Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-01-31
AN IDYL OF THE HT."

1t is sunse. at the HIT ranch. -Four or
five cowboys sit gloomlly about, outside
the ranch house, awaiting supper. The
Mexican cook has just begun bis fragrant
task, SO half hour must elapse before
these Arabs are fed. Their ponies are
turned into the wire pasture, their big
Colorado saddles repose astride the low
r,-l- fence which surrounds the house,
and it is evident that their riding is over
for the day.
Why are they gloomy? Not boy of
them can tell. One is from Princeton,
too. They have been partners and com
paneros and "wOrked' the HT cattle to-
gether for months and nothing ever came
III misunderstanding or cloud. The
ranch house is their home and theirs has
been the unity of brothers.
week ago pretty girl, the daughter
Of one Of the owners, came to the ranch
from the East. She was protected in the
venture by old and gnarled aunt,
watchful as ferret, sour as a lime. Not
that the pretty girl needs watching; she
is indeed IN every move propriety's eli
max. No soft or dulcet reason woos her
to the West; she comes on no love
errand. She is elegantly and profoundly
tired of the East, that is all, and longs
for Western air and Western sights. She
has been at the HT rancha week and the
boys have met her, every one. The
meeting or meetings were marked by
awkwardness as to the boys, utter indii-
ference as to the pretty girl. She met
them as she met the ponies, cows, horned
toads and other animals, domestic and in
digenOas to eastern New Mexico. While
every cowboy was blushingly conscious
of her, she was purely and serenely
guiltless of giving him a thought.
Before this pretty girl came the boys
were friends and the calm tenor of their
relations with each other had never a
! ripple. She was not there day before
each drew himself insensibly from the
others, and vague hostility shown
dimly in their eyes. 1t was the instinct
of the fighting male animal aroused by
the presence of the pretty girl.
The dark, vague, impalpable, differ
ences which cut off each of these Greats
ures from bis fellows and inspired him
with an unreasoning and unreasonable
hate had grown with the brief week OF
their existence. A philosopher would
look for trouble soon on the HIT.
"What did you GO take my sad
die for, yesterday. Bills" said Jack
Moore to cowboy by the name of Bill
Watkins
+" Cause allows fI'll ride it some, y
says Watkins. Thought it might like
to carry high grade cow-puncher
once
.Well! don't take it no more" said
Moore, moodily, ignoring the gay inso-
lence in the reply. "Leastwise, .don't
come a-takln' of it an sayin' nothin.
You can palaver Americana, can't you
When you aims to ride my saddle again
ask for it, if you can't talk, make signs
| m a. olx0 hol &
bush, but don't go TO lnjunin off nc
saddle of mine no more"
Whatever DO you allow is liable t
happen if take it agin tomorrya" in
quired Bill in high scorn.
Bill was OF more vivacious tempe
than the gloomy Moore.
''You takes it agin an mingles viii
sou whole lot. mighty prompt" re
, | piled Moore in a tone of obstinate in
jury.
A These boys were brothers in affection
before that pretty girl came, aud eithe
: would have gone a-foot all day to len
his saddle to the other. Going a-foo,
I toe, is the last thing, let me assure 70
g q cowboy will do
!, "Well, don't You fail to mingle none,
o said Bill, with cheerful ferocity, "on ss
s count OF is being me. crosses th
: trail OF tie short horn like you, over o
Panhandle onct, an puts him in the fl
| al has Dleptv of fun with him :,