Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1902-06-05

for yourself. And, besides, you
haven't got so many head Of stock
but that you can just as well spare
. little grazing for some Of ours"
The rancher wished to know what
the devil Clifton knew about what
stock he had.
"Well," said Clifton, deliberately,
and his manner was high-handed, even
for cattle-driver, 81 know a good
many things about you, Sewell, which
| I have picked up here and there
your real name, among others, as well
as your newer one"
Then it was that the rancher, for
the first time, took a really good look
at the cattleman's face, and knew it.,
under all the dust, for one which was
connected in his memory with certain
events of the east, and the less dis
tant past. But he took drink from
Clifton's flask, and rode off by the
way he had come, vanishing in the
drifts of dust.
The cattle went on at their accus-
toned pace-about that of the classic
snail of algebra, which slipped back
x inches to every Y inches that it
climbed it's pole; and sunset found
them still upon Sewell's land.
The cowboys came together for con-
sultation. We're they still upon Sew
ellis ranch, they wanted to know.
Clifton was of opinion that they were.
"And we will probably be for at
least another day. Sewell won't
bother u.s." he was confident. 'We'd
better go into camp"
So they went into camp beside a
creek, where there were trees, and
good rank grass; and they built them
fire, and wigwams out of willow
branches, and they cooked their sup
per and ate it.. Then two of them
went on duty with the cattle, and
Clifton and the other settled down
to enjoy their pipes and the sound
of Clifton's guitar. 1t was little else
that they packed along, but the guitar
in it's carved leather case was always
across his cow-pony's tanks, and
there was many vast and silent
night that it made musical.
Clifton had knocked out his pipe
and was lounging against a stone,
singing to his own accompaniment a
Christmas hymn, for no other reason
than that he had happened to think
of it in connection with the Sunday
school days which he and Sewell had
once shared, and because there had
always seemed to him to be uncom-
monty good poetry in the lines. He
had sung it once, was beginning over
again, and had got to the verse:
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep.
The silent stars go by.
when he stopped with his mouth open
for the next word. There rose up
before him-apparently from out the
ground, in the blackness of the night
"a horse Of greater blackness still.
And the freight showed on the
streaming pink skirts of the woman
on the horse.
"Where the" began Clifton.
IF you hadn't been believing so,
you'd have heard her coming" said
the cowboy. And then they were
both on their feet.
Presently Clifton was leading the
horse away and tying it to tree.
He noticed that it was fine ami
NAL, blooded Kentucky stock, prob
ably, no broncho of the west. He
noticed also that it's saddle was of
fair leather, with scarlet and silver
trimmings. Then he went back to
the campfire.
1t was obviously not to be thought
of that he should question so mani
fest gift of the gods as pretty
girl, who appeared from out the
night, and from heaven alone knew
where. All the traditions of hospital
ity were against breach like that.
But he had a curiosity which struck
him as being justifable, and it was
by no means allayed by such explana-
tons as forthcame, unasked.
II am called Currita," said the girl
in Spanish. ~.
'Me allegro de yer ud," said Cliff
ton, mindful of his manners, and the
phrase he had once learned from
ready-conversation book.
The little Mexican smiled. If she
had a surname she either forgot it,
or did not choose to tell. Currita
would serve. II live par ALA" Her
head tossed over her shoulder, tumb-
ling the two long braids, and her
hand swept the horizon over an arc
of 80 degrees. It was not exactly
definite. And, moreover, the direction
she indicated was directly opposite
from which she had come.
Il saw you pass at sunset. And
then heard your music. So came.
1t was only very little way"
Yet Clifton had felt the belly and
neck of the charger, and they had
been sticky with sweat. But to doubt
the word of a charming woman was
not in Clifton's code. And Currita
was charming. There could hardly
be question of that.
s<r 80 49,, ,:-,. .,lo ,.o1,,-<oo-@l