The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-25
"Lazy C" Brand,

| Yankee
ed his elbow Familiarity upon the pommel
of the saddle as he talked with the young
owner Of the White River ranch
Henry Penrvn, the proprietor, relied no
little upon the Judgment and experience
of Howard
Come, now, stock doesn't disappear,
even in Texas, without human agency,
Penryn said, refectively. According to the
books more than 500 head have disappear
ed-totally evaporated, so to speak-since
last roundup; and now that there are so
many calves to brand don't know what
will happen
Looks like there were niger IN the
woodpile, don't it?''
Penryn looked at him without reply. His
silence evidently exasperated Jase- See
herei" he exclaimed He used the butt
end Of his whip to draw in the red dirt of
the trail the figure used on the White
River ranch as a brand, thus ~.
| lazy in the nomenclature of the
plains With a horizontal stroke the c
was converted into a D.
Sweet, pretty little trick. amt it?" he
said, sarcasticaIly. "An' our mark is on
the same part O. the critter, too"
| But how does he get 'em?" demanded
Penryn. THAT is, If he is the guilty
party"
| "Oh, he's guilty fast enough. I've seen
many a rustler hung on less evidence in
the old days"
They were speaking of NJ. Perriot,
young Frenchman, who had been for
| time dealing in cattle in their neighbor-
hood and was rapidly growing rich
| NJ. Perriot was a good looking besides
being a wealthy young Frenchman. Pen
ryn had met him several times-usually
at Colonel Dahlgreen's homestead, which
lay several miles from the White River
ranch. Before NJ. Perriot ad come into the
country Penryn had been about the only
young man visitor at the coloners. The
| coloneTs daughter, Josie. was the magnet
| which drew him.
That very Afternoon Penryn taking what
/ he called his constitutional, saw before
him the young lady with Perriot as her
escort. They were well mounted and his
| pony had all he could do to overtake the
couple, and might not have done so but
| that thew drew rein on the verge OF
| hill and sat contemplating what was going
on below on the other slope, where Perriot
had his little camp. So interested were
they In the cattle branding that they did
not notice Penryn till he was close upon
| them. After saluting Miss Dahlgreen and
exchanging a few grave words with Per-
rit, Penryn raised his hat again to the
lady and trotted down the further side OF
the hill. As he went, however, he turned
| to Perriot, and said as he pointed to the
| believing herd and the excited Mexicans
| below them: 1--WE heard of a man being
| hung for branding a bunch of steers like
| that. Times have changed in Texas, but
! it isn't healthy occupation even now"
What mean you?" sputtered Perriot.
But Miss Josie turned her back upon
| the American. Penryn spurred his pony
on and rode down into the midst of the
rabble about the camp wagon and fires.
There was a steer on his side near one
of the fires, held by the lariats of two
| herdsmen. There was an old mark-a
mark Penryn knew weldon the beasts
| nigh foreshoulder.
! Somebody ran from one of the fires and
! laid hot iron on the steers side.
| The Mexicans gathered around the
American with threatening faces.
| you know what this means in Texas"
! he said, calmly. This range will be too
hot for you fellows-understand
| He turned his pony about and rode out
Of the group. One man made a grab at
| his bride rein and Penryn raised his whip
and brought it down with singing force
across his face. Then he put spurs to his
! pony and rode off over the rise.
| He was still sitting by the side of the
stream, his steed feeding a few yards
away. when he saw a group of half a
! dozen or more horsemen coming out of a
gulley across the brook. They forded the
stream and then, apparently catching
| sight of him, drew UP in an excited, gesti-
| culating group. Penryn was quick to re-
cognize them as Mexicans-quite evident
! ly herdsmen from Perrit's ranch.
He sprang up, intending to get his horse
and be prepared for whatever was to fol-
low. But as he loosened the gun in his
! belt he heard a heal behind him. In
| stantly the group of horsemen spurred up
| the incline toward him, but before he
could turn around to see what new danger
| threatened him from the rear a moose set
| tied over his head and shoulders and was
pulled taut, pinioning his arms to his
sides.
| Some of his enemies had made a flank
! movement, and he was at their mercy. He
| was dragged to the ground, the chatter
| ing crowd at once surrounded and dis
armed him and he was bound with his
own belt to lightning-riven stump on the
edge of the grove.
| But even the pain Of the wound did not
COW him. ''Do you think you can kill me
| /
find your mistake. My boys will hunt you
to the Rio Grande-and beyond. And all
Perriot's money won't save you
At that thew drew aside to confer, while
| Penryn leaned against the tree, to which
they had bound him, half fainting from
! loss Of blood and the pain OF the gashes
| in his face. He remembered with bitter
| ness how the colonefs daughter had
turned her back upon him when he ac-
cused erriot of jumping his brand" The
| girl was evidently in love with the French
man. and in his despair he young ranch
man did not much care what these des-
| peradoes did with him.
| Suddenly his enemies ran for their
horses and climbed. helter-skelter. into
their saddles. Penryn. with his head hang
| ing upon his breast paid Slight attention;
but then the swift beat of horses hoofs
smote upon his ear. and he wondered
vaguely if more of Perriot's men were
coming.
The pounding of hoofs increased. and
pouring over a neighboring rise came a
| party of wildly-riding cowboys. Penryn
| looked again and recognized old Jase
Howard at their head
He came to himself again in a moment.
Jase had him lying upon the grass, and
ne found himself choking over some OF
the real STUFF which the foreman had
forced between his lips
I'VE were just in time. by thunder ex-
claimed Howard. How dye feel now?''
Better said Penryn. sitting up.
Here, femme bind that Up" said the
old man. muffling the lower part of his
employers face IN a linen handkerchief.
Them greasers had better light out err
bout as fast as they kin he pursued