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

eHouCcu lne ginger, CAUTION
to the winds.
mot on your life!" Jacks heavy
lidded eyes glimmered with reckless
enjoyment. 81 hate t. be making any
gun-play. but you amt travelling this
lane t'-night-I tell yuh those"
The Singer, his eyes on Jacks big As,
fumbled the whip into its socket. eff
I'd a know I'd meet a coyote on the
road, I'd a brought my gum" he feered.
For answer Jack displayed a mouth
full of excellent teeth, and the Singer,
mindful of the others popularity of
disposition-in that smiles frequently
spelled danger-fdgeted in the seat
and was silent.
Amt them horses gittin' kinda rest
less standin'?" queried Jack, sugges-
lively, after two minutes of eying each
other.
None of yer damn business!" snap
ped the other. I'm driving EN-"
Gee! Yuh don't appear t. be maxim
much Roadway. What's the matter
with turnin' round and tryin' 1t in the
other direction?"
Go t hell" snorted the Singer-and
in his voice there was no melody.
Cant. I'm due at Farlow's. See
in you amt in no hurry, I'll just try
a shot er two-fer luck" Jack raised
his gun deliberately. ooh, I amt go
ing t. kill yuh"-as the Singer ducked
there amt any bounty on such var.
~mints-more's the pity. I'll just take
off an a t. remember the day by; the
left one, I guess-that stands out q
little further n the other-they both
make pretty good handles"
What do yuh want me t. do?" asked
the Singer, sullenly, admitting his de.
feat.
Il want yuh t. turn around and gil
out Of this lane, that's what. Yut
better not be long ADDING it, neither
The Singer suddenly took heart. Ell
that's all, l don't mind humoring yuh.
I guess I en- get t Farlow's by cutting
across" Once o he gathered up
the reins and prepared to start.
Jack looked sharply out from the
shelter Of his gray hat-brim. Reas.
sured of something, he laughed. "Sure
thing! If you want t. go bad enough
t cut across, 1 won't stop yuh. It's
rough travelling, though; I couldn't
advise yuh t. go that way"
II amt asking your advice" The
Singer swung round to the right
where a wire gate let into a 4O0-acre
field Of hay land. At the far side was
another gate through which n might
pass to Farlow's.
Jack, watchful and weary-eyed, stood
waiting until the Singer had put uE
the gate after him and climbed into the
buggy, then rode across to the fence
Seems t me you're acting kinda pig
headed about this DEAL" he began
"Josie's going with me, because were
goin t. be married. Yuh better look
out for alkali." This last was shouted
after the %retreating man as a sop to
Jacks conscience.
BE just like the pin-headed fool t
run into that place he turned and
galloped off down the lane.
Gee, he's driving a few" he MUIR
INJURED as he watched the blacks speed
over the grassland. "Old Sim White
ly d go straight up if he saw the way
he's furnishing them buggy springs
He's hoping t. beat me t. the ranch
but the shortest way amt always tn,
quickest"
At the mouth of the lane Jack OBJ
served that the Singer was already
through the second gate. "Oh, you're
just a-burning the earth now, AIM
yuh?" he cried, derisively. Then tbs
road lodged a hill, and Jacks view Of
the Singer was blocked for a mile. As
he neared the ranch he began to looi
for fresh buggy tracks along the road
but there were none, and on the mex
rise he turned Flakes reluctant head
from the trail that he might C a the
fiat. What he say made him forget
his aching muscles and parched throat
He galloped down to the edge of the
alkali patch and called out, cheerfully:
Stuck? Why in thunder didn't yuh
shy around that place? Don't yuh
know alkali when yuh see it? Oh
doctor, but you're in a nice mess now!
Old Sim Whitley ii want t walk ali
over yuh when he sees that rig and
them horses"
The Singers reply hurtled back
through the shuddering atmosphere
but its mildest phrase would be unfit
to print.
"Git some poles and shove under the
horses before they go clean out of sight
the buggy II stay where she's at,
And yuh needn't be afraid t. git out
the horses won't run away. Kinda
taking the shine off N yer dancing
pumps, amt it? That cussed alkalis
sure a fright"
More words tore across the treacher.
Gus bosom of the earth. Jack listened,
and laughed. That's all right. Any
time you do have that wicked little
pop-gun handy, I'll sure stand up and
let yuh aim my way. I amt nervous
with such toys. What? Uh-huh,
knew that spot d bog a mosquito
there amt another man in the coun-
try would be fool enough t tackle it
What's that? Oh, yes, I'll send SONS
one t. help-Ill send Sim Whitley"
The Singers reply must have been
remarkably venomous, for the cowboy
grew darkly red with anger. What he
said need not matter.
That night when the dance began,
Jack suspended his first waltz with
Josie long enough to greet a red
whislkered man in the corner by the
water bucket. Hello, Sim. Did the
Singer get out of the mud YETI"
The administered man bounced clear