The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1900-12-28

| WOuHu uOWH IHe Vdlley very close u
the sheep ranch of Jessie's father.
"Why, yes, you may" said Mrs. Har
ris, Bessie's mother. "Did Jessie want
her to stay all night, JohnT
"Of course-as usual" replied Mr.
Harris.
"But guess you can spare her that
long, eh, motherY
"No, need you, dearie. But you can
have a long day together and -come
home in the evening"" said Mrs. Harris.
SO next morning Bess shouted gay
good-by as Brandy danced around the
mounting block, and she whirled the
long thongs Of her quirt merrily around
his flank, which Brandy promptly re-
sented by bringing his four little hoofs
together rising in the air and coming
down on his sturdy little legs with a
jar that nearly sent Bess out Of the
saddle.
"Oh, you'll buck, will your she cried
while the rest cheered Brandy. wait
till you want some sugar.
Brandy repented and stretched him
self into swinging, rockingham lope
that carried him swiftly down the
trail The air was sharp and clear and
tingled through Bessie's veins, while
the cold turned her cheeks rosy.
Frost tonight, Brandy" she cried
to the broncho, whose ears twitched
| In al ~ tho sound of hav xyotao And
| the frost came.
The girls had long, merry day, and
as the moon rose in clear purple sky
Bess turned Brandy's willing nose
homeward. She turned up the collar
Of her heavy little coat and pulled on
her buckskin gloves, for the cold was
already growing sharp. And, calling
cheerlly to Brandy, she few along the
trail toward home. 1t was cold and
clear and still, and she rode along a
little sleeplly, while Brandy's hoofs
made the only sound that broke the
stiffness. But soon another sound star
tied her into wakefulness She had
reached the water gate on the big
ditch, and through the stiffness came
low tlnkling and gurgling that sounded
like fairy music. But the fairy music
sent all the color out of the girls
cheeks, and with frightened cry to
Brandy she slipped out of the saddle
and ran to the ditch.
Brandy afeandered along after her
with lazy curiosity and found her
kneeling beside the gate with her arms
plunged down into the cold water. And
when she stood up her pretty bright
face had grown still whittier. For she
had found small "cave-in" near the
gate, and the water was trickllng
through in steady little stream that
was steadily and quickly growing
larger as the earth broke and crumbled
and gave way around 1t. In q very
short time that cave-in would send a
volume Of water rushing and leaping
along all the bitches through the ranch,
and by morning what?
"Oh, the fruit, the fruit Brandyp'
Bess sobbed, wildly. ut will be killed
and mothers heart will breakp
She wrung her hands as she looked
down the long road cleaning white and
lonely In the moonlight. Too late for
that. Before she could 60 a mile to-
ward help the ranch would be flooded
and the ruin complete. Again, she
plunged her arm into the water. II she
could only stop up that holel She
looked on all sides helplessly, and
Brandy moved closer with a sympa-
thetic and inquiring whlnny.. She
looked at him despairingly, then sud
denly sprung forward. In moment
she was tearing wildly at buckles and
straps, and then, to Brandy's profound
surprise, she dragged the heavy pig
skin saddle from his back and rushed
with 1t to the ditch. There she went
down on her knees and plunged the
saddle beneath the water. She fumDled
with 1t minute or so, then listened
breathlessly.
The water gurgled and tinkled un-
certainly, then slowly, very slowly, 1t
grew fainter. And soon there was only
a faint whisper and drip from one or
two tiny waterfalls that slipped and
slid down the bank. The weight Of the
water had sucked the saddle closely
against the earth and the hole was
stopped
SO much But the night was cold
her arms already ached and panied |
cruelty, and she did not dare leave the
saddle lest 1t slip. Would they search
for her? Or would they think She had
stayed all night with Jess? If she could
only get word home.
Again she looked at Brandy. Then
she called him to her, slipped the loop
lf her Quirt from the pommel of the
saddle, and, raising her arm out of the
water she turned Brandy toward home
md then brought down the lashes with
singing force ON his flank.
Home Brandyw she called. And
Brandy, outraged and indignant, kick
u up his heels, bucked three times,
hen tore down the trail toward home.
'esolved to tell Soda that his young
mistress had gone crazy.
Fainter and fainter sounded the
loof-beats along the trail. And soon
he could hear them no longer. Her
rms ached cruelty, and sharp pains
'egan to shoot through her body from
he cold. Now and then she would take
er arms out of the water and swing
hem and beat her hands together till
hey stung; but only for moment
hen the saddle had TO be held In place.
The time seemed horribly long, but
last far down the trail there sounded
low. ,thudding noise that quickly grew