Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-04-26

the Madison ranch, his host, in the
list of entertainment he was Offering
the Bostonian, promised an exhibit
ton of bronco riding that should stir
even the beat of that serene gentle
mans well-regulated pulse.
''This morning." said he, 81 was
afraid that I wouldn't be able to get
my star bronco-buster out for your
are telling me that he's been hitting
the Jug pretty lively down at the
store for the past "a hours (and he's
never been much of drinker,
either), but when I told him Miss
convolutions of buclxing horse, it
seemed to sober him up a bit; and he
not only promised to furnish the
thrills, but to do the business up
with all the trimmings-for he's go
ing to ride Sobrepaso, the man.
Killer big, blaze-face sorrel that
every vaquero in the country has
given up unconquered. Mesquite him
self refused to mount him again
some time ago; but to-day he is in
a humor I can't quite understand
spite of the bad whisky he's been
trying to get away with-and seems
ready to tackle anything"
I'm grateful to you, Roy, for"
ooh, you'll have to thank Audrey
for the show. Mesquite is doing it
for her sake solely; he has been her
abiect slave ever since she came"
Both men laughed and looked at
Miss Glendower, who did not even
smile. It might have been that she
did not hear them.
They rose and went out to the
shaded piazza, where it was cooler.
| The heat was making Miss Glendower
look pale.
They, and the ranch hands who saw
! Sobrepaso-the beautiful red devil''
Mrs. Madison called him-brought out
into the gray, hard-beaten square that
| formed the arena, felt thrill OF
nervous expectancy chilling thrill
as Mesquite made ready to mount.
The horse was blindfolded ere the
saddle was thrown on; but with all
the fury of fend he fought, in turn,
blanket, and saddle, and cincha. The
jaquima was slipped on, the stirrups
tied together under the horses belly,
and all the while his squeals of rage
| and maddened snorts were those of
| an untamed beast. that would battle
| to the death. The blind then was
pulled up from his eyes, and, at the
end of 6O-foot reata, he was allowed
to go bucking and plunging in fury
of uncontrolled wrath around the in
closure. At last, sweating, and with
| sfo6 in, n
hatred of the meddling of man, he
was brought to standstill, and the
blind was slipped down once more
He stood with all four feet braced
stiffly, awarkadly apart, and his head
down, while Mesquite hitched the
cartridge-belt (from which hung his
pistols holster) in place; frightened
his wide-rimmed battered hat on his
head; slipped the strap of his quirt
on his wrist; looked again at the
fastenings of his big, juggling spurs;
and then with a quick, upward
glance at Miss Glendower-the frst)
touched caressingly n little bunch Oh
white primroses he had plucked that
morning from their bed in the sand.
hills and pinned to the lapel of shis
unbuttoned vest, before he gathered
into his left hand the reins. and made
ready for his cat-like spring into
place. So, quickly his left foot
touched the stirrup, there was the
sweep of a long leg thrown across the
saddle, sinuous swing into place, the
blind whipped up from the blood-sho1
eyes, the spurred heels grip on the
cincha, a shout from the man, a devil
ish sound from the mustang, anc
Mesquite was ready for the maddenet
horses first upward leap as he went
blindly fighting his way around ant
around the Enclosure.
Mesquite sat the Infatuated ANNA
as though he himself were but par
of the "man-killer." His seat wa
superb. Miss Glendower felt tire
NOR of pride stir her as she watched
him, that her lover should witness
this matchless craftsmanship. She wa
, painting between fear and deligh
!. while she watched the boys face
wearing the sweet, boyish smile-like
yet so unlike, the smile she had com
| to know in the past weeks-and tn
, yellow curls blowing back from tn
! barred forehead.
: Sobrepaso rose in his leaps to grea
heights, almost falling backward, t
plunge forward again, with squeal
of rage that he could not unseat hi
rider. The boy sat there, king
king of his own little world, while h
slapped at his horses head an
withers with the sombrero tina
I swung in his hand. Plunging an
, leaping, around and around. now her
? and now there, about the inclosur
] they, went, the horse a mad hurr
' cane and his rider centaur. Mes
e quite was swayed back and forth. t
= and fro, but no surge could unsea
him. Miss Glendower grew warm i