The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-05-22
The LAZY C" BRAND.

spat into the clufnp of sage brush be-
side the trail He was tall, lanky man,
with apronounced Yankee type Of coun--
tenance, and he leaned his elbow ia
milarly upon the pommel of the saddle
as he talked with the young owner OF
the White River Ranch.
Henry Penryn, the proprietor, relied
no little upon the judgment and expert
ence of Howard and the subject OF
their present dicussion was a serious
one.
Come, now, stock doesn't disap-
pear, even in Texas, without human
agency" Penryn said, reflectively. "Ac-
cording to the books more than J0O
head have disappeared-totally eVapo-
rated, so to speak-since last roundup,
and now that there are so many calves
to brand l don't know what will hap
pen. The leakage must stop or l Will
have to give up the ranch.
Hey ye advertised, Cap
Yes. And Mowry's taken a trip
through the range and looked up all the
ranches in this section. 1t hasn't re-
suited in a single clew."
Jase discharged another mouthful or
tobacco juice ref1ectively. There's that
greaser." he said, slowly The one
tibet bought out old man Morrison
He's no Mexican He's French" re-
sponded Penryn, moodily.
"Wa-al, he's a furriner, nall furrin-
ers air greasers' in Texas"
Il don't see why you should suspect
him"
Jase glanced UP into the younger
mans face shrewdly. What makes you
cucnact him "a demanded.
''I?" Penryn started and flushed. He
knew that Jase had read his mind cor
rectly. but his suspicion was based upon
nothing more than personal dislike for
the new owner of Morrison's ranch ana
he was too honest to try and hide that
fact from himself. But he couldn't ad-
nit to Jase.
~" he repeated. Il have no reason
for suspecting anybody. I'm all at sea"
Jase grunted. Il amt so neatly
mouthed erbout it," he said That
fellers got our stock. 1 don't like the
scamp. Nd l see him round good
deal. He's alus ridin erbout with the
Coloners darter." The old cattleman
glanced sharply at his young employer
again to see if the shot told. That
fetched him!" ne muttered with
chucRle. Harry pulled his horse hastl-
w around, while the color mantled MS
cheek again.
What We goin' to do erbout it?" de-
manded Jase, before Penryn could get
away.
What's the fellows brandt
Who, the greaser?"
Yes; Perriot."
.J'u ask Jimmy: he knows" A halloo
brought a sinewy young herdsman from
the nearest bunch of beeves. What's
that greaser's brand, Jim?" inquired
the old foreman.
.Perriot's? A lazy D. on the nigh
foreshoulder," was the glib response.
"Sure?"
The cowpuncher looked Disguised. 1
reckon T know ev'ry brand on the Pan
handle" he said.
THAT warn't Morrison's," said Jase,
refectively. ~
No"
'Wa-al that'n do" said the foreman
dismissing the man. Then he turned to
his employer again. "A lazy D. hey?
An ourn's a lazy c. Harnsome, hain't
it,"
"Wen?" said Penryn. interro2atlVely-
"IooIxs like there were niger in the
woodpile. don't it?"
Penrvn looked at him without reply.
His silence evidently exasDerated Jase.
"See here," he exclaimed. He used the
butt of his whip to draw in the red art
Of the trail the figure used on the White
River ranch as brand, thus '---'a
"lazy CO. in the nomenclature of the
plains. With horizontal stroke the Z
was converted into a d.
sweet, pretty little trick, ain'E it?
he said. sarcastically. An our marx Is
on the same part o the critter, too.
But how does he get 'em?" demand
ed Penryn THAT is, if he is the guilty
party
"Oh. he's guilty fast enough. I've
seen many a rustler hung on less evil
dence, in the old days. We didn't nave
so much law an blame sight Tess
stealin' down here then" said Jase, IN
disgust. Il kin tell We when nlSh er
hundred head went" he pursued
'"Twas last weel- We'en Blalsdell
bunch stampeded. Them greasers tibet
work fur Perriot air as bad as he IS l
reckon they brand more cattle mat
don't blong to them in year than any
ten ranches on the Panhandle.
well. I'll think it over" Penryn said
at last. drawing up the rein on his
pony's neck Report to me, Jase, IL
any more stock disappear"
He swung the pony about again and
touching the steed with the whip, can
tered away down the trail in the direc-
ton of his ranch-house.
Tampering with brands is a favorite
pursuit of a certain class of individuals
in the cattle country. Despite the pre-
cautions taken by honest ranchmen to
protect their brands by registering.
thousands of head of cattle are stolen
every year.
Many dishonest foreman has
branded a GOOD third of his employer
calves with his own private mark each
year, and after a few such successful
seasons has pulled out, gone into bust
ness for himself, and become in time a
cattle king"
But Harry Penryn would have trusted
his foreman with his last dollar. There
was no leakage in that direction, ana
yet the drain upon his herd was a
steady one, so steady that unless 1t was
stopped the young ranchman saw
plainly that something very much ike
bankruptcy would be the outcome.
Jase Howard's insinuations regarding
| the new owner of the Morrison ranch
found a response in Penryn's mind, but
| the latter knew it was more from per-
sonal dislike of his neighbor than from
any evidence presented that he sus-
pected him.
NJ Perriot was a good looking and
apparently very wealthy young French
man. Penryn had met him several
| times-usually at Colonel DahlSreen 8
| hnneStead which Law several mules