The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-01-20

anu WHO u1biikeu
the Western country as much as / cared
for my club and my amusements an the
cityl
But there was no crossing Uncle
Johns will If did, then Cousin Bert
would get the forturc that I always
understood was to be mine, so / began
at once to make preparations for my
departure. ! could have endured Civ
ing up my club and the society OF the
boys, but when thought of EIinor,
groaned. Wild thoughts of asking her
to go with mo flashed through my
brain, only TO be dismissed as absurd.
We had known each other but three
short months, and although she seemed
to show a,decided preference for my
company, still had no reason to be.
lieve that the beautiful and cultured
Miss Curtis would leave her luxurious
bone IN the city fora ranch house. thir-
fymifes from a town, aud live thereamid
rough cowboys, with only few squat
ranchers' wives for associates, merely
that she might have the pleasure OF
being near me. II was not to be
thought Of; and it was with heavy
heart that l boarded the train for
Santa Fe, vainly trying to dismiss
from my thoughts the reproachful
look she had given me the evening be-
fore, when l informed her that / was
going away. Yet had a vague feeling
of happiness at having been able to
elicit that look.
In due time | arrived at the ranch,
which was not such desolate place as
Ihad pictured it. There was COM
Portable house, and the clustering
barns and sheds behind it gave it a
picturesque appearance which even
the long, lonely stretches of prairie
on three sides OF it could not entirely
destroy. / went TO work at once, and
before week had passed was able to
fnd some little pleasure in riding
about the range To a certain extent,
l forgot the terrible stiffness of the
plans by keeping my mind occupied
with learning the particulars OF ranch
life. soon made the acquaintance
of my cowboys, and found most of
them to be sober and industrious men,
who seemed to be working earnestly
for the interest OF the ranch. ]
began to think that ranch life, while
it possessed little of romance, might
have its pleasures after all ;and If only
Elinor-but I was not to think OF
that.
One morning, after had been al
the ranch about fortnight, my over
seer, Lease, informed me that it would
| be necessary to haye an extra man un-
til branding time.
"There's an Indian staYin' down al
Rambo's store that's Almighty good
hand" be said. 'I'spect ye could gil
him 'thout somebody else's hired him.
His names Shauk.
"I'il go down after dinner and SCI
ii can get HIM, said l.
That afternoon 1 rode to the little
settlement As / drew up before She
small general store there was but one
person in sight. He was an Indian
who sat on the store platform, anC
paid not the slightest attention to me
as / dismounted and walked past hin
into the building. The storekeepe-
was asleep behind the rough counter
and it took me some time to awakeI
him. inquired for Shauk.
"rhat him out there" said the mer
chant. rubbing his eyes with one hanC
and pointing with the other 10 thu
Indian in front of the store. "You
amt on officer, be YEP" he then asked
suddenly becoming wide awake.
"No, am the new owner of the X
& X. ranch. "
"Oh, thought Shauk's time warn
up yet" he replied, resuming hi
sleepy attitude. 'Well, that's hin
out there"
Without lnquiring what he mean
by Shauk's "time"-for a tenderfoo
should not be too inqulsitiye-I passed
outside and informed the Indian Of my
desire to hire him.
"Wil work till August Goth" h
sAid.
"But we want a man until branding
time.
"No work after August 2Oth,"
"Why?" 1 ventured to ask.
He tnrned his little black eyes upol
me.
"Be hung then" he said laeonical
iy.
1 gave a disgusted exclamation. Til
Indian was surely drunk. Bat Leas
had said he was good ranch hand, s,
told him that 1 would hire hin
till then, ana that l wishe'