Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-11-13

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"Arch," said Stella, laying her little
hands on his powerful shoulders and
looking at him with her ardens, cour-
ageous eyes. you are all have to love
now, since since daddy's gone, and If
1t was-if it was-lots worse than it is
I'd go anyhow-all the more, maybe"
"And you shan't be sorry, dearest" !"
answered Arch. "You know yourself
it never got such hold on me before.
l couldn't seem"-his sun and wind
tanned face flushing a still darker red
-'to get back to myself, to sense my
self. 1t was all around me. Nearly all
the other fellows drink, and I'd get at
it again before was really myself"
II know, dear. Both Of my brothers
back in old Missouri are the same.
That's what made daddy so bitter
about you and me-"
"But six months up on the plains,
away from it all-and with you, Stella
it'll settle the whisky question for
ever. amt afraid to ask you, darling,
and you know I'd rather die than bring
trouble to you. tell you, know my
self, and you'll see; I'll make it stick"
"What offer is it you have? Where
are you-are we-going and what are
you going to do?"
"Holbrook's going to send herd of
5000 cattle OH to the Staked plain to
range he's picked out up there. Its
raw country and buffalo bare
ly off it-and it's big wages to go up
with the herd and keep sign camp;
takes some sand to do 1t, you know"
1t was in the latter part of the seven
ties In western Texas, while the range
was yet general and unfenced. The
string of sign camps, with its riders
circling the range a man had chosen
for his cattle, was the living fence
which held the animals from straying
or from drifting" before storms. These
camps the cattleman placed as nearly
as the question of water supply admit
ted at equal distances around his range
or across such parts as had not the
DAIIlCI VI d litCt VI OdIy OA.
In every camp were two men whose
duty it was to ride out daily in oppo-
site directions until they met the riders
from the next adjoining camp, looking
always for straying cattle and turning
them back into the range.
"And the upper camp" Arch contin-
ued eagerly, don't need but one rider,
because it's right against the Canadian
river Holbrook will be glad to give it
to me if III only come. We can live
there the six months-it's big wages
and save every cent of the money.
Then, with the little bunch I've got al
ready running with Holbrook's cattle.
we could begin for ourselves. Stella
oh, Stella" he broke off suddenly. "Im
the happiest man in Texas. It's like
being taken out of hell and led plumb
straight into heayenv'
They We're married the next day.
Stella's was the temperament which
when once the heart has been given
sends talents. abilities, the labor of the
hands. all, gladly after 1t in devoted
service. Then came happy, exciting
time buying Stella's outfit-that is to
say, the things which old Hank Pear
sail, head cook of the expedition, pro-
nounced suitable to "a lady cowboy
a-keepin' sign camp"
Finally the great caravan started
lazily and ponderously up the trail. 1t
was marvellous pastoral panorama.
and Stellas quick artist soul reyeled in
its quaint picturesqueness. She per-
ceiyed it all-the country, the cattle,
the means, the daily round-to be like
a survival, a bit out of the life of some
old Indian owner of herds.
There was the vast herd strung out
and moving very slowly that the cattle
might Craze as they travelled, the cow
boys riding along the sides, the six
great mess wagons. hitched two or
three together, with teams of eight and
ten and even twelve horses, bringing
up the rear. At night the cattle were
rounded into great mass and bedded
down, the men taking turns by twos
riding night herd. singing loudly to
keep the animals quiet. Each mess
wagon had its two men, it's stock of
provisions and tent or some mate
rials to build a dugout camp.
Stella came to have sisterly affec-
tion and admiration for these big,
rough fellows in whose company she
Jared slowly northward on that strange
journey. She saw them day by day
and night after night cheerily enduring
hardships and facing dangers as great
as those of the campaigning soldier.
The riding of night herd, the crossing
OF rivers with treacherous current and
quicksand bed, fighting to prevent or
to quell a stampede-these things were
attended with no glory. They were
done with light hearts and jesting
words daily and as matter of course.
And in the evening these champions
came like great children to sit about
her, listening while she sang old songs
to the accompaniment of her guitar or
told stories from such classics as she
knew
They had been three months in their
little adobe house OH the open plain,
whose ingenious yet inscrutable face
Stella never wearied of studying. The
clean. high air had been Gods own
medicine to her, and, with her heart
full of happiness. she had thrived and
| blossomed. this dark beauty. in the
raking wind and burning sun which
| destroy blond delicacy. And the grim
menacing ''if'' which at first lay SC
close behind her joy grew DINNER and
DINNER. Every day when Arch came
home to her or when, as often hap
| pened, she saddled up and rode out tc
meet him he shouted joyfully at sight
of her: Great Scott. but you're beau
ty, honey! You're a bowling beauty. nc
lessp'
But today the terror was upon hee.
she had waited, at first eagerly, impa-
:iently, then anxiously and at last in a
numb certainty Of disaster. -Four
o'clock came then 5, 6, Z, and Arch had
not returned.
In the coldness of despair she put her
own saddle upon Buckshot and an old
one which Arch kept for emergencies
on Creeping Moses. Leading the extra
horse. she rode out as Arch had ridden
Mt sunrise almost due east toward the
adjoining camp The great white moon