The San Francisco call., 1905-02-26

well and brought Up the dripping crea-
ture, Bessie's face as she took the
wretched kitten from his pocket while
he still hung in the curbing more than
repaid him. He was rather glad puss
fell into the well.
And it was pleasant standing under
the pulley drawing up bucketful after
bucketful of the water into which the
cat had taken her involuntary plunge
while Bessie chatted to him or turned
the trough to water the geranium beds.
Quite suddenly Bessie asked, What
is it. Biliy?"
What's what?" he asked il reply,
glancing inquiringly down at her.
Why, with you" she said, looking
searcningly at this tall pack driver
Nothing he answered quietly,
resting the bucket on the curbing.
She looked at him evenly for a mo-
ment, then with her head UP she
turned and walked toward the house.
Wait" he called submissively, 'it
wasn't anything only / just lost an
other mule to-day"
She watched his reddening cheeks for
a minute.
Don't do it, Billy" she cried softly.
DC what" he asked
Why, quit the job as you've been
thinking of doing" .'Well, why not?"
he asked.
What" she exclaimed, and let
some one else get ahead of you?
would" she cried scornfully.
Bessie" he began in low soft tones
as he caught her hand. but the slam
of the little garden gate startled them
and Charley Chinn with his hat on the
back o.f his head, his hands in his
pockets ard the sneering smile still en-
the corner OF his lips lounged toward
them between the geranium beds.
Billy bit his lip and swore roundly
under his breath. He turned and stTode
away He would not wait to witness
the balancing of the score. Miss Bes-
sic did il with such consummatc skill
that the most impartial observer could
not have told which of the two drivers
stood first.
Billy's train with Billy in the saddle
OF the hind mule pulled out for Willow
Springs the next morning before the
sun capped the peaks that lowered
above the little hamlet, and he jingled
in and out regularly twice week for
months. then one trip the boy who rode
the lead mule was taken down with
the measles and Billy was left without
a leader till Johnny jumped at the
chance and begged so hard for .just
this one trip that Beasly, who de-
MED the boy nothing, let him go.
The next trip and the next found the
boy astride Old Grays back jogging
down the trail till Bessie was near
driven distracted with fear and worry
from the time the little fellows old
straw hat sank below the banks down
the trail till it rose above them on his
return.
In the meantime Charley lost mule
and then a pack till he had not so
much to brag over Billy, yet not whit
of the swagger dropped from his gait.
AS fer Billy. he never rode trip that
he did not give sigh of relief when
his train was safely landed.
So the rivalry increased and each
smile OF Bessie's and each successful
trip of Billy's added fuel to the flame
of the others passion till there was
like to be coRfiagratisn along the
Trinity.
And so Billy's year drew to a close.
One more down trip, one more up trip
completed his months of grace.
AS 1t happened some of the young
fellows from the scattered ranches
planned dance for that particular
Friday night.
Billy didn't hear of the party till
after he had eaten his supper Tuesday
night and when he went over to the
Beasley cottage Bessie had promised
her company to Charley for the dance.
Billy's defeat this time was like gall.