River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-12-13

| What he meant by this she could
not or would not let herself under
stand. But she thanked him rather
CURLY and declined the offer.
He smiled at her confidently as
she rode away. On what did he base
his confidence?
| The spirit of the range was strong
in May. Her blood mounted warmly
and her horse pressed sharply upon
the sheep, while her voice rang loud
| and clear.
But when the rapidly moving mass
Of white backs scurried through the
! scrub pines near the top, not half
mile away over the hill, she heard
faint sounding "Coo-ees!" that were
growing nearer and coming up the
ridge.
"Madden's herders, for money!" she
| heard Uri yell. But we'll git in
ahead. They won't dast come much
nearer-they won't risk a mix-up"
The "W's" were bounding up the
slope and the advance line was all
but topping the ridge. From little
knoll on that part OF the hog back
| farthest from the meadow, May. out
of breath from her hard ride and her
cries, sat her horse for moment Of
| triumph.
, Suddenly she heard great rustling
among the trees and brush on the
west side Of the ridge. opposite that
on which the first great billow OF
"W's' was beginning to appear.
From below came whooping yells,
the barking of dogs, Wild Dleats and a
low roar as 10000 little feet beat the
ground and 5000 little round heads
were poked out from among the pines.
A great wave of "M's" loomed for
moment from over the way, ready to
rush in and become one with the bill
low of "W's" which had charged up
the east side of the ridge just in time
to meet it.
stop 'em! Stop 'em! Head 'em
off! Can't you stop 'em!" was Mays
frantic appeal to Zeke.
The old sheep man said nothing.
but reached back on his saddle for his
rifle, and, raising it quickly and point
ing along the hundred-foot gap that
remained between the two great
herds, sent bullet whizzing low over
it, May had heard of this trick
before. Sometimes, she knew, it had
succeeded in preventing a hopeless
mess of two bands.
Zeke fired shot after shot. but the
two lines, forced by the fatal up
sweep from behind, neared each other
by little starts and bounds. May saw
an IN" sheep leap into the air and
fall fiat. She rode over to Zeke and
made him stop his shooting.
When she looked again the two
great tides of sheep had met and min
gled. The "W's'' were scampering
wildly about among the ms and the
ms" were threading through and
through the "W's," so that it seemed.
in one wild moment, the dreaded, the
tragic, mix-up was as complete as the
mix-up of a well-shuffied pack OF
cards.
Lew Madden rode over to where
May stood leaning against pine,
crying. The rest had all run up the
ridge chasing the sheep toward the
meadow. Lew got off his horse and
was close to her before she saw
him
ooh, it was mean of you," she de.
clared, with wet cheeks and flaming
eyes, mean, meant"
"This mix-up?" he said. smiling
softly. ooh, don't know. They can stay
mixed for all | care. It's all right"
"Why, what makes you say that"
she cried, dabbing her eyes with
handkerchief. 1--WE can't separate
them until the end of the season, un-
less she added, little more hope
fully, 1--WE could rig up a corral and
foot-gate here somewhere. / won,
der if we could?"
"But / don't want to-" said he.
ct would take a months work. and
it isn't worth while, anyway"
WELL" she said, with forced firm
ness. sI'll do it, then"
"But you don't want to, either"
why don't want to-"
Because you're going to marry me.
Little Bopeep hasn't lost her sheep.
They've just strayed in among her
lovers. And they are going to stay
there and never be separated. Come!
am yours, and so are all my sheep!".
He held out his arms to her. Never
had she seemed so weak in the face
of the fine, strong, insistent mastery
of his presence. But she summoned
the protesting word at last, though
it came out family.
mol"
He came nearer and put his great
arms about her.
You're taking me for granted, aft
er all. You're just as mean as
mo; I'm taking you for a dear.
angelic little creature, who loves me
very much"
There you are! You said it! I'll
not be taken FOR granted that way"
How will you be taken, them
mot at all. You don't understand
you don't deserve-you're just as
mean as"
But he stopped her words with
kiss. and, after little struggle, her
head nestled down upon his shoulder.
Uri, hunting for his mistress, es-
pied her sitting on a rock beside Lew,
and scrambled back to Zeke.
There's another mix-up over there.
u - - =