Smyrna times., 1905-11-29
AT Double
Tee RANCH
By FRANK H. SWEET
Copyright, 1905. by E. c. PARCELS
By FRANK H. SWEET

hiLhsSll d DetleT COWBOY Indn L ann
flashed the girl. Then, as her gaze
swept over the assembled outfit of the
Double Tee ranch, she broke into n
ringing, scornful laugh. But the men
felt there had been more than Jest in
her words. Hairy faced Tom Bigelow
-WoOley Dog Tom-placed his hand
over his heart.
"Them's p'inted sentiments, Miss
Tensie," he rebuked suavely, land it
implies us boys here considerable, see
ing four of us have asked you to marry
since you stood here on the horse.
Now In justice to the Double Tee out
fit we'd ask you to name the conditions
and cards. If it's to round up a STAN
peding herd single handed or ride a
locoed horse or
Il don't think the mans among you,
Mr.. WoOley," interrupted the girl. IF
you'll hurry Pete up with that note I'll
be going. 1 could have written a dozen
answers in this time. There he comes
now"
A cowboy was emerging from the
ranch shack, and following him was
the new owner, fresh from the east
and immaculate in a tailor made cow
boy costume. He was handsome fel-
low and came forward quickly, doffing
his hat
Tell your father 1 am awfully oblig-
ed to him for his neighborliness, Miss
Neuman," he said, "and that he can
depend upon me to be at the ranch
mems meeting 1 want to identify
myself with the country now. That
note will explain about the horses. I'm
sorry to have kept you waiting so long.
but there seemed to be no paper or
pencils in the outfit"
Tensie Neuman took the note and
bowed, then touched her horse lightly.
AS she swept away the curiosity in the
new owners eyes was mingled with
surprised admiration.
"a magnificent girlr' he calculated
| involuntarily. But Robson, the fore
man, was near enough to hear him.
YES" he said quietly; you don't see
such girls in the east, Mr.. Rand, and
even here on the plains Miss Tensie Is
an exception"
"She's a goddessv' agreed Mr.. Rand
enthusiastically. Then he swung sud-
denly to the outfit, his face darkening.
Look here men, he cried hotly. Il
don't like the way you talked to that
girl. 1t was positively insulting. Why,
l heard four of you proposing to the
girl right here in the presence of all
| the rest, and you were in earnest"
I'm dead earnest" assented Wooley
Dog Tom pathetically - ''the deadest
kind Of earnest. An 1 have myself
heard the same four propose to her in
dividually an collectively more times
than I've got fingers an toes an gen.
orally in the presence of witnesses. An
why not? Everybody knows every
cuss here loves her, an faint nothin'
to be ashamed of. Lord, Mr.. Rand,
we've been acquainted with Miss Ten
sic ever since her father brought her to
this ranch two years ago, an we've
been proposing to her on all chances
an occasions through the twenty-four
months. I'd have asked her to marry
me today only these coyotes kept their
everlasting jaws going"
what gets me-" said Wild Smith
gently, sis how she snaps out some
times, just like now. Maybe we ought
to draw her off by herself, boys, an
not speak out so in meetin'. Maybe
gals like proposin's to be private re
hearsals."
'Not Miss Tensile" declared Wooley
Dog Tom authoritatively. "Its prac
tice for her to say no in different ways
She's bound to like It, Lord, I'd rathet
hear her say no than any other gal yes
It's worth proposin' just to have he
eyes ON one and her attention for
minute. And that's the way we ai
= feel. Every cuss in this outfit has beei
proposin' to her, except Robson there
an he don't propose to nobody. He
. too all fired dried up. Now, MI
RANDI
"Never mind bringing me in," sal
Mr.. Rand shortly. mo girl cares to b
proposed to in that way, much less
girl like Miss Neuman. You COW
boys
"Are as fine a lot Of men as theI
are in the world" finished the forema
| DrlSkly. am Sl1u yOu ASSi lhoS v"
It about us, Mr. Rand, especially as yo
n are to become a cowboy, in wa.
e Yourself. Miss Tensie regards us
II the same manner, for she knows tn;
r any one In the outfit would give b
re life freely to save her from DANCE
20 and that is more than many Of Il
\ well dressed men east would do. III
e, mere fact of her having to familiari
~ us with the word No detracts nothlI
ar from the warm feeling between b
re and the outfit. And, yes, 1 will az
at that. contrary to Mr.. Wooley d.
ie Toms belief, 1 proposed to her myse
ly more than year ago and was refuse
is Now"-sharply-"al of you scatter
Is, the upper ranae and relieve the bo
IN there. Keep an extra keen lookout, (
the wolves are around again and liat
"a To cause another bad stampede. Nj