The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1907-01-10

low along with the wagon" 'o'
shan't help you, Miss windou-
said Lew could handle ,a
bunch over there. usss
What he meant by this shs No.,
not or would not let herself ~"
stand But ahe thanked him ra.s
cnrtly and declined the offer.
He smiled at her confiden,,v
she rode away. On what did h.
his confidence!
The spirit of the range was
In May Her blood mounted war,o,l
and her horse pressed sharply n-t
the sheep. while her voice rang Isu
and clear. 'oU'
But when the rapidly moving n.s.
of white backs scurried through ~
scrub pines near the top. moi ha1.
mile away over the hill, she h..
faint sounding '-Coo-ees!" tina, w..
growing nearer and coming I'D ~.
ridge.
"Madden's herders. for money" sh.
heard Uri yell "But Wen ri, -
ahead. They won't dast come nuch
nearer-they. won't risk mix.un-
The 'W's" were bounding up The
slope and the advance line was an
but topping the ridge From a uttls
knoll on that part of the hog.back
farthest from the meadow. May. on,
of breath from her hard ride and her
cries. sat her horse for a moment Of
triumph.
F., Suddenly she heard a great rustlinv
among the trees and brush on The
west side OF the ridge. opposite that
on which the first great billow OF
We was beginning to appear.
From below came whoopihg yel,s
the barking OF dogs. wild bleats and a
low roar as 10000 little feet bea. the
ground and 5000 little round heads
were poked out from among the pInea
great wave OF ms" doomed 70.
moment from over the way. ready to
rush IN and become one with tho BIZ.
low Of Tvs" which had charged up
the east side of the ridge Just in time
to meet 1t.
stop en-! Stop 'em! Head .em
frantic appeal to Zeke.
The old sheep man said nothing,
but reached back on his saddle for his
rifle. and. raising 1t quickly and point,
Ing along the hundFed-foot gap that
herds. sent q bullet whizztns low oye.
before. Sometimes. she knew, It had
succeeded in preventing q 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 yolleys OF stones that were
flying in among them, made the rear
members crowd forward and push
upon the leaders.
Zeke fired shot after shot, but the
two lines. forced by the fatal up
sweep from behind, neared each other
by little starts and bounda May saw
an M" sheep leap into the air and
fall fat She rode over to Zeke and
made him stop his shooting
When she looked agnIn the two
great tides of sheep had net and mia-
gled. The Tvs" were scampering
wildly about among the MS" aad the
Ms" were threading through and
through the "W's.' 80 that 1t seemed.
IN one wild moment, the dreaded, The
tragic. mix-up was es complete as the
mix-up OF well-shuHed pack OF
cards
Lew Madden rode over 20 where
May stood leaning against pine,
crying. The rest had all run up the
ridge chasing the sheep toward the
meadow. Lew got Of his horse and
was close 10 her before she saw
him.
oh, Il vas mean of you" she de-
2lared. with wet cheeks and flaming
eyes. mean, mean"
This mix-up?" he said. smiling
softly. On. cont know. They car stay
mixed Tor ail / care. It's all right.
Why, what makes you say that?"
she cried. dabblng her eyes with 3
aand kerchiet We can't separate
hem until the end of the season, un-
ess, She added. little more hope
nliy. we could rig up a corral and
toot-gate here some where 1 won
Ter If We could p"
But l don't want TO-" said be
1t would take a months work. and
isn't worth while. anyway"
Well" she said. with forced firm
Jess. ri do 1t. then"
But yon don't want to. either.
Why don't I want to-"
Because you're going to marry me
Attic Hopaep hasn't lost her sheep
Ihey've juat Rtrnyed In among her
over S. And they are going to stay
mere and never be separated. Comet
am yours. and SO are all my sheep"
ne hello out his arms to her. Never