Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-10-21

Being man with a wide circle OF
acquaintance, 1 purposely avoid ac-
crlracy as to dates and localities 1t is
not even necessary to explain how be-
came associated with General Surly in
the management of big cattle ranch.
He was one of the southern gentlemen
whose earthly possessions were pretty
we'll wiped out by the war, but he did
not stop to chide fate nor wait for some
thing to turn up. He converted his
available assets into cash and made the
investment in which | was eventually
interested.
Of course the general had beautiful
daughter, or l would have nothing
worth the telling avoid going into
rhapsodies by simply saying that she
grew to be a strong, stately and grace
full woman whose physical attractions
were matured in the outdoor world,
whose education and accomplishments
were those that few women have the
mental grasp to acquire and whose
heart was as tender as when her little
giIlish voice was raised i'll angry protest
against placing the cruel brand upon
some bleating maverick I'll not betray
by how many years I was her senior,
but fell in love with her the first time
| saw her, little vision of beauty
astride burro, riding wildly and with
1,,al.
her black eyes aglow and her raven hair
streaming i'll waves that even the sweep
ing wind Of the prairie did not
straighten.
Though she was a gentle little mis-
tress, every one about the place was her
slave. Even stoical cid Bud Whipley,
who should have lost every vestige Of
romance in his experience as trapper,
scout, Indian fighter and cattle man,
had secretly adopted the little witch i'll
his heart, which had come warm and
true through all these experiences. Like
many man who led the rough life of
the frontier, he idealized good wom-
an, and the alteration bestowed by him
upon Kitty Surly was as devoid of our
earthly conception of love as though
she had been an angel.
1t was after she had been east to
school and returned to us with all her
natural beauty enhanced by the refining
influences and opportunities she had en-
joyed that old Bud came to me. Il
don't like the way that coyote from the
Robelda ranch is a-tryin to git inter the
round up over here" he began. Jim
Bumpers no sorter Teller fur SIGH q
woman as our Kitty. never heerd yet
where he wiped out a Teller critter what
he didn t take unbeknownst or to dis
advantages. He's made big money, but
he amt square, an he'd make it hell on
airth fur woman. He's maxim strong
play fur to git ON the good side of the
gineral, an I've bout made up my mind
that | orter to tend to slippin Jim 8
cinch. Takin chances with critters like
him is the same as takin chances with
rattlesnakes. Jist say the word, an I'll
make Jim Bumper git out O. hero or
fight, an he won t fight me fur certain
reasons as is private till git ready to
turn loose. Ireckon he's feelin kinder
panicky already, fur give it out all an
singular to the boys over to the ranch
that our Kitty warn't agoin to Craze
| her pritty face on no range 'ceptin our
own an that any Teller what tried rop-
in her wouldn' never know jist how it
happened he was disappointed ! don t
Of EN- cut loose, but there hahn none
O. the boys is hankerin partickaler to be
round when blow up
l could see that the veteran was in
deadly earnest, for his parchmentlike
face had an unwonted glow of color,
and i'll his deep set gray eyes there was
CLINT as ominous as a death warrant.
"See here, Bud" said in concil-
iatory tone. ''There are some things
about this case that understand better
than you do. I'm as determined as any
man living that Jim Bumper shan't
have Kitty Surly. | happen to know
that she loves another man who would
try to be worthy Of her and who will
marry her if the general can ever be
convinced that a big fortune is not es-
sential to her happiness, Jim S immense
wealth, got nobody knows how, dazzles
the general for a time, but he will new
er ask Kitty to marry against her will,
and can see that Jim is losing ground
every day in the generals esteem. 1t is
all right to let matters take their course,
and nothing must be done that will
make her talked about
| But old Bud did not belong to the
class Of men who are content to drift.
| The necessity of his life had been to
plan, plot and anticipate the movements
Of the enemy. But he said nothing, and
I accepted the matter as at an end for
the time
1t was month before we were
startled by a very unexpected occur
renee. Bud rushed into the room where
the general and I We're transacting
some business to announce that Jim
Bumper had kidnapped Kitty and was
following the old trail to the nearest
large cit. No time was lost in lamenta-
tons @ iiql3iry. With rush for arms
and ht ". !; we were in the chase For
hours l,utl staid right with us on his
dilaridatcd broncho that he. always said
had done nothing more than switch its
abbreviated tail when struck by light
ming some Is years before. Though Jim
lad ono of the best mounts in the whole
territory the extra weight began to
tell, and little after midnight we had
our quarry in sight The general was