The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-27

ward. 1 never yet shot at anything
inore'n deer, and hope I never shall
but one things sure-if ever horse
thieves, or money thieves try to stop
me, they'll find me ready"
They generally go around men they
know to be ready the stranger said,
laughing sweetly, and looking hard
across at Joe. Then he turned to
Lightly. ran his hand up and down
her forearm, and on down to the coro-
net, then back with a sweeping -four
ish until it rested upon her throat.
Sound legs-a head that looks over
the MOON" he muttered as though to
himself, then to Squire Cleaves: II
want her. Name your price"
This time it was the Squire who
laughed. Joe frowned, and essayed to
speak. His father held up his hand.
wait. 1t takes a bit O. figurin,,"
he said. Let's see-the droves a lit
tie the rise O. two hundred-they'n
average a hundred and fifty the head.
That 100000 in a lumpin' trade.
couldn't take less for 'Lightly-not a
cent less
Il don't understands don't want
to buy the drove" the stranger be-
gan. Squire Gleaves broke in: II
thought you didn't. 1 doubt, in fact,
if you ever saw a real horse drove
before"
Il have certainly seen loose horses
driven" the stranger said Again
the Squire cut him short. mo doubt"
he said. Everybody must have seen
that-four or five horses, or maybe
even a dozen. But, let me tell you,
that amt horse droverin'. A real drov-
er has get either to breed his own
stock, or else buy it at weanin' time,
and let it Craze and grow up to fol-
he hal Of t1oII
'Lightly's mine. A bell mare must
never have a colt of her 'own-then
she's ready to mother and rule every
thing that comes round her. When the
colts are wonted to her, she can take
'em anywhere-one mile or a thousand,
it don't matter. If l was fool enough
! to sell you Lightly, and you took her
away, not one out there in the mead
! ow would stop feedin' till he was full
But along after dark. when half of EN-
were ready to lie down, they'd begin
whickerin whickerin', whickerin, and
keep it up till after midnight. Then
there'd come a break in spite of me,
and my men, and whips and halters.
They'd take right out on her track, and
climb mountains, or swim rivers to
find her-and they would not stop to
eat much nor drink often by the way"
The stranger laughed "Droving
must be profitable-under such condi-
tons," he said demurely. LAS 1 under
stand it, the bell mare comes back
with you"
80! I'm honest enough to warn
! folks" Squire Gleaves said, also
laughing, but grimly: II swear 'em
to keep stock they buy of me stabbed
or hoppled. through two springs. At
| ter that. the beasts either forget, or
! fall in love with the place they live,
| or somethin' about it. But as true as
you stand there, I've had horses come
! home after six years. Seems like the
spring time sets 'em wild to, see the
place they were foaled inland no mat
ter how far off it is, they sense the
course" .#T
How far have you known them
Gomez" the stranger asked.
Five hundred miles-maybe more"
| Squire Gleaves answered. The stranger
| whistled. then with a change of man
| ner, said: "Since / must impose on
your hospitality-my name is-Robin-
Lucas Robin. l thank you very much
for chance of supper, and place at
your fire"
Johnny Cope wondered why Joe
Gleaves got so white as he heard the
! strangers name. But fate and nature
had conspired to make him a silent
lad. so he kept the wonder to himself.
| Indeed. he never talked to anybody eX-
cept blind Miss Alice. He sat with her
of Sundays, when the rest went to
church. And to her he told of all he
saw in the woods, the pastures, the
| far yard. In between he read to her,
haltingly, but intelligibly, the Psalms,
the Ten Commandments the Sermon
| on the Mount. Miss Alice was older
| than Joe. frail, but CHEEKY, and the
soul of kindness. especially to Johnny
who seemed to her so pitifully lost and
| lonesome. In return Johnny worship
| ped her, and was ready to die for her,
or for anybody she loved.
He fell asleep TO dream Of her, be-
| side the campfire after the watch had
| been set. Squire Gleaves and Shadrach
were 10 ride round the drove until
midnight-from then until daybreak
| Joe and black Sam would be in charge.
! Johnnys last conscious sight was Of
| Joe staring into the FIRE, while Lucas
| Robin spoke low and eagerly In his
| ear Lady Golightly securely tethered
little way from the wagon, was muz-
/ zllng the remains OF her fodder max
/ Ing little dry linking sounds that
somehow wove themselves al through
| Johnny's dream.
when they fell silent he awoke With
] start. The nre was dead, ~ The stars