The Dickinson press., 1889-12-21

across the prairie; it was deliberate in
tent TO avoid, and this was to Perry's
thinking, tantamount to insult. One
moment he gazed after the retreating
form Of the horseman, then clappcd his
forage cap firmly down upon his head,
shook free the rein and gave Nolan tho
longed for word. Another instant, and
with set teeth and blazing, angry eyes
he was laundering at headlong speed,
swooping down upon the unconscious
stranger in pursuit. Before that sun
burned, curly haired, bulkily framed
young man had the faintest idea of what
was impending, Mr.. Perry was refining
in his snorting steed alongside and cut
tingly accosting him:
81 beg your pardon, my good sir, but
may ask what you mean by trotting
away when it must have been evident
that wanted to speak with your
The stranger turned slightly and coolly
eyed the flushed and indignant cavalry
man. They were trotting side by side
now, Nolan plunging cNcitedly, but tho
English horse maintaining his even
stride; and stronger contrast of type and
style ono could scarcely hope to find. In
rough tweed shooting jacket and cap,
brown Bedford cords fitting snugly at
tho knee but Tapping like shapeless bags
from there aloft to the waist, in heavy
leather CATERS and equally heavy leather
gloves, the stocky figure of the English
man had nothing of grace or elegance,
Inf ,cf,y Cv- c,,n -
burly self reliance which is SO charac-
tcrcstic of the race. Above his broad,
STOPPING shoulders We're bull neck, red
dened by tho sun, a crop of close curl
ing, light brown hair, Il tanned and
honest face lighted up by fearless gray
eyes and shaded by a thick and curling
beard of lighter hue than the hair of his
massive head.
Lie rode with tho careless case and sill
prcme confidence of the skilled horse
man, but with that angularity of foot
and elbow, that roundness of back and
punching of shoulders, that incessant
rise and fall with every beat of his
horses powerful haunch, that the effect
was that Of neither security nor rcpose.
His saddle, too, was the long, flat seated,
Australian model, pig skin, with huge
rounded leathcrn cushions circling in
front and over the knees, adding to the
cumbrousness of his equipment and in
no wise to the comfort; but his; bit and
curb chain were OF FURNISHED steel,
cleaning rs though fresh from the hands
of some Incompatible English groom,
and tho russet rcills were soft and plia-
bic, telling of excellent stable manage
ment and discipline. Perry couldn't
help admiring that bride, even in his
temporary fit of Indignation.
AS for him-tall, slender, elegantly
made, clothed in the accurately fitting
undress "blousc" of tho army and in rid
ing brccches that displayed to bost adj
vantage tho superb mo,ling of his pow
crful thighs, sitting like celtaur we'll
down in the saddle, his feet and lower
legs, cased in natty riding boots, swing
ing close in behind the cleaning shoul-
ders of his stced, erect as on parade, yet
swaying with every motion of his horse
graceful, gallant, and to the full as pow
crful as his burly companion, tho advan-
tagc In appearance was all on Perry S
side, and was heightened by Nolan's
spirited action and martial trappings.
Perry was an exquisite In his soldier
taste, and never, except on actual cam
paign, rodo his troop horse without his
broidered saddle cloth and cleaning
bosses. All this, and more, the English
man seemed quietly noting as, finally,
without the faintest trace Of irritability,
with even suspicion of hulnor twink
ling about the corners of his mouth, he
replied:
"a fellow may do as he likes when
he's on his own bailiwick, suppose"
"All tho same, wherever Two been,
from hero to Assiniboia, men meet like
Christians, unless they happen to be road
agents or cattle thioves. What's more, !
am an officer of regiment just arrived
here, and, from tho Missouri down, there
isn't q ranch along our trail where we
were not welcome and whose occupants
wero not hail fellow we'll met in our
camps. You are the first people to shun
us; and, as thnt fort yonder was built for
your protection in days when it was bad
ly needed, want to know what thero is
tlDCuO 4tS lIlttU 40 6O ODllOhlOlt6 W
Dunraven Ranch-thats what you call
it, l believc!"
"That's what-it is called"
"Wcll, here! I've no intention of in
truding where were not wanted. / sim
ply didn't suppose that on the broad
prairies of tho west there was such 81
place as ranch where one of my cloth
was unwclcomc. am Mr. Perry, of the
-th cavalry, and I'm bound to say I'd
like to know what you people have
against us. Arc you the proprictor!"
"I'm not. I'm only an employee"
"Who is the ownery'
Giles not here now"
"Who is here who can explain the
situation!"
ooh, as to that, fancy can do it as
we'll as anybody. 1t is simply because
we havo to do pretty much as you fcl-
lows-obey orders The owners orders
arc not aimed at you any more than any
body else. He simply wants to be let
alone. lie bought this tract and settled
here because he wanted a place where
he could have things his own way-see
people whom ho sent for and nobody
else. Every man in his employ is ex-
pcctcd to stick to the ranch so long as
he is on the pay roll, and to carry out
his instructions. If he can't, hc may
60"
"And your instructions are to prevent
people getting into the ranch?"
"Oh, hardly that, you know. We don't
interfere. There's never any one tocomc,
as rule, and, when they do, the fenco
seems to be sufficient"
"Amply, / should say; and yet were
to tell you that 1 had business with the
proprietor and needed to ride up to the
ranch, you would open the gate yonder,
SUPPOSE"
"No: would tell you that the owner
was away, and that in his absence I
| Ill IL.