The San Francisco call., 1903-12-20


II OR some months the boys Of tbs
Bar x outfit had heard tho
- rumblings OF the gathering
storm The sheepmen were
dAfly encroschinE upon what tho cattle
men had come 10 believe was their pri-
vats property, though the same was
the unfenced prairie Of which Uncle
Sam was the only owner. The sheep
men had as good q title to the range
as the cattlemen, but the cattlemen
were there nrst, sno-they hated sheep
and sheepmen. SO the storm had been
gathering over the cattle country, and
now that a man named Curtiss had
built a sheep camp within five miles OF
the Bar X. Bar X began to add its
rumbIing TO the rumbling Of the other
ranges.
7 tell 20 what, boys" said Foreman
'Reddy." as he Joined the other boys
after a prolonged interview with the
"old man" These here sheepmen hev
fist got TO git out or the COW business
is gone plumb 70 smash. Tn old man
ser he amt going TO stand it any
longer. He's been ridin round tn
range. an he sez Curtiss' sheep is fist
devastatin' tn whole works. An now
-Reddy took A chew Of tobacco and
spit before he fnished-'T reckon
there's goin' TO be somethin' drop"
What's he goin' 10 do?" they asked.
'It's us fellers thet's TO do it. We're to
ride over 10 that blamed sheep camp
an jist teetotally wipe it UP. What do
20 say 20 that. feIers7"
A good deal was said to It. but most
OF II was in the way Of approval. Long
Dan, TO be sure. objected to the san
culinary side Of the proposition, but
then Long Dan. as Reddy contemp-
tuously observed. hadn't no more
backbone than a caterpillar" After
which remark Long Dan subsided into
silence and the plans for the raid were
talked over.
Late one afternoon a week later
Reddy and his cow-punchers turned
out Of the corral at the Bar X and start
ed for Curtiss' sheep camp. They rode
meant 70 stay together, and there was
no loud talking A new rope, coiled
and tied on Reddy's saddle, was signifl-
cantly conspicuous, and each man car
ried his guns where they would be
handiest. The December sky was dark
and dreary, and the wind blew keenly
over the treeless prairie. So they trav-
eled on, their hats pulled down against
the wind.
The Hrst mile Of the i've had hardly
been covered, when Long Dan suddenly
pulled I'D his horse.
Listen. feIer1," be called. What
was thGt1"
The party stopped ''Thought 20
heard q sheep ba-s, Dan7" inquired
Reddy, with an open sneer. Guess he's
E1ttin' skeery already, boyA Better
send him back home" This latter with
q contemptuouE motion OF the head to-
ward Long Dan, who seemed TO be lis
tening intently. Just then all OF them
heard the sound-a sort Of childish cry,
on 70 the side Of the trail Long Dan
spurred away IN the direction Of It and
the rest followed. What they saw
brought them up again suddenly IN q
bunch
well, I'm dernedI" from Rsddy.
''Fellers, tt'G 4 kidl"
1T shore is," said Long Dan, and
swinging from his bronco he went for
ward with awkward strides to meet this
amazing phenomenon.
The child had been crying, but the
tearB had ceased AZ the approach Of the
horsemen. and the youngster met Long
Dan with q '''Hello, mister" that was
most reassurinG. He didn't intend
these strangers 20 think be had been
Iost for several hours-no, sir; that
would never do. But when they crowd
ed around him and began asking ques-
tions, his temporary bravery wilted
down, and two large tears and weak
culver In his voice told them that he
was a very tired and discouraged little
boy.
Ny names 'Runny' Curtiss." he told
them after awhile. AN coined Z fnd
Sanity Claus, an walked ev'rn ev'r 80
far. You haven't seen Sanity Claus,
mister, have your"
Reody shook his head slowly and then
there was the silence Of q tableau. The
boy was g slenderly built child, not
more than years old, with white face
and eyes that looked up at them visit
fully. Beside him stood Long Dan
tall. lank and awkward even when per-
fectly notionless; while IN a half-circle
around them Reddy and the others
leaned silently over their saddle-horns
and chewed tobacco like men In a
dream.
Long Dan was the first TO break the
spell Amt 20 kinder cold, kid?" He