The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1893-04-11

GAafCAoCU Qu1lo q ulSLdIlCe IN SllenCe.
Finally Mat said:
That gal makes me feel queer in
side, Tony. A sort of hankerin feel
in, you know. Fust gal ever seed /
thought I'd like to have pack my
brand.
She's sumner. Mat, dead sure. /
war just thinlin I'd sort o. like to
git a matermonial rope ON her my
self
Reckon she wouldn't keer fur
either one o. US to come nosin round
the home ranch Reckon she's al
ready got a feller staked out some
wharr
"You can't always tell, Mat. Girls
is queer critters"
Time passed. and one day Tony
was sent down the river to look for
saddle horses that had drifted off the
range, and on the trip again visited
the Rogers ranch. When he returned.
he said to his chum:
II TUX in the ranch down the river
again. Mat, an 1 swar I'm getting
stuck on that gal down thar. She
war sweeter'n pie, an the ol woman
treated me like shed known me all
my life. The gal said the T K allus
had such nice fellers workin fur it,
an jest as much as tol me she thought
heap o my company"
Mat said but little. His compan-
ions words did not greet his ears
pleasantly, for very tender feeling
toward the little ranch girl had taken
possession of the citadel of his own
heart. Ere many days the fates
seemed to smile on him, for his duties
took him to the mouth of Sand creek
alone. When he returned Tony asked:
Wizard you ride to, Mat7"
Down to Sand creek and round
the neighborhood."
See the Rogers folks7'
Course did. You don't reckon a
feller's agoin to peep over the bars
into heaven 'thout tryin to climb 'em,
do you2 Had slick time down thar. :"
did Mary ak about me2"
mo, never heard her mention
nothin bout you. Don't reckon she
ever thought o you. l b'lieve she's
sort o stuck on me, fur she said 1
war the most entertainin feller she'd
ever talked to. / axed whose COM
pany she liked best 'mong all the fell
lers she knowed, an she looked down
at the floor sort O. blrlshylike an
said it wouldn't be modest to answer
that question long as war thar"
She never said no sich thing,
Mat. She couldn't say it arter talkin
honey to me like she did"
You don't reckon I'd lie bout it,
do your"
"A feller kin reckon wat he pleases
thout sayin it out loudI"
1t was the nearest the friends had
ever come to a quarrel, and they
stood and looked at each other in no
amiable mood. There was painful
silence of few moments, until Tony
said:
"Mebbe she's cocat, Mat"
IA watt"
"A cocat, as they call 'em. One o
those gals at never meets feller
'thout drawin him on till he gifts dead
gone on her, an then gives him the
royal shake by sayin she war only
jokin an didn't think it would come
to that. Heartless cocats, they call
EN-"
Mary Rogers isn't no sich sort of
gal, Tony, an don't want to hear
you say SO no mol She give me hon
est talk an she meant it."
'She gave me jest as nice talk.
Watts she tryin to rope two critters
at one throw fur if she amt a CO.
cat2"
She amt never slung but one
rope, an l know who it frightened
on. won't talk to you no mo- till
you git hobble on yer sense"
And he walked away in anger, the
bitter feeling toward his friend great
ly intensified.
For several days they would speak
to each other only on matters con-
nected with their work. Each now
regarded the other as rival, and
each believed the other had spoken
falsely regarding the attentions paid
him by the down river ranch girl.
At every opportunity they would
separately visit the Rogers ranch,
each aware of the others visits. The
girls name was never mentioned be-
tween them, but their eyes, when
they met, mirrored the bitter enmity
which filled their hearts. One day
Mat sat for an hour revolving the
matter in his mind and determined
to bring it to a focus. Approaching
Tony, he said:
I'm willin to do the squar thing.
Let's leave this hull thing to Milt, an
do jest as he says. Watts the sense
o you an me agoin around var with
blood in our eyes, arter bein friends
SO long7 We can't both have the gal,
an let's ak Milt to say who shall rope
her."
Tony assented to this proposition,
and together they sought the fore
man.
"Milt, do you know Mary Rogers,
down the riverl"
Reckon 1 do. Knowed her sence
she want any taller'n a week-old
calf"
well, it's like this: Me an Tony's
both claimin the right to put brand
on her fur life, an we can't settle who
has the best show fur ropin the little
critter, so we've agreed to leave it all
to you, arter you've heard both of
US. Wei
"Pull up right thar. Mat, " the fore