Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1906-11-21
Borrowing a
Bear
BY C. b. LEWIS
Copyright, 1906, by p. c. Eastment

the Circle rancn mousse one DAY TO see
old Colonel Meecham about some lost
cattle, and ten minutes later he had
nels daughter who was then girl OF
Nineteen and her fathers housekeeper.
Circle ranch had been a great ranch
In its dag, but the colonel had met
with all sorts of bad luck and couldn't
pay his debts. He had a few cattle
and one cowboy left, while colored
woman assisted Rose about the house
work.
Rose Meecham had not been educat-
ed In the east. She had been born in
the ranch house and sent to school
not a hundred miles away, and her en-
vironments had been Of the plainest.
As the adoring father said of her more
than once after his wife died.
Rosie is good looking and honest
hearted and will make some man a
good wife There's nothing Of the CO
quette or fiirt about her. She doesn't
know what a Irritation means. She's
just a plain girl, with her heart set on
doing all she can for her old daddy"
That was the colonel's way of put
ting it, and it simply shows how little
the average father knows of the aver
age daughter. Miss Rose was good
looking and honest hearted, but she
would fiirt with cross eyed cowboy.
Any other girl in her situation would
have done tia same thing. There
wasn't another girl for fifteen miles
around while there were about fifty
cowboys within that distance and, be-
sides there was the fort only five miles
away and soldiers passing on the road
every day.
Joe Whitman may have been above
the average cowboy in looks and ed
ucation. Miss Rose had decided with
in five minutes that she liked him.
Within another five she was smiling
so sweetly and talking so nicely that
she had Joe stammering out his words.
That was the beginning of things
He had driven home a bunch OF the
colonel's cattle that he had cut out OF
his herd, and though he wanted TO
linger at the ranch and talk about the
price of beef on the hoof, the drop in
hides and the dry summer, he wasn't
equal to the occasion and was almost
bucked off his pony in taking hrs leave
Joe rallied when he got back to his
cattle and began to lay plans, and from
that day on IL was a cold day when he
did not bring in some of the coloners
stray stock.
1t was a puzzle to the old gentleman
why his cattle should wander six or
seven miles after pasture when they
had better at home, but IL was no mys-
terry to Miss Rose. Every time bunch
of the missing cattle came back Joe
had to stop to explain and to call for a
drink OF water and to hang around for
a good half hour and that girl, who
didn't know what filtration meant,
laughed TO herself after he had de-
| parted.
Jim Taylor, the lone cowboy in the
coloners employ, was past forty. had
q wife somewhere in the east and was
! out OF the running, but he was no
wooden head. When those lost cattle
were driven up he would go TO the
colonel and declare that somebody was
driving them off that he might have
the privilege of driving them back
again. and that If Miss Rose were his
daughter he would put his foot down
Then the colonel would look up in an
innocent way and exclaim:
Lord love us, but you don't think
Rosa drives off our cattle and then
drives them back again.
"No, | don't. colonel, but don't II
strike you that Joe Whitman is com
ing here mighty often?"
us he? Well, he has TO bring back
the strays. you know, and IT is very
kind Of him indeed. / don't always
see him, but hope that Rosa returns
my thanks In proper way"
Joe was working the cattle business
for all II was worth and calling at the
Circle ranch between times with or
anges and boxes OF candy sent to hin
from Denver. when a rival suddenly
entered the field.
Sergeant Smith, from ne tort, came
along one day with a squad of men ant
stopped at the house to make some In
quiries The sergeant was good look
ing man. He had a taking way will
him. A Irritation was started almos
at once. and when he took up his Linz
of march again he promised himself thu
pleasure of another call.
Three days later he rode out to TIT
ranch and began to make love in ear
nest. He had served Uncle Sam 70
twelve years. saved up 5000 and wa
looking for wife. While he continues
to be soldier she could have a plac
as one of the laundresses In Com
pany g.
Before the sergeant got away Jo
Whitman came riding up. The tw
men instinctively recognized each 9th
CT as rivals and glared and muttered
but there was no bloodshed.
When the son of Mars had gone
there was a quarrel between the tw
left. Joe's jealousy made it. althoug
when asked what rights he had b
could not define them. He limited thu