Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-10-27
CHAPTER TX.

v1 try tnat L De8an 10 near VI
&49 Gwen. They all had stories
Of her. The details were not many, but
the impression was vivid. She lived
remote from that center Of civilization
known as Swan Greek in the postal
guide, but locally as Old Latour's, far
up among the hills near the Devils
lake, and from her fathers ranch she
never 5ventured. But some Of the men
had had glimpses Of her and had come
to definite opinions regarding her.
"What Is she like?" 1 asked Bill one
day, trying to pin him down to some
thingshke descriptive account Of her.
'Iike! She's a terrer." he said,
with slow emphasis, "a holy terrer."
But what is she like? What does
she look hke?" I asked impatiently.
'Iook likeT He considered a mo-
ment, looked slowly round as If search
ing for simile, then answered, II
dunno"
'"Don't know? What do you mean?
Haven't you seen herT
"Yeh! But she amt like nothin'."
Bill was quite decided upon this
point.
tried again.
"Well. what sort of hair has she got?
She's got hair, suppose?"
"Hayer! Well. a few!" said Bill,
with some choice combinations Of pro-
family in repudiation Of my sugges-
ton. yards Of it! Red"
"Git outp contradicted HI. "Red!
'Tain't no more red than mine"
Bill regarded HIS hair critically.
"What color do you put on to your
old brush" he asked cautiously.
"Tsin't no difference. 'Tain't red,
anyhow"
Red! Well, not quite exactly" and
Bill went of into a low. long, choking
chuckle, calculating now and then:
"Red! Jee-mi-ny Amp! Red"
mo, H." he went on, recovering him.
self With the same abruptness as he
used with his bronco, and looking at
his friend with a face even more than
usually solemn, "your hayer amt red,
Hi; don't et,any Of your relatives
persuade you to that. 'Trin't red"
and he threatened to 60 of again. but
pulled himself up with dangerous sud-
denness. ut may be blue. cerulyum
blue or even purple, but red"- He
paused violently, looking at his friend
as II he found him q new and interest
ing object Of study upon which he
could not trust himself to speak. Nor
could he be induced to proceed with
the description he had begun.
But Hi, paying no attention to Bilrs
grafton, took up the subject with en-
thusiasm.
"She kin ride-she's reg'lar buster
to ride: amt she, Bill" Bill nodded.
"She kin bunch cattle an cut out an
yank steer up to any cowboy on the
range.p
"why. how big is sheT"
; big? Why, she's just kid! 'Tain't
the biSness Of her; it's the nerve. She's
got ths coldest kind Of nerve you ever
seen; hain't she, Bill?" And again Bill
nodded.
Member the day she dropped that
steer, Bill? went on Hi.
"What was that?" I asked. eager for
yarn.
"Oh, nuthin'," said Bill.
"Nuthin'r' retorted HI. "Pretty big
nuthin'r'
what was it?" urged.
"Oh. Bill here did some funny work
ut old Meredith's round up. but he
don't speak Of it. He's shy. you see."
and Hi grinned.
"Well. there amt no occasion for
your proceedin' on to that tact" said
Bill disgustedly, and Hi Loyalty re-
Trained. so I have never yet got the
rights of the story. But from what l
did hear l gathered that Bill. at the
risk Of his life, had pulled the Duke
from under the hoofs of mad steer,
and that little Gwen had in the cool
est possible manner "sailed In on her
bronco" and. by putting two bullets in
to the steers head. had saved them
both from great danger, perhaps from
death, for the rest Of the cattle were
crowding near OF course Bill could
never be persuaded to speak Of the in
cident. A true western man will never
hesitate to tell you what he can do,
but Of what he has done he does not
readily speak.
The only other item that Hi con-
tributed to the sketch Of Gwen was
that her temper could blaze If the occa-
sion demanded.
"'Member young Hill, BillT'
Bill 'membered."
"Didn't she cut into him sudden
Sarved him right too"
What did she do?"
"Cut him across the face with her
quirt in good style"
"What for?"
"Knockin' about her Indian joe"
Joe was, as came to learn. Ponka's 8
son and Ovens most devoted slave.
"Oh. she amt no refrigerator"
"Yes," assented Bill. "She's leetle
swift"
Then, as If fearing be had been apol-
ogizing for her. he added. with the air
of one settling the question:: BUT
she's good stock! She suits me!'
The Duke helped me to another side
Of her character.
"She Is A remarkable child" he said
one day; wild and shy as a coyote,
but fearless. quite. and with heart
full Of passions Meredith-the Old
Timer. you know-has kept her up