The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-12-13


ridge.
"Maddens herders. for money!" she
heard Uri yell But wen git in
ahead. They won't dast come much
nearer-they won't risk a mix.up.
The "Ws" were bounding up the
slope and the advance line was ali
but toppling the ridge. From a 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 bllow of
"W's' was beginning to appear.
From below came whooping yells
the barking of dogs. wild bleats 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 MS" loomed for a
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 1t.
stop 'em! Stop EN-! 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
rife, and, raising IL quickly and point.
ing along the hundred-foot gap that
remained between the two great
herds, sent a bullet whizzing low over
It. May had heard of this trick
before. Sometimes, she knew. Il had
succeeded in preventing hopeless
mess of two bands. When this bullet
whirred between them, the two for.
ward lines stopped stock still, looked
about In dismay, their heads up and
shaking and tried to scamper back.
but the yells and the barks, together
with the volleys of stones that we're
flying in among them. made the rear
members crowd forward and push
upon the leaders.
Zeke fred 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 1t seemed,
in one wild moment the dreaded, the
tragic. mix.up was as complete as the
mix-up Of a well-shufiied 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.
"Oh, II was mean of you" she de-
clared, with wet cheeks and flaming
eyes, mean, meant"
This mix-up?" he said. smiling
softly. "Oh, | 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. I'VE can't separate
them until the end of the season. un-
less" she added. little more hope
fully. I'VE could rig up corral and
foot-gate here somewhere. won
der II we could?"
But don't want to-" said he.
1T would take a months work, and
1t isn't worth while. anyway"
WELL" she said, with forced Arm.
ness. "Tll do 1t, 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
1t came out family.
mo-"
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"
"No; 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"
She struggled to free herself
How will you be taken, then?"
mot at all You don't understand
you don't deserve-youre Just as
mean as"
But he stopped her words with a
kiss. and, after little struggle, her
head nestled down upon his shoulder.
Uri, hunting for his mistress. es-
pied her sitting on rock beside Lew,
and scrambled back to Zeke.
There's another mix-up over there"
he said, grinning and pointing toward
the pines. Guess them sheep'n all
be a.wearin' Ms next, season"