The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-02
TIE EVENING STORY.
A MERE COWBOY.
~ Honore WilIsie. )

the lean cottonWoods whose scant
shade was a mere joke, and the ranch
house itself. roomy. low and ugly,
were all beautiful in her eyes.
If you had told Edith that this
strange fascination was due to the UNI
deniable charms Of a certain tall cow
boy, who had recently been made fore
man of her brothers ranch, she would
have tossed her pretty head at you and
denied your insfnuauons scornfully-
WHAT she had exclaimed when
her sister-in-law had slyly remarked
on the regularity of Edith's morning
rides under the foreman's tutelage.
What! I have more than an ordi-
nary interest, founded on curiosity,
Tor COWBOY Why, Alice, you forget
where was born and bred
At this, pretty Mrs. Alcott had
laughed merrily.
Born and bred " she had repeat
ed. MY dear child. when you come
west, you must forget that you were
born and bred. I did so five years
ago. The fact that you are a college
girl won't help you half SO much as
the fact that you are unlearning your
eastern method of saddle riding These
westerners don't give a rap concerning
your parents or your grandparents.
Their interests are ali in the present,
not the past. AS Jimmy says, one
heap better So leave off your con-
descending airs with Harry Esterly.
They are quite lost on him, 1 assure
YOU"
Edith listened in silence to Mrs. Al
colt and watched her as she moved
quietly about the living room of the
ranch-house, which was as coy and
home-like as the exterior was dreary.
Then she picked UP her riding whip,
pulled the latch of her sombrero under
her chin, and with a disdainful little
sniff, walked out toward the corral,
where Harry Esterly awaited her
Harry watched her keenly as she
strolled slowly toward him.
Cad he said to himself, shes
well put up!"
And she was. Erect and 1.-THE as a
young Indian, with hair that shone
bronze in the sun, with skin that
glowed with health after the morning
tub, and with an uptilt to her beauti-
of pride to any man on whom she be-
slowed her friendship.
rs that Josephine?" she called to
Harry as she drew within hailing dis
lance.
yes, that's Josephine" answered
Harry. patting the smaller horse, isn't
she a beauty?'
"she is indeed" said the girl,
smoothing the soft nose of the pretty
mare. Are you sure she isn't part
bronco? Bother Jim says that if a
horse has ever so little a drop of
bronco blood in him, ever so far back,
he's bound to buck, at least once in his
life. And I don't want to be the one
to discover that one DROP"
Harry shook his head. well, of
course he said, its hard to pick UP
a horse around here that you can
vouch for. But really, Miss Alcott,
think Josephine is as safe as a cradle.
Edith hung her whip on the saddle
pommel and motioning away Harry's
offered hand swung herself into the
saddle.
to take you to my particular pet spot.
It's only half an hours ride from
here
out they raced across the dusty
plain, the horses taking the barbed
fences as lightly as birds. They drew
rein on a lonely little hiIlock, the only
break in the level of the plain for
miles around.
Look" said Harry. See how one
side is scOoped out? Some Indian made
himself a shelter here sometime from
a dust storm. And now stand here on
top for a moment and you will see
why I like this place.
Edith looked. The slight eminence
gave a surprising sweep of view; the
far ranch house with the distant graz
ing herds the blue line Of haze that
marked the mountains, and farther
still the brown of the plain merging
into the blue of the desert. Toward the
desert Harry looked apprehensively-
Miss Edith he said. Z believe that
we'll have a dust storm here in an
hour or so. The air felt like it this
morning, with this scorching wind, and
now l can see it gathering out there
on the desert. I wonder If you would
be willing to ride in to the ranch alone
while I ride out to speak to Mr. Al
cott?'
Edith bIushed a little "Why. yes.
of course I'll go but-but I wish you
would let me ride your horse back, Mr..
Esterly. I'm so afraid Josephine will
buck
"Why. she's as safe as a church.
And Billy, here. used to buck like a
jack rabbit. OF course, he's all right
now, though
PLEASED" pleaded the girl.
Harry jumped from his horse and
helped Edith from the saddle.
Let me change saddles quickly" he
said. We've no time to waste And
in a few minutes Edith was cantering
swiftly toward the ranch house. while
Harry rode out toward the distant
herd.
Half an hour after Edith reached
the house the dust storm was upon
them. Whirlpools of dust were hurled
upon the house by a bowling wind that
shook the very rafters.
Hour after hour of intense dry heat
combined with the screeching of the
wind, rasped the nerves almost to the
breaking point. Edith strolled rest
lessly from room to room, watching
the dust Sift in through the closed
window and under the doors. Finally
she approached Mr.. Alcott. who had
come in just after the storm broke.
HAS Mr.. Esterly come IMP" she
asked "Wculd you mind looking,
Jimmy?''
would you mind looking Jimmy ?"
Mr.. AIcott sighed patiently and went
out into the storm. In a few minutes
he returned looking a little anxious.
Hes not there" he said. He told
me he'd reach here by the time the
storm broke. It's letting up a little,
and I'll send some of the men out soon.
nothing could have happened
to an old timer like Harry"
Edith said nothing, but as the wind
lessened she stole softly from the
room and out toward the stables. Dusk
was just beginning to deepen as she
rode swiftly out toward the stopping
place of the morning.
eff he got caught he made for that