Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1907-12-28
A New Year Conquest
By Charles Morcau Harger.
a Story Of the Great Southwest

h----------~---
Great clouds ~ ycrow DUST "A Dazzling
sky sweeping Minds long reaches of loyci
lands the m,dwiuter southwest ana on
the SidinE the palatal train of TIE Catt'e
king who was now of among the ranches
looking after sleek and woll-5rcd herds
The cattle kings daughter. whose pros
n.t.ye wealth entitled her to the rank Of
pr ,oss. sat under the striped awning on
Il roar platform OF tho tram. gazing
wo@ 'y "a. the monotouous landscape.
"auW long arc We 20 stay here she
demanded Of The porter who was indus
trlous'y trying TO keep The lcather-covcred
chairs clean. lie dad not answer-hc d!d
no, know. She went back 10 She pUrlor
OF the other private car and aCcostcd the
quic- woman who sat by the window sew.
mG. "Anuo how long Is this TO last?'
"tnul your father gets back or there
are orders
I'm tired ~ TIM gojnc out of DOORS
She sC.2cd a iackcJ and cap. slipped
Gown the side steps and disappeared be
hind the squalid depot A dllapdatcd liv-
cry stable stood ~ the sunshine Il want
81 riding horeo-qucki
The man fairly 'rembled in his anxiety
70 serve the city girl. ana n momclt she
was cautcring over the sand and sage
brush. headed straight for The green hills
~ the distance.
Away and away She sped. dclightlng ga
rho free rush Of jhe wind the swish Of ncr
1onyS hoofs through the grass and the eX-
hHarai on Of the open lands.
Al last ne turned the horses head
where was lhc station? Nothing bul a
-olliug PLAIN. not shining with sunlight
bur dampcncd by shadow. with a litt'c
cry Of terror she sent her mount racing
ahead and strained her eyes for the engine
smoke ON the horizon.
"Ah thcro IL is-hut 50 far away"
She Surm sod what had happened hcr
father had reached station farther down
the line and wired for The train TO JON
him. and they had not discovered her ab-
scncc before starting
AS she looked she saw OF 10 the left an
other rlder--a wide-hatod ranchman- to-
ward 10 m She rode As sh- drew nearer
hcr checks grow rod and her eyes bright
'ned. once she stopped ana turned as II
to leave him. Then he came close GO her.
"Oh. Mr Mason. what shall do?"
Frank Mason the handsome ranch SUI
pcrintcndcnt, scarcely recognized her.
how.ng so slightly that It seemed to be
merely The motion Of his horse
what is he matter, madam"
Don't be mean -the girls eyes were
hc-ccch,ne
"Rut YOU told me never 70 speak TO YOU
agaiu-ouly his morning
"TCs, J know. bat you see how { is
the train has gon'-it is almost evening
I and here am
"Tt does look serious. doesn't IL? Where
DO they think YOU are?
"rhcy don't think Auntys probably
gone 20 sleep aud won't wake up until
midn.gh,--thc others think I'm ia my
room. In papa's ear
ut is scrious-and nohody's at the ranch
to take care OF YOU. | suppose hey VIII
| come back tomorrow anyhow
Tomorrow" The girl fairly scrccched
the word we must get them to-
night. don't YOU understand now
But II Is fifty miles to the next telc-
graph station how can the engineer get
orders
He looked toward the train which was
| disappearing i'm cut between some creek
! BLUFFS mile or two below the station
'You sec it's New Years day and every
body but the stable boys ana station agent
has gone TO the county seat to celebra-
tlon There's dance tonight. so they
! " on be homo ycs, 81 ,s serious
Their horses were moving slowly to-
/ ward the station, yet long distance
/ away. They were talking earnestly and
! did not notice the curious movement Of a
| herd Of cattle that had strayed from the
/ grassiauds toward the station and now
! hundreds ana hundreds of them. were
| pushing close TO The two figures. The girl 5
bright Jacket and ,hc dGshiug red of the
| cap Jhat topped her brown curls may have
| caused their exceeding interest When
| 3 huge fellow trottcd IN front Of her weary
lof., tie girl stared about her u alarm
! "Da Frank-Mr Mason look,
| The young rauchman seemed much cN-
! cited Hurry" he exclaimed and urged
! ms horse into "A run. Shc cantcrcd by his
! siuc. alarmed by the strange appariuou OF
| the herd. which Il seemed had risen out
/ OF Tho sod
/ TLr ianchman saw some hing else that
/ thc girl did uot-a cluster Of earth mounds
! i1wu w i'm the love. Of the plain. the
! work OF prairie dogs or scmc other bar
rowcrs Of the plains. Before he could
| caution the girl, hor horse stumbled. fell
| staggered went tUmbliug In a heap viii
| & broken leg
Now Il was serious. The cattle. more
curious than ever scampcrcd faster TO
ward the object Of their interest the fall
| cu horse plunged and snOrted; the skirts
| OF its rider held her prisoner
! n an instant Mason was by her side
| turs.ug al the fair burden. When eh'
I was free hc found her helpless from
| strained ankle, ana with tenderness h'
| lifgeJ her iu hts arms and 10 his own sad
| die. Then jumping beside her he turned
| tho nervous animal drew his revolver ano
| shot Gnerrrgly the struggling beast OF
| the Cround-then away toward the sta
| tiou resting on the broad and dusty plain
| Arrived there, he lifted her gently tC
| one OF the benches which stood in the
| ,iuy valtiHg-room; he transformed II into