The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1908-01-24
CHAPTER ~.
"Maquot,"

train from the east was 40 minutes
late. He turned away with a little
shrug of relief. 1t was foreign role
he was playing-this assumption of
the duties of knight in dancing at
tendance on strange ladies'. Secretly,
he chafed under it; outwardly, he was
magnihcently indifferent. He had a
reputation to sustain, reputation of
having yet to meet that which would
lower his proud boast that he was
afraid Of nothing under the sun, Meth
er man nor devil. But he doubted his
ability so to direct the point Of view
of the Boss or the Scribe or the rest
of the boys of the Three Bars ranch,
who were on still hunt for his spot
of vulnerability.
The waiting room was hot-unbear-
ably SO to man who practically lived
in the open. He strolled outside and
down the tracks. He found himself
wishing the train had been on time.
Had it been so, 1.-THE impending
meeting-would now have been
thing of the forgotten past. He must
needs fortify himself all over again.
But sauntering down the track toward
the stockyards he filled his cob pipe,,
lighted it, and was comforted He
had a 45-minute reprieve.
The boys had tried most valiantly
to persuade him to Elk up" for this
event. He had scorned them indig-
nantly. If he was good enough as
he was-black wooden shirt, red neck
erchief and all-for men, just so was
he good enough for any female that
ever lived. So he assumed a little
swagger as he stepped over the ties,
and tried to make himself believe that
he was glad he had not allowed him
self to be corrupted by proffers of
blue shirts and white neckerchiefs.
He was approaching the stockyards.
There was movement there Sounds
and worried Rawlings changed the
placid evening calm into noisy strife
1t is always a place interesting to
cowmen. Jim relegated thoughts of
the coming meeting to the back
ground while he leaned on the fence,
and. with idle absorption, watched the
loading of cattle into stock car. A
switch engine, steaming and splutter-
ing, stood ready to make way for an
other car as soon as the present one
should be laden. He was not the only
spectator. Others were before him.
Two men strolled up to the side op-
posite as he settled down to musing
interest.
"Gee!" he swore gently under his
breath. "ef that amt Bill Brown! Yep.
1t is, for a fac. Wonder what he's
shippin' now fort" He scrambled
lightly over the high fence of the pen.
''Hullo, there, Bill Brown" he YELL
ed, genially, making his way as one
accustomed through the bunch of re-
luctant, excited cattle.
"Hullo yourself, Jim! What you
dom in town." responded the man ad-
dressed, pausing in his labor to wipe
the streaming moisture from his face
He famed himself vigorously with his
dropping hat while he talked.
Gal huntin'," answered Jim, sober
~ and despondently.
HE'LL" Brown surveyed him with
| astonished but sympathetic approba-
ton. HE'LL" he repeated. You
don't mean it, do you, Jim, honest?
Come, now, honest? So you've come
to it, at last, have you? Well, we'll!
What's comm over the Three Bars
What'll the boys say?"
He came nearer and lowered his
voice to confidential Tone Say,
Jim, how did it come about? And
! who's the lady? Lord, Jim, you of all
| people!" He laughed uproariously.
Jaw, come off," growled Jim. in
petulant scorn. you make me tired!
You're plumb luney, that's what you
are. I'm after the new gal reporter.
She's due on that low-down, ornery
train. Wish-it-was in kingdom
come. Yep, do, for fac'.''
! "Oh, we'll, never mind! 1 didn't
mean anything" laughed Brown, good
naturally. But it does beat the
band, Jim, now doesn't it., how you
people scare at. petticoats., =. They
amt pizen-honest."
| Jim looked on idly. Occasionally
he condescended to head a rebellious
steer shutewards. Out beyond it was
still and sweet and peaceful, and the
late afternoon had put on that thin
veil of GOODNESS which is God-given
refreshment after the heat of the
day. But here in the pen all was con-
fusion. The raucous cattle-calls of
the cowboys smote the evening air
startlingly. " .-..% b..
Here, Bill Brown!" he exclaimed
suddenly, where did you run across
that critter?' He slapped the Shout.
der of a big, raw-boned, long-eared
steer as he. spoke. The animal was
on the point of being driven up the
shute =z; s# Nth. 1., Z y
- What you want to know for? asked
Brown In surprise. ,s. I u 2:s.. 4 !. 4. Il;
l.s Reason 'nough; That critter be.
longs to us, that's Why; and I want to
know where you got him, that's what
. ! want to know.