New-York tribune., 1897-01-10
RANCH 2 MILES.
PLEASE SHUT THE GATE.
SHUT IT YOURSELF - YOU.

The foreman had accepted this suggestion. and
kept two men riding the pastures and watching
tween the cowboys ana settlers, in which the
former had the advantage The settlers ,,, were
And very like coyotes were their cries. as they
sometimes Just for lark, you know, stampeded .e
a work team or drove a poor mans milk COW into
The new schoolma'am at the Bend was an ag-
gressive young person, and openly advised the
settlers to cut the fences. or summon the sheriff
the e eattem"n III @ ' IF i were lSe man" she sad d
H nd wo"d oGg cut fpu Il again and s again " as % often
they attempted to repair it,"
than she. 'and did that thing once, you would get
no chance to repeat it, You'd find yourself hang
ing TO the nearest gate post next morning.
what You going to DO about ~" she asked:
I'm going to lie low and wait few years until
the Government gets ready to take down the
fences. if my claim is worth IL; If not. I'm going
TO move on. might as well try TO buck against
the 5. p. AS to oppose one of these big cattle
com3gancs. 3,, ~ oo.,r,s . s.,, tho air.,
"Of are he replied; put man In
this position. and he's got 10 be either coward
The girl said that she would choose the fools
part. -
turned calves missing and other petty and annoy
the point of going out one night armed with a
pair of pincers to cut the fence. Mounted on her
scarcely halting, severed the wire with the sharp
pincers then few rods and repeat
When came 70 repair that fence We FOUND the
top wire cut into reata lengths for Il mile. and
the other wires. too low for her TO reach from he
fie' the top U wire s dsabed M IS si good enough to
n Sp wr %ek and S no h os 3 sng or" a Re
was ruined and the rights of settlers yindicatcd
have been afraid to venture out in the dark-and
Robert. belated in search for strays rode over z.
caught red-handed for a barb had scratched her
hand. which was bleeding freely.
"You'll have to go back TO the ranch with me-
and the foreman" said Robert. as soon as he
took in the situation and recovered from his sur
prise sufficiently 10 speak
See | have hurt my hand" said she; "and am
cold ! must go home Your foreman can S see me ne
tinued; you not an officer; you have no
authority"
miss" said Robert again.
She drew up her rein and hit the horse sharply.
but Roberts hand was on the bride; tho horse
'You'n have 10 go back to the ranch with me-"
said Robert. -
Il am cold and hurt" she said; 'can you build
a fire in the brush and bind up my hand? ,,.,
the two horses securely together. Gathering up
greasewood. he lit fire. which fared up brightly.
I'm awful sorry about this Miss Bell said
Robert earnestly; u like you very much. think
Don't talk now said she. rather sharply; I'm
cold"
And he stood silently looking into her eyes across
the fire She moved her hands slowly backward
and forth and gazed at him steadily: lie fe't
"Sit down" said she. suddenly. He hesitated an
instant. then sat down fiat on the damp ground
Put your head between your knees. and the
helpless doubled himself up as commanded
Now said she, you are bound for ten minutes.
You will then take these pincers and cut the bonds,
after which you will cut fence wires for one hour
You will then home"
Miss Bell turned from the fire. mounted her horse
quickly. and rode away. leading the other horse
Poor Robert sat with his head bowed for the
fun ten minutes The fire went out lie groped
about for the pncers and failed to find them The
cold night wind reused him as from a dream. and
he sprang suddenly TO his feet man again. First
q bewildered man. soon very mad man. His last
recollection of the fire and the girl looking
into his eyes He examined himself all over care
fully TO learn whether he had not been shot he
searched all about for his horse and finally walked
home. The worst indigny that can be put upon
a cowboy Is to make him walk and his long walk
that night was the feature of this incident which
longest ranked in Roberts memory.
1t WAS nearly morning when he turned In at the
bunkhouse. After breakfast he had bad quarter
sadded up and rode 10 the schoolhouse. Robert
was dead sore about this adventure. and IL was
many months before he told us what occurred
there
we got there before school time" said he "but
the teacher was already there as fresh az q daisy
and cool as cucumber. The foreman opened up
at once and the lady-Im maverick boys. II
she didn't bluff him right through the whole game
Denied everything. Wasn't out last night. Never
saw me before Didn't cut her hand the wire
fence TO prove IL. took off the bandage and
but ! must be crazy. Showed us the door and rung
the bell for school. When got out. the foreman
SAYS 10 me that would have 10 hit the road II /
didn't change my brand OF whiskey.'