The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-09-03

% NY of the fellers on this ranch
n goin to cross the alkali soon?"
Eyes, Tenderioot Dick and me be
goin' tomorrow Why?'
Here's bundle for 81 Warner. who
Is blastin' in the hills near Humboldt,
an if you'll take it over can get to
Ogden fore night"
well, leave it. I'll take good keer of
It."
"All right, Jake. Good-by."
"Good-by."
l stood in the cabin door an watched
The stage rattle off. Fore sunrise next
mornin' we started I'd ruther of taken
anyone else but Teuderfoot, for he was
looldn' kinder done out. BUT the others
were busy an couldn't go alone. The
ponies were fresh an the air sweet with
the perfume of the flowers. kept my
eye on Tendcrfoot. for | saw he was
dreamin' again. a queer look used to
come over his face sometimes an he
would shut his teeth hard, as though
henwas tryin, to keep somethin' back.
Soon the sun Shot up over the edge of
The prairie. Then he turned in his sad
die, an said:
Jake, I'm glad you took me with
you, for there's something want to tell
you. This is my last trip. I'm going
east when we get back to the ranch"
well" l says, you amt so we'll
1ooldn' lately. What's the matter?
Don't the fellers on the ranch treat you
good, Tenderfoot?"
att isn't that. But somebody love Is
waiting for me beyond that edge of
light yonder, and I'm going back to
her"
= "Your mother?"
"No; another woman"
It was most noon now, an we were
gettin' out Of the grass land into the
sage near the alkali. The glare of the
sun was awful an the water in the cans
hangin' to the saddles was gettin' hot.
But we pulled our hats down over our
eyes an keepin' the ponies heads due
north pushed on The bundle for War
ner was tied with a lot of other stuff
to Tenderfoot's saddle. Pretty soon he
says to me:
Jake, what's in the bundle?"
Powder for Warner who is blastin'
in the hills
"Why didn't you tell mel It's danger
Gus work carrying it out in the open
under a sun like this. Where did you
get it2"
"Michals on the stage gave it to me
yesterday. I've taken it fore. Give it
to me if you're scared"
NO" he says kinder slow; you
ought to know If you have done it be-
fore. I'll keep it right here"
Then he got to dreamin' again. was
gettin' tired OF waitin' for him TO tell
me what he promised, but didn't like to
speak up an bring il bout When twi-
light came over the Humboldt hills, five
miles off, we halted | built a great
smudge TO keep way the flies an mos
quitoes. an Tendcrfoot got the supper.
Then we lit our pipes. We had to wait
for the moon to rise fore we could push
on The wind began BLOWN pretty
hard an Teulcrfout's pony was runnin'
loose bout 100 feet from him with the
bundle still tied TO the saddle. Once
got up 20 take Il off-but there wasn't
any danger I'd taken the stuff fore.
But it wouldn't take much. \ spark
from the smudge'
Jake"
Tenderfoot had emptied his pipe an
was sittin' on the other side of the fire.
his ewes lookiH' into mine.
Jake, never told anybody on the
ranch much about myself, but it's Just
six years ago tonight since left home
and I'm going to tell you why"
81 can guess. II was that other wom-
an, wasn't ito"
"Yes. The same old story; drink
and cards One div she saws to me:
Dick. this is your last chance. can
stand the liquor, Dat the cards won't
j promised her ia stop. but the nexe
night went home worse than ever. She
met me atthe door, her eyes all red with
crying, and says. a woman can't put
up with everything, even if she does
1ove a man. am tired of trying to
bring you out OF the ways of darkness
into the light, but | can't. Dick, you
and had better part. But love you,
DickI i love you!' didn't wait for
her to finish that sentence, but rushed
out of the house and never stopped
till 1 got to Brvce's. where used to