The Irish standard., 1901-11-30

X-16-2'; that's some o. their
blame ingineerin' lingo, reckon.
I'd like to git my lariat round the
neck o the Teller this a-stakin' off
this yere rise. I'd show him what
hit feel like to git th'owed."
He flung the stake afar, and leav-
ing the bronco to it's own devices,
sought and found the line of the
ditch, following it and destroying
the engineers landmarks for a good
half-mile. When he returned he
found me holding the pony, and went
agape accordingly.
"Well, I'll be dad-burned! Where
did you fall from, s what I'd like to
know"
"Frcm the back of certain ILL
conditioned beast named 'Bluenose.'
He pitched me off and ran away. I'm
too weak to walk; do you suppose
you could catch him for me?"
"Catch nothin'! I'll show you q
trick worth two O. that. Jest lcmmc
boost you across this ycre grass
hopper O. mine and We'll ride and tie
you do the ridin' and I'll do the
tyin.' Blame if you hain't got your
sand with you to git up out of n
sick-bed and make a stagger at ridin'
q cow-pony. Easy, now, OF Sway
back; we're a-runnin' an ambulance
from this on"
Ordinarily, Kilgorc was reticcnce
personified, but on the four-nile
jaunt to the valleythroat he talked
against time, and very dull listener
could have seen the drift of it, which
was to bury the stalse-pulling cpl
sode as deeply as possible. But
would not let him go without his
warning.
II saw you pull lot of the land
company's stakes, Bart" I said, when
the ranch lights were in sight. "I'm
afraid you'll hear from it,"
"What'll they do to me, dye reck-
on?"
Nothing, I presume, because they
won't know who did it. But it'll
make trouble for the captain"
K;lgorc ploddcd on in silence for .
full minute before he replied: "Reck-
on SO? I'll be dad-burncd if they do.
I'll go pull up some more in the
mornin' and cyar' 'em up yondcr to
His Jags' camp. Blame if I don't"
When we reached the ranch house
Macpherson had come home and was
about to start out in search of me.
took my scolding like q guilty
schoolboy.
"You ought to be thumped," he
said, when 1 had been helped down.
Haven't you grain of sense left"
"Plenty of it; it was the horse that
was lacking. 1 was all right as long
as he let me stay on"
"Oh, you were"--with fine sarcasm
well, I suppose you're good for Q
week in blankets to pay for it.
Knocked your good appetite silly,
didn't it?"
"Come in to supper and I'll show
you. I'm good for anything, from
pate de foie gras to boiled dog"
It was three full days, and I had
ennuyed myself into state of coma,
before Macpherson would let me try
Il again, and when he finally con-
sented we went together, ambling
the length of his small kingdom and
pausing only when the horses of the
settlement came in sight from the
brow of a low hill dominating the
clustered farmsteads and the engi-
neer's camp at Valley Head. I want
cd to 60 on, but Macpherson shook
his head.
"No; you've had enough, and moro
than enough, for one day. You for
get that the nearest undertaken is
ct the fort"
II forget nothing. Give me that
glass"
When I had focused the field glass
he said: "What do you see?"
II see the promise Of q remarkably
beautiful sunset"
els that all?"
"No; see log cabin which take
to be a schoolhouse. The door is
open, and there is some one standing
on the step-a young woman, I
should say" I dropped the glass
and turned upon him quickly enough
to surprise the beatific eagerness in
his face.
"It's she." he said, rather sheepish-
~; and then: do you really think
you could manage another mile or
two and make out to get home
alive?"
I laughed. His usefulness was
beautiful to behold. II can do better
than that; I can find my way back
alone"
"And get thrown again-not much
you don't. Besides, want you to
meet her"
"Do you? It's much better az II
i stands. You can tell me all sorts Of
affectionate little fictions about her
and I shan't be able to contradict
them"
81 wish you'd stop devilling me
long enough to say yes or no." he
growled.
~ For answer led the way west
ward at double, and ten minutel
later we were climbing the school
r house knoll. The gallop had beer
wrought out in silence, but while the
Il horses were breasting the hill, Mac
pherson said: "Of course, you under
H stand that what told you about thu
bout the fracas with Wykaml
must be AZ If 1t had never happened?'
.sAfy dear boy! Was born yester
+ day? But you've seen her since
haven't you?"