The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-10-16

were not OVerpOpular IN Arizona, and
yet it was a spOrtsmanlike crowd.
The babel of voices ceased sharply.
y wiry little steer, red and white, shot
into the field as if catapulted. Turk
McGlory observed how like an antelope
it ran-iong- legged and as easily as the
wind blows. The flag fell, and Bud
was, off; the judges riding after him
were blurred in his dust. There was
no roper like Bud. He waited long
before raising his rope, bending close
to his saddle and riding hard; then in
what curious, loose, slow coils he
swung il. Would he ride clean over his
steer? There ne. had reached out as
If to catch the steer by the tail, and
the rope had gone over his head like
a hoop, horns and all. Now he was
paying out to trip up the steer. How
they were rUnningl Turk McGIory rose
suddenly in his saddle.
Look out for the fence" he roarsd.
But Bud had seeh IL, too, and the lit
tie roam squatted IKE a rabbit. The
steer reaching the ropes end. doubled
up and fell-but fell against the fence.
There had not been quite room enough.
Bud was off saddle. and the little roam,
knowing Wen what was going on,
walked away like a man, pulling hard
on the rope to keep the steer down.
If it had been q larger steer, or a
1dtteI one lucIe .NOulQ nave Oee0 no
trouble; but this one fought like 4 cat,
now on its knees, now ON its feet. Bud
seized it by the tail, and with a single
fierce toss he laid il flat; then he tied
and arms up. Turk McGlOry waited
with hands clinched to hear the time.
Fifty seconds
So Bud was beaten by second. aud
beaten because ne didn't have fair
field. How the crowd hOWled Tor the
Arizona champion. Bud came W smil-
ing and unCOCcerned.
Now, McCilOry," he said, you must
make d showing for Texas
w hat am 1 offered on Turk McGlory
against the tield?'' shouted the pUoi-
seller. "NOw's your last chance.
"Hurrah for the kid from Texas
shouted other 4Voicss.
Turk McCIOry was at the line, aston
ished to find himself coiling his rope
with so YaNoh.sease.,-, E4e felt that he
wasn't doins it himself but that some
one else was working in him. The sun
blazed hot on the field, but everything
seemed dim and indistinct. To him
! all the voices kept shouting:
Turk McGlory, Turk MeGlOry. Turk
McGlOryi'
"Hurrdh for Texas and the calico
horseI" came a shout from the grand
stand.
Wait till they see you run, Pinto"
a Turk said between his teeth, and the
pinto stirred neTvOusly under him.
Ready" called Turk McGlOrys
though not in Turk McGlory's voice.
He gave one glance behind him. The
grand stand was a picture of girl in
blue and white; she was the picture,
all the rest was frame.
There was a clatter at the pen. and
the steer shot past him. Instantly he
saw all it's points-hOrns, legs, tail
and they spoke to him with the mean
inQ~ of IA u1fliarirN so the Old
knight have looked for the points OF
his adversary's armOr. Now that he
was off. Turks head cleared to his
work. The steer ran with hind feet
swinging sideways, hOSIike He re-
membered steer i'm the Lazy A outfit
that had the same habit, and a bad
one il was. too. How strange that he
should think Of such things at such
a timei The steer was swerving swift
ly to the left. The pinto, nose forward
and dilating, instantly slackened pace.
swerving in the same direction and
cutting off distance. 1t was much to
have a horse, pinto though he be. that
knew his business. Turks rope began
to swing, but he was wholly uncOn-
scious OF it. He seemed now to see
only the lesless body of a steer swim
ming on a bilIow of dust. The fencei
He saw il with a thrOb. and he was
yet too far off to throw. And there was
the grand stand above it, and men
rising, half in terror, and color OF
women. The steer had swung almost
round It was a low rail fence, and
between il and the grand stand lay the
racing track. Dimly McGlOry heard
shouts of warning. Would the steer
plunge into the stand? Dimly, too.
glancing back, he saw the other cow
men charging after him to the rescue.
There was a crash; the steer had gone
through the fence as If it were paste
I'D nd
behind There was all too little room
here in the track. The steer would
evidently plunge full into the crowd.
Turk McGlOrys arm shot forward and
the rope sped. The pinto sat sharply
back, throwing McGlOry well over the
pommel. To those in the grand stand
it seemed as if the steer. all horns and
eyes, was plHcl1ed out of their faces.
When they looked again, McGlOry was
tying. and the judges and the other
punchers were swarming through the
gap in the fence. Hands up: and the
pinto easing away on the rOpei 1t was
all lost. McGlOry felt The fence had
been in the way. Why couldn't they
provide an open field. as in Texas?
These Arizona men couldn't conduct a
contest. The timer lifted his hand.
and the shouting stopped.
"Thirty-siX seconds" he announced.
What a fool of a timer" thought
Turk McGlory. ''It can't be So"
Then he saw Bud Oliver stride up
with outstretched hand, and a lump
came in his throat.
Good bOyr' said Bud. you've saved
the day for Texas"
And then the crowd bounced on him
and booted and shouted. "McGlory.
McGlory." until he was dizzy with il
all 1t was not as he Thought il would
be. Two hundred dollars won! And
he. Turk McGlOry,
And then a saucy, flushed face look
ing up at him.
Il knew you would do il. Mr.. Texas"
she said.
And with that she pinned a blue and
white ribbon on his vest. and he looked
off over her head and trembled.