Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1902-12-12

/. Copyright, 1901, by A. s. Richardson
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


Arch" said Stella, laying her little
hands on his powerful shoulders and
looking at him with her ardent, cour-
ageous eyes, you are all have to love
now, since-since daddy's gone, and IL
1t was--if II was--lots worse than 1t IL
I'd go anyhow-all the more, maybe"
"And you shan't be sorry, dearest"
answered Arch "You know yourself
1t never got such hold on me before.
l couldn't seem"-hls 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
1t again before was really myself"
81 know. dear. Both of my brothers
back In old Missouri are the same.
That's what made daddy 50 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 II stick"
what offer IL 1t you have? Where
are you--are weighing and what are
you going to dor
"Holbrook's going to send herd OF
5000 cattle on to the Staked plain to u
raw country--lndians 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 It, 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 man had chosen
for his cattle, was the living fence
which held the animals from straylng
or from drifting" before storms These
camps the cnttlcman placed AS nearly
ms the question Of water supply admit
ted at equal distances around his range
or across such parts as had not the
natural barrier of river or canyon.
In every camp were two men whose
duty II 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. IIOlbrook will he glad to give 1t
to me II I'll only come. We can live
AZ. ~.
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 of suddenly, "Pm
the happiest man In Texas It's like
being taken out OF hell and led plumb
straight into heaven"
They were 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 It In devoted
service. Then came n happy, exciting
time buying Stella's Outfit-that IL to
say, the things which old Hank Pear
sail. head cook OF the expedition, pro
a-keepin' sign camp"
Finally the great caravan started
lazlly and ponderously up the trail 1t
was marvellous pastoral panorama,
and Stella's quick artist soul reveled In
It's quaint plcturesqueness. She per.
ceived II all-the country, the cattle.
the means. the daily round-to be like
II survival. n 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 graZe az they ira yeled, the cow
boys riding along the sides, the six
great mess wagons, hltched two or
three together, with tennis OF eight and
ten and even twelve horses, bringing
UP the rear At night the cattle were
rounded into II 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 It's two men, its stock Of
provisions and tent or some mate
rails to build dugOut camp.
Stella came TO have u sisterly affec-
ton 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
hnrdshlps 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 testing
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 clnssics an she
knew.
They had been three months In their
little adobe house on the open plain,
whose ingenious yet inscrutable race
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 thriyed and
blOssOmed this dark beauty, In the
raklng wind and burning sun which
destroy blond delicacy. And the grim,
menacing "If" which at first lay 10
close behind her JOY grew DINNER and
DINNER Every day when Arch came
home to her or when, az often hap
pened, she saddled up and rode out TO
meet him he shouted Joyfully at sight
Of her: Great Scott, but you're n beau
ty, honey! You're bowling beauty, no
lessp'
But today the terror was upon her.
She had waited, at first eagerly. lmpa-
tiently, then anxiously and at last ia q
numb certainty OF disaster. -Four
o'clock came, then 9, o, 7, and Arch had
not returned.
Ia the GOODNESS Of despair she put her
own snddle upon Buckshot and an old
one which Arch kept for emergencies
ON Creeping Moses. Leading the extra
horse, she rode out AZ Arch had ridden
at sunrise almost due east toward the
adjoining camp. The grent white moon