Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-11-18
Cbe Eight Beyond.
BY FLORENCE 4. MusaOE.
Is A NY Of the feIIers on this ranch

" NY Of the fellers on this ranch
~ goin' to cross the alkali soon?"
"Yes, Tenderfoot Dick and me be
goin' tomorrow. Why?"
Here's a bundle for ST Warner. who
is blastin' in the hills near Humboldt,
an If you'll take it over 1 can get TO
Ogden fore night"
We'll leave it. I'll take good keer of
It,"
YAH right, Jake Good-by."
''Good-by."
stood i'm the cabin door an watched
tie stage rattle off. Fore sunrise next
mornin' we started I'd ruther of taken
anyone else but Tenderfoot for he was
lool<in 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 Tenderfoot, 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
lie was 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" ] says. you amt so we'll
lookin' lately. What's the matter2
Don't the fellers on the ranch treat you
good. Tenderfoot?"
at isn't that. But somebody love is
waiting for me beyond that edge of
light yonder, and I'm going back to
her"
CSsYour mother?" .Ai -
NO; another woman"
1t was most noon now. an we were
gcttin' 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 lot of other stuff
TO Tenderfoot's saddle. Pretty soon he
says to me:
Jake. what's in the bundle2"
Powder for Warner wlro is blastin'
in the hills"
"Why didn't you zen me! It's danger
Gus work carrying it out in the open
under sun like this. Where did you
get it?"
''Michals on the stage gave it to me
yesterday. I've taken it fore. Give u
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 dreamiu' again. Twas |
gettin' tired of wutin' for him to tell |
me " hat he promised. but didn't like to i
speak up an bring il bout. When twi-
light came over the Humboldt hills. five |
mues, of. we halted. built a great |
smudse 10 kee? nsy the flies an mos
quitoes. an Tendcrfcc3 got the supper. |
Then we lit our pipes. We had to wait
for the moon to rise fore VIC could push |
on. The wind began BLOWN pretty /
hard an TendcTfuot's pony was runnin /
loose bout 100 feet from him with the
bundle still tied TO the saddle. Once ! |
got up to take il off-bui there wasn't
any dnnger I'd taken the stuff fore
But It wouldn't take much. \ sparb
from the smudee,
Jake
Tenderfooi had emptied his pipe an
WAS sit,in' on the other side Of the iirc
his eyes lookin' into mine.
Jake. ! never told ana body On the
ranch much about myself. bat lis just
six years ago tonight since ! left home
and I'm going n tell son Why
y can guess. II twas shat otherwom-
an. wasn't it,
''Ycs- TIE sime Old story: drink
>nd cafs,s ore day she says 70 ne,