The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1906-01-18

heavy losers. Some 900 head of cattle
had been recovered, and members Of
the different outfits were still securing
the Red desert for strays.
Something in tie nature Of sensa-
ton was created by the arrival of the
Wetmore party. The women were
frankly Interested in the clothes, bear
ing and general department Of the
New Workers Rumors of Miss Cole
brooke's beauty were rife, and there
was a general inclination to compare
her with local bellies. Such exotic types
they had seen these city beauties be-
fore-were as a rule too colorless for
their appreciation. They liked faces
that had more go to Them was the
verdict passed upon one famous beau
ty who had visited the Wetmores the
year before. In arrangement of the
hair, perhaps in matters of dress, the
judges were willing to concede the
laurels to city damsels, but there con-
cession stopped. But evidently Kitty,
to judge from the elaboration of her
toilet, did not intend to be dismissed
thus cursorily. She herself was deli
eately, palely pretty, as always, but
her hair was tortured to a fashionable
fuffiness, and the simplicity of her
green muslin gown was only in the
name. It was muslin disguised, elab-
grated, beribboned, lace trimmed till
it's identity was all but lost in the null
titude Of pretty complications
''Did you know that old Ma'am Vel
lett had a schoolmarm up to her
placer asked one of the men apropos
Of eastern prettiness.
"Well, WE'LL" Costigan reminisced,
"'tis some av thin Yillitt lambs thot's
six fut in their stockings, if OF be RI
Numbering right. Sure, the teacher
ought to be something av pugilist,
Dim thinkin'."
Il seen her the other day, and neat
er little heifer never turned out to pas
ture. Lord, I'd like to be gnawing the
corners of the primer right now if she
was there to whale the ruler
"Arrah," bayed Costigan, "but the
women question is gittin' complicated
ontoirely, wild Miss Rodney-an' her
self lukin' loike a saint in church
window-d'alin' the mails an the other
wan tachin' in the mountains Sure,
this place is gittin to be but sorry
shpot for bachelors loike mesilf."
Il amt mentionin' no names, but
there's man here amt treatin' a
mighty fine woman square and accord
in to the way she ought to be treated"
The information ran through the cir
Gle like an electric shock. Men stopped
in the act Of pledging each others
health to listen. Loungers straight
ened up; every topic was dropped. The
man who had made the statement was
the loose Tipped busybody who had
suggested to his host that he give up
his six shooter since there were "ladies
present."
what are you waiting for?" queried
Texas Tyler savagely. you've crack
ed your whip, made. your bow and got
our attention. Why don't you go on?'
The man looked about nervously. He
was rather alarmed at the interest he
had excited. The next moment Peter
Hamilton had walked into the rooms
There was something crucial in his en-
lance at this particular time. It crys-
tallized suspicion. The gossip took ad-
vantage Of the greetings to Hamilton
to make his escape. Texas Tyler left
the bunk room Immediately and looked
for him in the room with the dancers.
The fddles in the hands of a couple
Of Mexicans had set the whole room
whirling as if By magic. AS they
danced they sang, joining with the
"caller OUT who held his vociferous
post between the rooms till the room
was full Of singing, dancing men and
women, who spun and pirouetted as if
they had not care in the world. But
Texas Tyler was not of these, as he
looked through the dancers for his
man. There was red flash in the pu-
pills of his eyes, and he told himself
that he was going to do things the way
they did them in Texas, for of course
be knew that the loose Tipped idiot had
meant Judith Rodney and Peter Ham
ilton. Never before had such an idea
occurred to him, and now that it had
been presented to his minds eye he
wondered why he had been such a
blind fool.
He rushed from the room and down
to the stable. At sight Of him some one
leaped on horse and rode out into the
darkness.
"Who was that?" asked Texas Of a
man lounging by the corral.
'"That was''- And he gave the name
OF the loose Tipped man.
Texas cursed long and picturesquely.
Then he went back to the bunk room
and tried to pick quarrel with Peter
Hamilton, who good naturally as
sumed that his old friend had been
drinking and refused to take offense.
Peter went in to ask Kitty to dance
with him. All that evening he had
been waiting anxiously for Judith.
Meanwhile he had used all his inf1u
ence as a newly appointed member Of
the Wetmore outfit to soothe the ruff
fed feelings of the cattlemen or tho