Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1893-03-11
A BATTLE FOR LOVE.

y
las No two cowboys on the Rio Hon
do were better known than were To
ny Gardner and Mat Roberts, who
rode together on the T X ranch. They
had first met five years previous on
he old Chisholm trail, coming up
from Texas in search Of employment;
had secured the ranges Of New Mexi
10 together and finally drifted over
onto the Rio Honslo, where they Sc
cured places as riders on the ranch
| above named.
For five years they worked the T
TX cattle together and the warm
friendship which existed between
them became a matter Of comment
on every range for many miles up
ard down the tortuoJs valley of the
Hon,lo They shared each others
blankets at the ranch and on the
trail, and with all their property.
what was Mats was Tony's and what
was Tony's was Mats.
Milt Carter, the foreman of the T
x ranch, was regarded as the best
posted man on stock and ranges in
eastern New Mexico He was the ar
bitter i'll every contest; the referee in
every dispute. Newcomers sought
his advice before making invest
ments. and old ranchers consulted
hun before closing any deal Of more
than minor magnitude.
A wind and rainstorm of more than
usual violence struck the Hondo and
dl1fted the cattle all over the coun-
try Alarmed by the binding rain
and terrific gale, they ran before the
storm, scattering wider and wider
over the country in their fight.
When the storm subsided, every
available rider was ordered into the
saddle to round upthc fugitive stock.
Mat, you and Tony ride down the
river about 20 miles down to the
mouth Of Sand creeh-an work back
NJ, the valley. Ride all the rincons
and work close in the brush all along
the river. Bring UP all you find Of
any brand"
IL obedience to the foreman's in
st:u;.tions the twoswung themselves
iiito the saddle and moved rapidly
southwark About noon they reached
the mouth Of a small stream flowing
INTO the Hundo
Reckon this must be Sand creek.
Tony We've rid 20 good miles. an
this ,nlist he ouT turnin point Let's
git down an Craze our horses az eat
some lunch ourselves"
Isn't that smoke risin over that
point down thar, Matl''
B'lieve It is. Reckon somebody's
cam ped thar. Wen ride down an see
who tis !"
When they turned the point, but a
short distance ahead they saw a neat
ranch house ncas' u group Of corrals.
Riding up to the door they hailed
the inmates, and a neatly dressed
woman answered the call
Good day, mum.
"Howl'y do, boys? Git down an
come i'll. Dinners jest about ready.
and my h'a~''and'll be yar soon. He
ro,le up the se;;2i'k.h little ways after
a beef steer. jest take yer bosses up
thar Oh that fiat whur thar's good
grass.
They soon returned to the house.
and as they entered the door paused
III evident embarrassment not TN
mixed with astonishment A young
girl of about IS, pretty as a wiid! rose.
stood with Ecr hands resting OH the
Kitchen table. smiling them western
welcome.
My daughter Mary, boys Amt
neither one o you told me your names
ylt.
The information was impaired. and
the young girl advanced and shook
hands with the two cowboys
I'm awful glad to see you, boys"
she said Amt many people hap
pens along here now, an it's been a
long time since anybody from the
T Z rode down, 'cept MiIt. He draps
down now an then"
The boys embarrassment soon
wore off beneath the sociable conver
sation Of the mother and daughter,
and they began to feel quite at home.
The young girl charmed them, and
when she would cast Il bright glance
at either be could feel it's warm in
hueuce permeate through the inmost
depths of his heart
Some persons may smile with in
credulity at reference to the bashful-
ness q the cowboy. A bold knight
Of the saddle and rope may be of a
rough, reckless nature, fearless in
disposition and cheeky" among his
fellow riders. yet glance from a
woman will cause the bushes to red
den his face and fill his soul with
confusion. In his wild, rough life it
Is seldom his eyes fall upon female
face, and be holds the sex in almost
sacred yene1ation. He knows but
little Of female society, and when
thrawn in contact with a woman he
feels greatly embarrassed.
Wonder what keeps pop2" the
mother said. See if you can't hurry
him up. Mary
The girl took a Winchester rifle
from a rack on the wall, and step
ping to the door fired a shot.
1t was answered by shout a quar-
ter of q mile distant, and Bill Rogers.
tue raDchman. soonappeared driving
a steer. which be penned in one Of
the aorrals. Turning his horse out
10 craze. be entered the house and