Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-10-23

l olHolhelSu iduSuaSe.
 "'Cheese it, you little cuss,' whis. pered in his ear, Or I'll break every rib in your poor old chest? I came in on him trifle, just to show him what I could do if I tried.
 "''Nuff! he wheezes. Quit! 'Nuff!
 "'Go up and congratulate 'em,' whispered again.
 CT won't,' says he. Ouch! Yes, I will! I willy So up he goes, grinding his teeth.
 "I wish you every happiness,' he grunts.
 "'Won't you forgive me, uncle? begs Loys.
 "'Some other time; some other time!' he hollers, and he pranced out of the house like a hosstyle spider, the maddest little man in the territory.
 "Loys had a hard time of it until Kyle got so he could travel, and they went up to the Yellowstone with a team for a wedding trip.
 "The rest of Loys' folks was in an unpleasant frame of mind too. They sent out her brother, and while I'd have took most anything from Loys' brother, there comes place where human nature is human nature, and the upshot of it was I planked that young man gently but firmly across my knees. Suffering Ike, but he was one sassy young man! Howsomever, the whole outfit came round in time-all except uncle and me. He used to grit his teeth together till the sparks flew when he saw me. I was afraid he'd bust blood vessel in one of them fits, so quit. I hated to let go of the old ranch, but I'm pretty well fixed-Fm superintendent here. It's Kyle's ranch, you know. That's his brand-the queer looking thing on the left hip of that critter, over the vented hash knife. Loys' invention. that is. She says it's cherublim, but we call it the flying flapjack.' There's a right smart lot of beef critters toting that signal round this part of the country. Kyle's one of the fellers that rises like setting of bread-quiet and gen tie, but steady and sure He's going to the state legislature next year. 'Twon't do no harm to have one honest man in the outfit.
 'Now, perhaps if I'd married some nice woman I might have had 1000 make rules and regulations for my fel- Ter citiZens-and then again I might have took to gambling and drinking and raising blazes and broke my poor wife's broom handle with my hard head. So I reckon we'll let it slide as 1t is. Now, you straddle that cayuse of yours and come along with me, and I'll show you some rattling colts."
 CHAPTER H..
 T~ EDDY was on the station plat
 R form, walking up and down, IN looking about him anxiously. 0 We caught sight of each other at the same time.
 Hi there" said he and jumped for me. "Gad-dog your little hide" he cried as he put my right hand in line for pension. "I thought I was book ed to go without saying goodby to you. You got the note I pinned on your shack!"
 Sure"
 "Well, there's time for a chin be- fore the choO-choo starts. Thought I'd be early, not savvying this kind of travelling a great deal. Darned if you ain't growed since I saw you! Getting fat too! Well, how's everything? I didn't say nothing to the other boys about pulling my freight. as wanted to go sober for once. You explain to 'em that old Reds head ain't swelled will you? Seems kind of dirty to go off that way, but I'm bound for Gods country and the old time folks, and somehow I feel that I must cut the budge out of it. Mother thing is I'm superstitious, as you may or may not have noticed, and believe if you try the same game twicet you'll get just as different results as can be the sec ond time. You heard how I hit it in the mines, didn't you? No? Well. that's so. You ain't seen many people out on the flat. have you? Hum. don't know principally where to be gin. You remember Wind River Smiths pardner that the boys called Shadder. because he was so thin? Nice feller. always willing to do you a fa- vor or say something comical when you least expected it. Had kind of a style with him too. Yes. sir, that's the man. Well. him and me was out in the Bend one day. holding a mess of Oregon half breeds that was to be shipped by train shortly, when old Smithy comes with the mail. Letter for you. Shadder,' says Smith and passes over a big envelope with wads of sealing wax all over 1t. Shadder reads his letter and folds it up. Then he takes a look over the country-the kind of a look a man gives when he's thinking hard. Then says he. Red. take of your hat I done it 'Smithy. take of your hat All right says Smith, but you tell me why or I'll snake the shirt off you to square things Boys says Shadder, Tin Lord WaRord.' "1ord Hellford- hoIiers Smithy. You'd better call somebody in to look at your plumbing What you been drinkin'. ShadsIery "'Read for yOurself.' says Shadder. and he handed him tte Iette-. '-Wish't yOu could have seen cd i Smithy's face as he read f. He thought his pardner had been cut out ] of his herd forever
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