Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-06-23

Before he was quite out OF sight the
man turned and waved his hand at
the girl. She raised hers in answer,
then the coulee received him in its
sunny, yellow depths, and the girl rode
on alone.
A hot chinook wind blew over the
grassland, raking the hilltops and
swooping into the coulees, lifting the
sand-like yellow meal and sweeping
pebbles before. Climbing slowly a
long slope, 600 cattle ground the crisp
prairie grass beneath their feet and the
wind seized greedily upon the dry soil
and flung clouds of yellow dust high in
the air. Behind the herd rode the cow
boys-four of them. At either side,
when the dust-clouds lifted, other
figures could be seen driving in the
stragglers and keeping the leaders in
motion.
One Of the four stopped his horse
while he rolled a cigarette, swearing
mildly the while at the heat, the dust,
and the wind. Another drew rein be-
side him and untying the white silk
handkerchief from around his neck,
shook it free of dust and voiced his
opinion of this particular phase of cow
punching; and this drew the attention
of the man with the cigarette.
"It's that lady-killin' Singer sent you
on this trip" he remarked, and passed
the free edge of the cigarette paper
lightly across his tongue.
Singer nothing" retorted the other.
HE amt running the outfit"
He's old Harvey's brother-in-law-
and he stands in pretty well, If any
body should ask yuh! l heard him
tellin' old Harvey t send yuh IN this
trip-and he made mention of Josie
Farlow an the dance. # I was you
Id punch his face fer i'm when l got
back. He amt got no license t. come
here an sneak every fellows girl away
from him like he does. Look at the
dirt he done Missou' about Annie Pill
green. Nobody else was grudgin' Mis-
SOU his girl-but the Singer had t.
buy in just because he's a natural born
sneak"
Hes going t. take Annie t. the
dance" began Jack, argumentatively.
Don't you ever think he is! Him
an Annie had a scrap the other day.
He worked up a quarrel over some
darn thing, an they don't speak, so Cal
told me-he just come from there.
It's Josie Farlow he's got his weather
eye on now"
Two days later the reservation was
reached, and when the cattle had been
counted and turned over to the agent,
and the boys were gathered at camp,
Jack Baker walked quietly over to
where Jim Cummil lolled in the shade
of the mess-wagon.
81 guess I'll quit yuh here, JIM" he
announced, without preface. "I'm due
at Dry Lake tomorrow night; I'll
join the roundup from there"
DRY Lake?" Jim raised to an elbow
and stared. 81 guess you've forgot
Dry Lakes 81 miles from here. How
yuh going? fly"
Going t ride"
Don't yuh go t. killing off no horses
s. long as faint a matter of life er
death-an' l guess it aint. T'morroy
nights that dance"
I'm going t. take Toad" said Jack,
turning away. "He belongs t. me-"
ooh, well, go ahead then. It's yer
W funeral" Jim lay down again and
pulled his hat over his eyes for a nap.
In five minutes Jack was Gathering
away into the glory of the sunset, and
the boys in camp were telling one
another sagely how foolish love makes
a man, and wondering if Flake, which
had been reported strayed two days
before, was not staked and waiting for
Jack in some grassy spot.
The next Afternoon at six o'clock Jack
sighted the Dry Lake fiat. Ten min
utes later he sighted something still
more interesting--the fast trotting
blacks of old Sim WHITLEY.
"Ill bet that's the Singer coming out
after JOSIE" he unused, rising in his
stirrups that he might see the better.
Glad I met him fore he got there"
Jack took a sudden resolve. Half
way between them a lane branched off
to Farlow's, and for this both were
heading-the Singer blissfully uncon-
scious of impending trouble. Jack
struck his spurs deep, and Flake, tired
as he was, darted forward at a run.
Two rods before the other he stopped
at the lane, half hidden in a swirl Of
dust thrown up by Flakes hoofs.
The Singer flashed up in his borrowed
finery and stared.
Hello" greeted Jack, with ominous
ch~eerfulness.
Hello" responded the Singer, blank
ly, and then involuntarily, 81 thought
you was at the reservation"
Jack grinned. 81 know yuh did," he
said, grimly, "but cowpunchers amt in
the habit of CROWN fast t one spot.
I'm here now. That's a fine layout
you're drivin'-it's a wonder old Sim
d stake yuh to it. How'd yuh manage
t. work him for it,"
give dollars looked good t the old
~devil-that's how" The Singer gath
cred up the reins, suggestively, but
Flake became surprisingly restless
for a. horse til at had done his 60 miles
under a broiling sun; he circled back
ward until he barred the way, and his
master gave nc apparent heed, though
it is possible Flake thought different.
Jack took a cigarette book from his
pocket, and leisurely extracted a leaf,
and the Singer, tuning inwardly at
the delay, said, smoothly: You're in
for the dance, of course; yuh must
lo1, rodo hord - pnoLo ~ ~ .N.