The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-11-08
BILLS LITTLE GAL.


acquaintance, 1 purposely avoid ac-
curacy as to dates and localities. 1t is
not even necessary to explain how l be-
came associated with General Surly in
the management of a big cattle ranch.
He was one of the southern gentlemen
whose earthly possessions were pretty
well 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 a beautiful
daughter, or I would have nothing
worth the telling. avoid going into
rhapsodies by simply saying that she
grew to be 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
girlish voice was raised in angry protest
against placing the cruel brand upon
some bleating maverick. I'll not betray
by how many years was her senior,
but I fell in love with her the first time
l saw her, little vision of beauty
astride burro, riding wildly and with
out fear, swinging miniature lasso,
her black eyes aglow and her raven hair
streaming in 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 old 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 in
his heart which had come warm and
true through all these experiences. Like
many a man who led the rough life of
the frontier, he idealized a 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. "I
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 a
woman as our Kitty. l never heerd yet
where he wiped out Teller critter what
he didn't take unbeknownst or to a dis |
advantage. He's made big money, but
he amt square, an he'd make it hell on
airth fur a woman He's maxim a 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's
cinch. Takin chances with critters like
him is the same as talzin chances with |
rattlesnakes. Jist say the word, an I'll |
make Jim Bumper git out O. here or
fight, an he won't fight me fur certain
reasons as is private till git ready to
turn loose. reckon 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 disapp' tinted. dom /
of en- cut loose, but there hahn t 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 in his deep set gray eyes there was
a 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. 1 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 big fortune is not es-
sential to her happiness Jim S immense
wealth, got nobody knows how, dazzles
the general for 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 general 8 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. i
It was a month before we were
startled by a very unexpected occur
renee Bud rushed into the room where
the general and 1 were transacting
some business to announce that Jim
Bumper had kidnapped Kitty and was
following the old trail to the nearest |
large city. No time was lost in lamenta-
tions or inquiry. With a rush for arms
and horses we were in the chase. For
hours Bud staid right with us on his
dilapidated broncho that he always said |
had done nothing more than switch it's
abbreviated tail when struck by light |
ming some Is years before. Though Jim
had one 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 a
dead Shot. Bud never missed unless he
wanted to, and I had craving for
vengeance that was only aggravated by |
a gentler passion
What happened in the next few min
utes can only be explained by the story
which Bud afterward told with series |
of chuckles and AN occasional wheezy
laugh that seemed to expend most of its
force internally.
81 knowed all the time" he de- I
clared, "that Jim Bumper wouldn't
was SO high, so c'luded fur to take a
han myself I went over an smoked
pipe an had council Of war with big
Bill Planters. Me an Bill ulster be
pardners. He has mighty likely dar-
ter, an Jim had been shinin round her,
lettin on she was bout the kind o. wife
he was lookin fur. When l tole Bill
how things was shapin up here to the
ranch, had to fairly put hobbies on
him fur to keep him frum goin right
over an spongin Jim off the yearth. He
was mad chin Deep but showed him
fist full o. trumps.
1.-The upshot was we makes late
call on Hank RUNNERS. Both me an (
Bill has saved Hanks scalp mum 'rous
times, an he'd try fur to stan off satan
himself if we'd intermate we wanted it.
Mex day Hank hires out to Jim Bump
er, an it hain't long till them two is
thicker than two brothers Hank never
mentions no gal by name, but he allus
says she was the sweetest critter what
ever picked posies from the parary, an
why didn't Jim jist rope her ON the
sly, run her off an marry her. A game