holster carefully tucked under his head. Looking around, he couldn't see anything that could be affecting his steed in this manner. He cautiously approached her talking soothingly trying to calm the animal. There seemed to be no calming Mesa down. Artie pulled on her reins trying to bring her front hooves down to the ground while staying out of the way of the sharp appendages.
"Who girl, calm down." Artie spoke softly. "There's nothing out there."
As if on cue the brush nearby began to rustle. Artie looked and tried to see what was out there but it was still too dark to allow him to see anything.
"Whoever's out there come on in by the fire and show yourself!" Artie called out. The rustling stopped and Mesa calmed down.
"Well suit yourself I'm going back by the warm fire."
Artie returned to the fire keeping his pistol in his hand ready in case he needed it and he lay back down and pulled the blanket up over his shoulder. He stared in to the fire knowing that with whatever that was still out there he wouldn't be getting anymore sleep. The figure in the brush stayed where it was, keeping a vigil of sorts on this particular human.
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Jim left Colonel Richmond's office after yet another round of meetings. He was glad that they had decided to send other agents in but they had no way to contact Artie and tell him. At least one of the agents would be known to Artie…Jim felt some relief at that. Just a little longer, Artie then I'll join you in Yakima.
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His body jerked when his eyes fluttered open and Artie looked around. It was morning…he had fallen back to sleep after the intruder's visit. After quickly rising and rolling his blanket up and putting it away, he started making a fire to heat up coffee when he heard a rustling in the bushes.
Looking up Artie did a double take. He shook his head and wiped at his eyes. He couldn't be seeing what he was certain he had just seen…could he? Artie grabbed his pistol and carefully made his way over to the edge of the clearing. Peering into the brush he could see nothing. Shaking his head he turned back to his camp. Artie decided to don his disguise now in case there wasn't time to change later. He hoped to push Mesa to her limits today and reach Yakima ahead of schedule. After applying the necessary makeup and other accoutrements, he decided to forego the coffee and he packed up, leaving the site.
As he picked up the trail and began to make his way up toward White Pass, Artie felt ill at ease. It wasn't something he could put his finger on just a feeling that he was being watched. He turned in the saddle and looked all around. If anyone was following him they were doing a bang up job of keeping out of sight.
The figure in the brush stayed crouched low to the ground blending in with the dark shading of the underbrush. A low growl emitted from its throat as he kept his eye on the man.
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"James, this is the third meal in a row you've asked me to and you haven't paid one bit of attention to me." The young lady pouted as she wiped the corners of her mouth with her cloth napkin before dropping it on the table.
"What did you say?" Jim asked as he picked idly at his food.
"Why James West! If I didn't know you better I'd think you have another girl on the side and you're thinking about her." The lady grumped.
"What? No, it's nothing like that. I just have a lot on my mind right now." Jim pushed his plate toward the center of the table.
"I have noticed that, James. It's that partner of yours again isn't it?" The lady placed her hand on top of Jim's.
"There's no way to contact him so we have no way of knowing if he arrived safely." Jim spoke softly.
"You said yourself Mr. Gordon is a big boy and he can take care of himself. Now are you going to let your last night in town go to waste or are you going to ask me to dance?" She smiled coyly.
Jim's smile didn't reach his eyes but she didn't seem to notice as he led her to the dancing area. They twirled around the dance floor swaying and sashaying around the room. Jim had a far away look in his eye and danced is if he were on autopilot, his thoughts across the mountain and on his partner.
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Artie looked through the spyglass at the town below. Not much to look at really, Artie thought as he pulled the glass away from his eye and started to back away from the cliff. Looking toward his horse he stopped dead in his tracks. Just on the other side of the clearing he saw a shadow moving slowly through the brush.
Artie quietly placed the spyglass back in his saddlebag then, pulling his pistol from the holster, he patted Mesa as he crept toward the rear of the horse. Just as he reached up and placed his hand on her flank the light breeze changed direction. Mesa caught a whiff of the strange odor and reared up, her front hooves moving up and down like pistons.
Artie shoved his pistol back into the holster and, swearing up a blue streak, reached toward the front of the horse and grabbed her reins, trying to pull her under control. The steed seemed panicked, her big brown eyes scanning the area and her nostrils flaring. She lashed out with her powerful legs and one of the sharp edges of her horseshoes caught the outside of Artie's arm cutting it.
"Come on Mesa enough is enough!" Artie pulled on her reins. "Settle down, girl!" He looked up at his frightened horse. "Whoa girl…settle down now…"
Artie's hat fell off his head and drifted downward landing in the dirt just in time for Artie to step backward smashing it under his foot. Mesa refused to be quieted and in the process of jumping on her hind legs she managed to toss the pack with the pelts off her back and to the ground. The items were quickly trampled as Artie had his hands full trying to get his frightened and worked up mare under control.
After several minutes that seemed like an eternity, Artie was finally able to get Mesa to calm down. The steed swung her head back and forth, bumping into him as Artie absently patted her neck. His eyes were riveted on the packs on the ground.
"Oh no!" Artie groaned as he looked at the remains. His blanket had been shredded by the sharp hooves of his horse and the pack with the pelts had broken open. Several of the pelts were scattered around the area.
"Great…just great! Some of these won't be worth a plug nickel. How am I going to get them to buy my disguise as a fur trapper if I have no damn furs?" Artie mumbled as he roughly grabbed one of the soiled and now ratty pelts and tossed it into the brush.
A large fur covered hand reached out and pulled the pelt toward him as he examined it intently. Bringing the pelt to his face he sniffed it. His anger arose and his eyes burned as he stared at the human. He watched as the man inspected and discarded more of the skins in an angry huff. Making up his mind the creature stood and advanced on the human.
Hearing the sound of snapping twigs Artie looked toward the sound. He remained frozen as the behemoth continued its advance. This creature looks like one of the ones that took my elder…for that he will pay, the Sasquatch had a jumble of mixed emotions running through his head. This one didn't smell quite right but he had little fur like the others.
The beast continued its charge and Mesa bolted down the trail. Artie looked around for a safe avenue of escape as well. Seeing none he slowly raised his hands, palms outward showing he meant no harm. The brute stopped its advance and tilted its head to one side.
"Hey there big fella…I mean you no harm." What am I saying…I probably couldn't harm his eyelashes, Artie thought as he stared at the…animal?
"I don't know what's got you so worked up but I swear it wasn't me." Artie inched closer to an old gnarled tree limb he spotted.
Artie's foot brushed against one of the fallen pelts and the Sasquatch growled. Raising an eyebrow Artie looked at it then down to his feet. Reaching down with one hand, keeping the other hand raised, he picked up the pelt and held it out to the animal who barreled the final steps and snatched the pelt from Artie's grip.
"Whoa…this has you upset? I didn't trap these. I just have them to…" Artie shook his head. "I'm trying to explain my props to a wild animal!" Artie started to chuckle at himself.
The creature growled and lunged toward him. Artie pulled his pistol from its holster and began to back up. The animal looked from the torn pelt he had in his hands to the human before him and snorted. This did not look like the same one that had captured one of the elders and taken him away but he would do. His nostrils flared and he bared his teeth letting the man know he was anything but happy.
"Uh oh," Artie whispered, "where's Jim when I need him to help me tame a devil?" Artie didn't like the way the beast was looking at him one bit.
Slowly bringing his gun hand up. Artie leveled his pistol at the beast. He looked at Artie and the growl was like nothing Artie had ever heard before. Slowly he put the pistol back in the holster and reached down toward the tree limb at his feet. The animal growled and moved its arms up and down menacingly. Artie brought the tree limb up and held it between him and the advancing monster.
The Sasquatch seemed angered by the gesture and he swiped out with a large hand shaped extremity. Artie's jaw dropped as he watched a sizable portion of the tree limb break off and fly through the air before landing with a thud a few feet away. Dropping the remaining piece of tree limb, Artie moved away from him. The animal followed, pushing his arm out of the way and grabbing his shirt.
Lifting him up off the ground he flung him several feet back. Artie landed with a thud. Momentarily stunned, he barely had time to roll out of the way as he saw a furry appendage bearing down on his head. Scrambling up to his feet he found himself in the grasp of the powerful beast once again.
The animal put his arms around Artie's chest and began to squeeze him like a piece of wood in a vise. Artie struggled to free his arms but he was held fast in the animal's strong grip. The Sasquatch squeezed tight and Artie felt as well as heard the crunching of bone and tearing of cloth. Left with no way to defend himself Artie lashed out with the one weapon he did have…his head. He used his head as a battering ram and began to hit the animal.
In his struggle with the beast Artie remembered some of his hidden gadgets. Using all his might he maneuvered an arm free and he pulled a gas pellet from a hidden pocket and tossed it at the animal. The resulting heavy green smoke billowed up into the Sasquatch's face causing him to snort. Artie, still held fast in his arms, could go nowhere and the burning gas filled his lungs, stinging his eyes.
The Sasquatch loosened his hold on Artie and he dropped to the ground and moved to spin away from his grasp. The animal reached out and grasped blindly through the smoke in his direction. His large paw like hand became tangled in one of Artie's suspender straps. The beast became panicked and his other arm flailed wildly, coming into contact with Artie's chest.
Artie grunted as he felt the arm hit him full force. He staggered backward pulling his pistol from his holster as he did so, intending on firing a warning shot. With a fierce growling the animal tried one more time to release himself from Artie's suspender strap. He pulled hard bringing Artie toward him slamming Artie into him. The Sasquatch shrieked and fumbled trying to pull loose from the human. In the struggle his hand clamped down hard on the pistol in his grip and Artie felt the trigger being pulled.
Despite his best efforts, the trigger sent the projectile racing out of the barrel. Suddenly the mountain of fur in front of Artie exploded with the shout of a wounded animal as the report from the pistol died down. The animal looked down at his side and stared at the ever broadening river of blood flowing from his body. Baring his teeth he lashed out in shock and anger.
The Sasquatch took a swipe at Artie who ducked, enraging the behemoth monster. The animal still had his hand twisted in Artie's suspenders and he pulled Artie toward him. Artie could see the hatred in his eyes. Artie felt the material finally separate and tear apart in his hand. Thinking only of getting out his grasp, he quickly stepped backward onto…nothing!
Artie had been so busy trying to stay out of the clutches of the Sasquatch he had forgotten how close to the cliff they were. He reached out and tried to grab a bush he spotted out of the corner of his eye as he began a harrowing back-first fall.
Before he could use his momentum to turn around Artie's back connected solidly with a large rock pushing the air from his lungs. As he gasped for breath, Artie turned his head and swung his shoulders around. His left shoulder struck a log wedged between rocks and he cringed as he felt the limb pull in its socket. Artie fought the urge to give in to the darkness that threatened to pull him in and he watched as the landscape quickly flew past.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw the dark shadow following his path. Knowing he was quickly running out of time Artie tried to maneuver his body out of the falling animal's way. His already banged body plummeted onto the side of the mountain and continued to roll downward. Grabbing at brush and large rocks Artie tried to slow his progress when he was slammed from behind by the hurtling mass that was the Sasquatch.
They tumbled down the mountain finally coming to a stop against a large boulder. The ground came up to meet him and Artie landed hard. Even though he had seen it coming the landing was still a shock. The unconscious weight of the Sasquatch painfully pinned Artie against the rock, his injured shoulder taking one last hard hit against the rock as he slid into unconsciousness.
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