The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1906-08-10


early for the train, loungiug on the two
chairs and one keg that served for sta
ton furnishings When the big Over
! land steamed in, with rumblng that
shook the prairie and made the little po-
mics dance kittenishly, Big Pete sauntered
up to the platform to meet the big
"white-tie Instead of the vaguely pic
tured divine he expected, tall girl in
dark suit stepped down, a girl with
sweet, serious eyes. Behind her white
haired, weather, beaten man, stalwart
and rugged, whose face lightened as he
saw Big Pete.
as this Mr.. Armstrong;" he asked.
MY daughter, Mr.. Armstrong. She
came with me to sing. An accident on
the ranch, is it I'm sorry" The voice
was deep and vibrant, and the cowboy
felt relieved He bowed constrainedly to
Miss Gray, and wondered if the knotted
handkerchief at his throat struck her as
odd, and how in thunder" he was 60
ing to get a girl to the ranch. But Dr.
Gray was looking at him, and he said:
"Noer, not cgsactly It's this way; /
wc-theres a lot of fellers hev died out
here, an Their want no funeral at all, and
we lowed we'd better have one fer all on
EN-"
"Oh, stampede and a number killed
How awful. :" and Miss Gray shuddered.
"Why, no. They've been dead, an
they're buried. We just wanted some
words like, ter northumberland
Pete ended hclplesslv. The girl was
looking at him, and her father was puz-
zled. The cowboy could not express
himself in such amazing and amazed
company.
He led the way around the hox-car to
the ponies. Can you ride ?" he asked of
the girl.
eyes, horse" she said slowly, as
though the cayuse were another species.
oval, cayuse is horse" Pete said,
drylv.
IL know, but you'll have to walk;
there are only two horses. Father, I'd
better stay here in the depot, think"
But her father was irm she could not
stay, although inwardly he much regret
ted that he had let her tease him into
consent to her coming.
al suspect it's baby, father, and then
how pleased its poor mother will be if
can sing fnrit," she begged. "Hou never
let me go" and he laughed and submit
ted. Now he helped her into the saddle,
and the party started off.
We'll take turns walking" he said 10
Pete, who shrugged his shoulders.
at amt fur" lie remarked, and then
he answered the questions of the big
preacher" until that gentleman had
found out that it was this soft-voice
giant who had conceived the idea of
sermon to rest the souls of those who
had been diving death natural and other
wise for wears past, on the n Bar Ranch
If this were story, doubtless Pete would
have walked close to the girls horse Che
did watch her, until he saw she could
manage the pony,) been filled with the
subtitle loneliness Of her, and she, in turn,
would have admired his splendid breadth
of shoulder, his long, 1.-THE stride. As
this is truth, Helen Gray spoke very
little. Once belated hawk with wings
well folded shot down to earth just
ahead Of them, only to soar away in ever
widening circles till he was only n speck,
then gone. And once Pete pointed out
sentinel coyote, standing on little rise
not far away, curiously watching them.
When they neared the ranch, Big Pete
suddenly felt the protective sense OF
ownership. He helped Helen from the
saddle, and as he took the reins, she
noticed his hand-Iong, slender, brown,
strong, too; she had put hers into it as
she slipped off. When her father followed
her she had an eager question.
Did you notice his hands? Isn't his
name Armstrong? There's only one
family with hands like that. Do you
suLpose-" But it was time to go the
big n1essroom, where, it seemed, funeral
ceremonies as we'll as Sunday Schools
were held The room was full; gaunt,
old-timers; tall, strong men in their prime
slight, wiry bronco busters; even few
| boyish-looking fellows, new to the life.
They were exchanging glances and in
audible comments when the two entered,
but they turned to listen, many con-
temptuous ct first, all earnest and sober
before DR.. Gray was done. And Helen
sang Face to Face" and finally Rock
of Ages" with It's infinite yearning. A
! haggard fellow, with a cough, who sat
near the door went out on noisy tiptoes.
There were 10 sidelong glances now.
Each man was thinking of himself, alone,
for DR.. Gray had somehow forgotten
those dead, and was speaking to these
living men.
Then he prayed, prayed to the Mighty
God Of the Prairies, who knew the
temptations of men, their passions, their
loneliness; prayed that their strength,
might be manly strength that their
firm hard muscles might be worthily
used, that their lif. in Coos own wilds
might be a life unto Him. Then he
| spokc of their homes, of the mother, the
wife, the sweetheart; and at last Helen
sang again, softly all the time seeing
the burning eyes. the quivering nostrils,
the close. pressedlips of the man who had
met them that day. When the rest
poured out, Big Pete stayed, and the
girl spoke quietly to her father, that the
cowboy nigh have opportunity to re-
cover himself If he had had less reserve,
he might have--but wisely enough he
merely brought the horses, three this
this time. and the ranchers stood apart
and watched them go.
1t was much colder, but the moon was
clear, and they rode rapidly, silently two
in the trail, one beside it, until the out
side horse stumbled into prairie dog
hole, Tie force of the fall throwing DR..
GRAY over his head on to the ground. Big
Pete bit an oath off short between his
teeth, and was on his knees by the minis
ter in a moment. Helen had not even
cried ont, but she felt her heart stop
beating until Pete said:
"Broken leg: unconscious. I'll gallop
back to the ranch fer wagon and a
doctor No use going to the station. No
&, Il