The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1907-01-31

Joseph b.. Bowfes.)
"Shan't / help you, Miss Window,
said Lew. Il could handle that
bunch over there"
What he meant by this she could
not OF would not let herself under
stand. But she thanked him rather
CURLY and declined the offer.
He smiled at her confidently as
she rode away. On what did he base
his confidence?
The spirit of the range was strong
in May. Her blood mounted warmly,
and her horse pressed sharply upon
the sheep, while her voice rang loud
and clear.
But when the rapidly moving mass
OF white backs scurried through the
scrub pines near the top, not half
a mile away over the hill, she herd
faint sounding "Coo-ees!" that ere
growing nearer and coming up The
ridge.
"Madden's 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 "W's" we're bounding up the
slope and the advance line was all
but topping 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 a moment OF
triumph.
/, Suddenly she heard a great rustline
among the trees and brush on the
west side of the ridge, opposite thai
on which the first great billow Of
WIS" was beginning to appear.
From below came whooping yells
the barking of dogs, wild bleats and 9
low roar as 20, 900 little feet beat the
ground and 5000 littIo round head.
were poked u from among the pines
A great wave of ms" doomed for {
moment from over the way, ready t.
rush in and become one with the bill
low of "W's" which had charged III
the east side of the ridge just in time
to meet it.
stop EN-, Stop EN-, Head ZEN
off! Can't you stop 'em!" YVES May
frantic appeal to Zeke.
The old sheep man said nothing
but reached back on his saddle for hi
rife, and, raising it quickly and point
ing along the ~hundred-foot gap tina
remained between the two grea
herds. sent a bullet whizzing low owe
it. May had heard of this trick
before. Sometimes, she knew, it hat
succeeded in preventing a hopeless
mess of two bands.
Zeke fired shot after shot, but tn,
two lines, forced by the fatal up
sweep from behind, neared each othe
by little starts and bounds. May saw
an IN" sheep leap into the air AM
fall flat. She rode over to Zeke an,
made him stop his shooting.
When she looked again the tw,
great tides of sheep had me- and min
gled. The "W's'' were scamperin,
wildly about among the MS" and tn,
MS were threading through ant
through the VS. so that it seemed
in one wild moment, the dreaded, thu
tragic, miX-up was as complete as thu
mix-up of a well-shuffied pack O
cands.
Lew Madden rode over to WHERE
May stood leaning against a pine
| crying. The rest had all III up thu
ridge chasing the sheep toward tn,
meadow. Lew got off his horse ant
was close TO her before she saw
| him.
''Oh, 1t was mean of you" she de
clared, with wet cheeks and famini
eyes. mean, meant"
".ehis mix-up?" he said, smilin,
softly. oh, don't know. They a STAY
mixed for all ! care, It's all right.
why, what makes you say that?'
she cried, dabbing her eyes with &
hand kerchief. I'VE can't separate
them until the end of the season. un
less,' she added. a little more hope
fully, w could rig up a corral and
a foot-gate here somewhere. | won
der If w could?"
But / don't want to-" sail he
TT would take a months work.. and
it isn't worth while, anyway"
Well" she said. with forced firm
ness. III do it, 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 neve be separated. Come!
! am yours, and sc are all my bheep!"
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
it came out family.
MOI"
He came nearer and put his great
arms about her.
You're taking me for granted, a t
er all. You're just as mean as"
mo; I'm taking you for a dear,
angelic little creature, who loves me