The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-01-23

THE first time that Dudley Latimer
kissed Belle Sharp the half
Spanish help" at the T.. l.. Ranch, he
sfas not in earnest; he would have
seen the last to say that there was
any serious intention in it. He did
70 partly in a spirit of pure bravado,
and partly because the morning was
as warm and white as new milk and
she, smiling back over her shoulder
as she cmptied her pals, looked
part OF il. Equally innocent of any
harmful intent, she let him after n
formal struggle. He was tail and
clean, and as handsome as a young
Englishman can be when he is in per-
feet condition. and has a fine, red
coat Of tan. Then he babe her good
by. He had been at the ranch q week,
ranging the hills in a vain hunt for
antelope. already then, in the early
SOS, becoming scarce. His canvas
covered wagon and his side part
ner," the Hon. Justin Weymouth,
waited by the gate.
The Hon. Justin was taking part
ing nip with the "Old Man." and did
not see the diversion, and none of
the four noticed that Emilio Gonolez,
horse-trainer and man-of- all-work,
was coming in through the kitchen
ward carrying an antelope so freshly
killed that its throat was not yet cut.
Emilio stood and watched. lie saw
the struggle. heard the girl cry "The
rall Of vou," saw the color torn as
she lifted her face with unwilling will
iingness, saw her throw at young Lat
inner, walking away. look of admira-
ton that he took for something else
Then Emilio slipped round the barn
with his quarry, and came upon the
wagon In front. Dudley was smiling
across the fence at Belle. who had
found business in the front yard. For
half n minute. Emilio looked what nc
felt: then smiled as he slipped into
view. and said: Il make-a present you
thees antelope. He ecs fresh. My
self shoot heem. He come YER
close"
Careful how you tie il, Emmy,
said the Old Man. Dump II in fol
'em. Wei. boys, stacking in the
north field. Good-by. and luck tt
you"
While Dudley chatted across thu
fence with Belle, Emilio was explain
ING TO the Hon. Justin how an ante
lope should be tied and hung for
Journey. "iIead down so he bleed
the dust bother ver' lectle-oh. yes
n lee-tle cut on the throat so he blee'
slow. That ees bes'. | cut heem.' Z
slow. read stream trickled over snow.
throat and gray jaws. The wagol
drove on. Down the road behind !
trailcd an irregular line of wet dots
the centers for an army of noisy HES
lawfully Jolly girl" said Dudley
as they bowled easily along through
the red dust. The Hon Justin puHe'
at his pipe. and made no answer. II
might have said that he hastene
their going just because his compan
ion was very young and the girl YER
pretty. A flock of sage-hens starte
from the olive-green brush TO on
eide. Justin pulled up, took out nj
shotgun. and followed, Dudley throw
Snr rtones TO make them rise. RICH
and left shot brought down brace
They gathered up the birds, an
turned to the wagon, and as the
did so. the elder man looked bacl
Just level with the ranch house, wv
miles behind, cloud of red dus
yelled the road and Tapped far owe
its edge. Through the thin atmo'
phere came a muffied rumble, an
then few dots followed at an intel
val by another, hcaved out OF Tn
mass.
Cattle" said Dudley. That
iolly. | always wanted to see one
those big droyes on the foot Sha
we wait for them TO passT'
II think not" said the Hon. Ju
lin. mot until we get to the nc'
ranch. They say that those WI
range cattle do singular things
But still they stood and watched, ia
cinated by the shimmcring, shiftin
red cloud. the distant rumble, u
clint of blazing sun on the sabre
heads OF thousand Texas lon
horns.
or a sudden the dust cloud. whi'
had spilled over the road ohy 70 u
rirht, away from the ranch fenc
wid,ncd out. shifted to the left. IN
had passed the fence corner and we
on omen range. No dust arose
that wing; II was hard prairie. u