The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-13

squire who laughed Joe frowned
essayed His father held his hand Wait
hgurin', said Lets see-the drove's
a the two hundred-theyn average hundred
and fifty head That's $4,000 in lumpn trade could
'Lighty-not cent less"
Il don't understand don't want to buy the drove
stranger began Gleaves broke in: II thought
you I doubt fact if real horse
before"
certainly driven" the stranger
Again the squire cut him short mo doub he said
Everybody that-four or five horses or
maybe But let tell you that amt horse
drovern real drover has got either to- breed his own
stock, buy time, let it and
grow up follow the bell Ever hear Of bell mare?
Lightys mine. bell must never have colt or her
ewnthen she's ready to mother and rule everything th
her When the colts wonted to her she
take em anywhere-one mile thousand, 1t don't
matter. fool enough to sell you Lightly and you
away, there in the meadow would stop
full. along after dark, when half OF
ready lie down, they'd begin whckern whck-
erin wrickern and keep it till after midnight Ine
thered break in spite of and my men, and Whips
and haers They'd take right out on her tracks, ana cl
mountains, herand they would not
stop drink often by the way
The stranger laughed. 'Droving must be profitable
conditions, said demurely. LAS under
it, the bell comes back with you
"Oh, honest enough to folks Squire Gleaves
said laughing grny 'ern to keep stock
stabbed hoppled thru two springs. AFTER
either forget fall in love with the place
they something it. But true as you
stand there home after SIX years.
time sets em wild to see the place
foaed inland matter how far of it u.s. they
sense the course
"E1ow far have you known Gomez" the stranger
hundred miles-maybe more, Squire Gleaves an
whisled then with change OF man
name Robin. thank you very much Tor
supper and place at your fire. ...t
Johnny Cope wondered why Joe Gleaves got so white
as he heard the strangers and nature
spired silent lad he kept the wonder to
talked to anybody except oi'nd
with her of Sundays when the rest went
to church. in the woods the
pastures In between he read to her. hating
y but ntellgibly psalms, commandments the
Miss Alice older than Joe 1rst,
but CHEEKY kindness especially to Johnny
who seemed to puly and lonesome In return
Johnny worshipped her. and ready to die Tor he or "
He fell asleep to dream of her. beside campfire after
the watch had Squire Geaves and shadreh were
to ride around the midnght-from then until
daylight and black Sam would be in charge Johnny
last sight into the fire. while
Robin spoke low and eagerly IN ms ear Lazy 20
lightly securely tethered little way from the wagon was
nzzTfg the remains fodder, making little tink
ling sounds that themselves all thru Johnnys
dream.
When they fell silent with start The fire was
BY stars he knew it was long past mldn'eht
northwest wind the promise OF and tho
there was brliance filed the sky he
scrambled up and dank and cold
Water had been upon Just outside the
Zoe As 5h shook them hard They did not stir.
spang toward spread for Lucas Robin was
empty huddled heap Trembling all over ne
toward the meadow In the edge OF 1t shadracn sat
horse asleep Squire Geaves was nowhere visible Bu
to STIR neighing here or there Keen
No answer to the compainings Johnny knew what tha
meant-the bell had been solen LUCAS 'eoplh wa.
the Lad snatched halter ana rusnee
into the all standing and half OF
whickering horses snored and edged away az
he wound More than let fly at MIN VIII
viciousy but he kept on undaunted until NJ
found sought-Damse Lightys four-year-od nal
sister and her speed and stay
twinllng he had scrambled up and was out on TN
let his single rein fall looseamsel hersel
Once she settled in the course
knew with the robber The others had bee
drugged recalled that Robin had made then
supper his pocket flask Johnny had refuse
the he had promised Miss Alice neye
to drink II. Miss Alice! He going to brn
and the drove-for her She sal
sin of also he could not lie
himself be ungrateful
From Big trace south, straight an
miles, Then branched fork eadm
into the miles further
tans the keeping well to the plains Damsel whcl
cred three times head this tina
listened breaths space snorted then struck into
An oulh a