The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-05-04
CHAPTER IL.

~ VIII NNt vi III
A Is we were ~dismounting the
ZAI cries, "Hcllo, jack" How do,
TSSSS5FS1 Dalef" Hello, old Smoked" In
SSSGSSsJ the heartiest of tones made
me see that my cousin was a ~favorite
with the men grouped about the door.
Jack simply nodded in return, and
then presented me in due form. my
tendcrfoot cousin from the cffete," he
said. with Il flourish. 1 was surprised
at the grace of the bows made me by
these roughly dressed, wild looking fell
lows | might have been in Il london
drawing room. l was put at my ease
at once by the kindness of their greet
Ing, for, upon Jacks introduction, /
was admitted at Once into their circle,
which TO n tcnderfoot was usually
closed.
What n hardy looking lot they were!
Brown, spare, sinewy and hard as
nails, they appeared like soldiers back
from n hard campaign. They moved
II spoke with an easy, careless air
of almost lazy Indifference, but their
eyes had Il trick of looking straight at
you, cool and fearless, and you felt
they were fit and ready.
That night L was initiated into the
Company of the Noble Scven-but Of
the ceremony i regret to say l retain
but an indistinct memory; for they
drank as they rode, hard and long,
and 1t was only Jacks care that got
me safely home that night.
The Company of the Noble Seven
was the dominant social force in the
Swan Creek country. Indeed, 1t was
the only social force Swan Creek
knew. Originally consisting Of seven
young fellows of the best blood Of
Britain, banded together for purposes
Of mutual Improvement and social en-
joymcnt," 1t Lad changed its character
during the years, but not It's name.
First, its membership was extended to
include approved colonials," such as
Jack Dale and "othcrs Of kindred spir-
it," under which head, 1 suppose, the
two cowboys from the Ashley ranch,
Fl! Kendall and Bronco Bill--no one
knew and no one asked his other
namc-wcrc admitted. Then its pur-
poses gradually limited themselves to
those of ii social nature, chiefly In the
line of poker playing and whisky
drinking. Well born and delicately
bred in that atmosphere of culture
mingled with Il sturdy common sense
and II certain high chivalry which sur
rounds the stately homes Of Britain,
these young lads, freed from the re-
straints of custom and surrounding,
o shed all that was superficial in
their max up and stood forth in the
naked simplicity of their native man
hood. The west discovered and re-
vcalcd the man in them, sometimes to
their honor; often to their shame.
The chief of the Company was the
Hon. Fred Ashley of the Ashley ranch,
some time of Ashley Court, England-a
big good naturcd MAI with n magnif-
cent physique, n good income from
home and a beautiful wife, the Lady
Charlotte, daughter of n noble English
family. Al the Ashley ranch the tradi~
lions of Ashley Court were preserved as
far as possible. The Hon. Fred ap-
peared at the wolf hunts In riding
breeches and top boots, with hunting
crop and English saddle, while in all
the appointments Of the house the Gus
toms OF the English home were OBJ
served. 1t was characteristic, however,
of western life that his two cowboys,
HI kendall M Bronco Bill, felt them
selves quite his social equals, though in
the presence of his beautiful, stately
wife they confessed that they rather
weakened" Ashley was a thoroughly