The National tribune., 1904-07-14
(Ainslee's Magazine. }

Cal Emmitt lowered his left eyeid very
gently. for the benefit of the others, and
drew a match sharply along the wall just
over his head.
Myself answered Weary, sweetly,
though twas Il Sore subject.
You're sure going in bum comp'ny,
then" retorted Cal.
Whose going t pilot the school-ma am 2
blurted Happy Jack.
'.You can search me-" said Weary, in
a make-me-exceedingly tired tone.
"She sure amt going with yours truly"
''Ain't she asked yuh YETI fleered Cal.
"She told me the other day she was going
t take advantage of wOman's PRIV leSe,
this year, and choose her compny. Then
she wanted L know if l would bring note
Over-but couldn't. l headed
tether way and couldn't stop.
''lou wasn't headed toward Len Adams,
was you!" asked Weary. softly:
''She'l be over. all right, declared nap
DIV Jack Little Willie amt forgot, yum
can gamble on that. He's just like dar-
ling brother -
At this point Happy Jack ducked pre-
cipitately and Tapping. four buo kied over
shoe hurtled past his head. and landed with
considerable force upon the unsuspect'ns
stomach of Cal, stretched luxuriousl5 upon
his bunk Cal doubled like threatened
caterpillar and groaned-and Weary feeling
that Justice had not been defeated even
though he had aimed at another culprit,
grinncd compiacently.
Weary was notorouSly shy OF women.
When say shy, do not mean that he was
bashful. for he was not. lie did not twirl
his hat in their presence. or get red IN the
face. or stammer. or make tool OF MN
self in any other manner. At dances,
where he seemed to feel that there was
safety in numbers. he was, to say the least,
popular lie danced oftenest with the pref
ty girls, to be sure. but then, the pretty
girls were the best dancers He did not
sit out any dances with them. however. and
had never been known to seek dim corner
if it held feminine figure. Rather, he
would retreat to the entry and smoke a
cigaret in untroubled calm.
But at the leap year ball. given on New
Years night, when the ladies were invited
to choose your pardnCrs for the null
dance. regardless of who brought yuh." the
schoolma am had forsaken Joe Meeker,
with whose parents she bearded. and had
chosen Weary. The Flying-T boys had,
with one accord. gfinned at him in way
that promised many things. SO far, every
promise had been conscienti0usly fuG.iied.
They brought him many friendly mes
sases. 10 which he returned unfriendiy an
swerS. He accused them openly OF trE!nS
to load him. at which they We're shocked
felt drawn toward him. he looked so like
her darling brother. who had spilled his
blood on San Juan Hill. Cal was exceed
ing proud of this invention, since 1t seemed
to go down with Weary better~than Eost
of the lies they told.
You will understand from this that
Weary had considerable pTovocation FOR
throwing that Overshoe.
What horse are you going to ride
asked Chip. -tactfully.
"Glory. I'm thinking of putting him up
against Bert Rogers's Flopper. Bert's
getting too nifty over that cayuse. he needs
to. be walked away from once Glory 5
the lad that can learn 'em things about
% aYeaIHif." This from Cal. who had
recovered speech. "Yuh got a written guar
antee from Glory that he'll rum:
''IIuh." croaked Happy Jack IF he runs
it'll likely be backwards. if it ain't dane
n'-bear stunt on is hind feet. Yuh can,
gamble it'll be what yuh don't want and
amt got no money on-that there's Glory
from the ground up
ooh. don't know drawled Weary
placidly. Il AIM. setting him before the
public "a twin t Mary's little lamb. but
I'll risk him. He's good little horse,
when he feels that way, and he can run
and darn him. he's got t rum"
Shorty quit snoring and rolled over
"Betche two t one he won't run" he said
digging his fists into his eyes like baby.
Weary, dead game to the last. promptly
took him up though he knew he was TAX
ing desperate chances.
sBetche even up, he runs backward y
grinned Happy Jack, and Weary put 50 up
on that.
The rest of the afternoon was filled with
Glory, so to speak-and much coin was
hazarded upon his doing every unseemly
thing that horse can do at a horse race
on the Fourth of July-except the thing
that he did do-from which you will un-
doubtedly gather that Glory was not an
ordinary cayusa. but had a reputation to
maintain. To the day of his death he main
tained it.
Dry Lake was nothing if not patriotic
Every legal holiday-and some that were
not, was observed in true Dry Lake man.
ner. to the tune of viOlins and the swish
swish of slippered feet upon polished
floor. The Glorious Fourth. however. was
celebrated with more elaborate amusements
On that day men met, organized, practised
and played match game Of ball with
great dispatch and gusto. After that they
arranged their horse races over the bar oi
fhe saloon, rode, ran or walked to the quar-
ter-mile stretch of level road beyond the
stOckyards 10 witness the running, theI
hurried to settle the results over the bal
where they had drunk TO the preiminaries
Bert Rogers came early, riding Flopper
Men swarmed from the saloon to gather
around the horse that held the record Of
heating real race horse the Summer be
fore. SO far. he had swept everything be
fore him in his shortest dash. the quarter
mile and on this day Weary alone SCENE,
ready to take up the gantet.
When the FIying-U boys clattered owe
the hill in a bunch, they were greeted witt
enthusiasm. for old Jim Whitmore's Hap
py Family" was liked TO man. The en-
thusiasm did not extend TO Glory, who wa
eyed askance by those who knew him.
the Flying-U boys had not backed him val
ianty 10 man, Glory would not have ha
dollar risked upon him. This not becaus
he could not run. but because of his er
ratio temper.
Glory was an alien, one of carloa
shipped in from Arizona the Summer be
fore He was bright sorrel, with silver
name and tail and white feet-a beauty
none could deny. His temper was anothe
matter. Sometimes for days he was lamb
like in his obedience, till Weary was lulle
into the belief that "Glory's sure turne
over a new leaf" Then things would han
pen. Once Weary walked with cane 70
two weeks. Another time he walked Il
miles in the rain. Once he did not walk a
all. but sat on a rock and smoked cigaret
till his tobacco sack ran empty, waitn
for Glory to get UP and carry him home
Any man but Weary would have RUNE
tL VI