Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-03-26
CHAPTER X.
In Which the X Y z Figures Some.
what MYsterlouslY.
i'm Munson. riding his pony Owe

! slcepily IN hts saddle It was not a
weirdly late bedtime, half-past ten. may
| be, hut he would have been sleeping
soundlv e good hour or more had this
not been his night To TO to town-if lie
chosen. iIo had chosen. NC would not
have missed lis chance for Il good
deal But his dissipation had been
lirht. The boss never tolerated
muck along tla, .:Ae. re had DRUNK
with some congeuial cronios from the
future wcll-bcing and increasing
wealth Of This already wcll-known and
| fourishing cattle ranch. OF course
he must drink return compliment
to the same rosC.colored prosperity
for the Three Bars. which he did and
sighed for moro. That made two and
two were the limit, and here was tho
had Away to be n last little com
forter to keep him from nodding in his
saddle.
1t was a sleepy night, cool and soft
and still. He could walk his horse all
the way IL he wanted to. There was
no haste. The boys would all be in
bed They would not even wait up for
the mail. knowing his, .Jim's. innate
aversion to hurry. Had he not been
so drowsy, he would like to have sung
bit; but It required a little too much
effort. He would just plod along.
Must all be in bed at Williston's-
no light anywhere. A little short of
where the Williston branch left the
main trail he half paused. If it were
not so late he would ride up and give
them a hail But of course they were
asleep. Everything seemed still and
dark about the premises. He would
just plod along.
Hello, there. Whered you come
from?" he cried of a sudden, and be-
fore he had had time to carry his re-
solve into action
A man on horseback had drawn rein
directly in front of him. Jim binked
with the suddenncss of the shock.
Might ask you the same question:"
responded the other with an easy
laugh. I'm for town to see the doc
tor about my little girl. Been puny
for a week.
"Oh. Where you FROM" asked Jim,
with the courteous interest of his
kind
New man on the X H." answered
the other, lightly. Must be gittin' on,
Worried about my baby girl"
He touched spurs to his horse and
was off with friendly 80 long" over
his shoulder.
Jim rode on thoughtfully.
Now don't it beat the devil" he
was thinking, how that there cow
puncher struck this trail comm from
X Y with the X Y Z clean t. other
side O town? Yep, it beats the devil.
for fac He must be ridin for
his health. 1t beats the devil" This
last was long drawn out He rode a
little farther 1T beats the devil" he
thought again--the wonder Of It was
waking him up--"how that blamed
fool could a struck this here trail a
goin' for doc"
At the branch road he stopped ir-
resolutely.
ut beats the devil--for a fac" He
=
| The man was beyond sight and sound.
"If he hadn't said he was goin' for
doc and belonged to the x Y H." he
pondered He was swearing because
he could not think of way out of the
maze of contradiction. He was so
seldom at a loss this braggadocio Jim.
"Well, l reckon ] won't get any hep
| in
that son-of-a-gun comes back from
seem doc. Lord, I'd have to camp
out all night. Guess I'll be a movin'
on, But I'm plumb a-foot for an idee
as to how that idjit got here from the
XYZ"
He shrugged his shoulders and pick
ed up the fallen bride rein. He kept
him that he did so. 1t was not the
last Of the affair. The old, prosaic
trail seemed fairly bristling with
ghostly visitants that night He had
gone but scant quarter mile when
he met second horsemau and this
time he would have sworn on oath
that the man had not been on the
have been to be seen in the starlight.
Jim was not doing now and he knew
what he was about. The fellow struck
the trail from across country and from
the direction of WiIlIstons home cat
tie sheds.
THE DEVIL" he muttered, and this
time he was In deep and terrible earn
est.
"Hullo!" the fellow accosted him,
I genially.
Too damned pleasant-the whole
bunch OF EN-" found quick Judgment
in Jim's active brain. Aloud he re-
sponded with answering good nature,
"Hullo!"
Where ye goin'?" asked the other,
as II in no particular haste to part
company. II he had met with a sur
prise, he carried II of we'll.
Home. Been to town" Jim was
on tender hooks TO be off,
Belong to the Three Bars, don't
your"
yep"
Thought so. Well, good luck to
you"
Say" said Jim, suddenly, you
don't happen to hang out at the Y 2,
do your"
Nav! What dye suppose I'd be-
! doing here this time OF night ~ 7