Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1904-06-24

sOt' We re "ODu r!o0ns, JACK ana ME.
The girls face cleared p~erccp'ibly at
the words. and she forgot TO wonder
why jack had never spoken of his
friendship with the Singer. The Sing
or, co>ertly watching her, resolved to
quarrel with Annie Pilgreen whether
she would or not.
say He leaned over to slap n
ilv of the neck of his horse. "Suppos-
ing Jack cant get in, will you 20
with me?" The Singers voice and
manne could be very pensiye when
he wished 10 have them SO. Before she
could answer him, he added, hurriedly:
You mustn't miss that new music
that's coming; they play the smoothest
three-stop ! ever heard in my life.
1t starts in-ta da-da-ta da--' The
Singer slid sidewise in the saddle and
trilled melodiously.
"Aint that pretty" cried the girl,
enthusiastically, when he had finished.
They play some waltzes that are
simply out of sight. too" went on the
Singer, artfully. "Ill tell you've
got t ride over t camp, and I'll see
Jack and ask him If he's coming"
"Oh, | wish you void. AND see II
ask him"
"lf he'll mind your going with mo?"
finished the Singer, understardingly.
"All right-but he won't care, | know.
Jack aint so narrow-minded-'sprciall
with his friends. We'll, my trail turns
off here. I'll ride Owe and let yOu
'.pn,r p,,, ,. on, In,1- Go l,,,. -
Even while lifting his hat the Singers
spurrcd heels swung backward and tn"
horse sprang forward INTO a long, tire
less lopc along the brow OF the hill,
Before he was quite ont of sight the
man turned and waved his hand az
the girl. She raised hers in anSwcr,
hen the couloe received him in its
sunny. yellow depths. and the girl rode
on alone.
A hot chinook wind blew over the
grassland, raking the hill'ops and
s%wOoping into the c%oulces. lifting the
sand-like yellow meal and sweeping
pebbles before. Climbing slowly a
long slope. GuO cattle ground the crisp
prairie grass beneath their feet aHd tn"
wind seized ereedily upon tn" dry soil
and flung clouds of yellow dust high in
the air. Behind the herd rodc the cow
~bOyS-fOur of them. At either side,
when the dust-clouds lifted, other
figures could be seen driving in the
~stragslers and keeping the leaders in
motion.
One Of the for stopped his horse
while he rolled a cigarette, swearing
mildly the while at the heat, the dust,
and the wind. Another drew rein be-
size 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 mar 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" rctorted The other.
Gle aint running the outfit"
Hes old IIarycy's hrolhcr-iN-lrw-
and h" stands In pretty we'll. II any
body should ask yuh, | heard him
tcllin' old Harvey t send yul on this
trip-and he made mention Of Josie
Farlow an tie dance. IF was you
I'd plnch his face fer i'm when | got
back. He ain' got no license + com"
here an sneak every fellows %irl away
from him like he does. Look at the
dirt he done MiSsou' about Annie Pill
green. Nobody else was prudgin' Mis-
SOU his Eirl-but the Singer had t
buy in just because he's n natural born
sneak"
Hes going t take Annie t. tho
dance" began Jack. argum"ntativcly,
"DGn't you ever think he is, Him
an Annie had a scrap the other day.
He worked up Il quarrel over some
darn thing, an they don't speak, so Cal
told mo-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 OYER to
where Jim Cummil lollcd in the shade
OF the mess-wagOn.
II guess III 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. II guess you've forgot
Dry Lakes 81 miles from here. How
yuh going? Fly"
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