The Lamar register., 1908-02-12
CHAPTER ~.
sMaodotv

An hour prior to this little episode
Jim Munson had sauntered up 10
the ticket window only to find that the
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 1t; outwardly, he was
magnificently Indifferent. He had
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 a still hunt for his spot
of vulnerability.
The waiting room was hot-unbear-
ably so to a 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 1t been so, 1.-THE impending
meeting-would now have been a
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 fix up" for this
event. He had scorned them indig-
nantly. II 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
of commands, blows. profane epithets
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 OPP
posite as he settled down to musing
interest.
"Gee!" he swore gently under his
to-
1t is, for a fac. Wonder what he's
shippin' now for" 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.
Cal huntin'," answered Jim. sober
ly 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. well!
What's comm over the Three Bars?
What'll the boys say?"
He came nearer and lowered his
voice r. confidential tone. say,
Jim, how did 1t 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"
roh,r well, 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 rebellious
steer shutewards. Out beyond 1t was
still and sweet and peaceful, and the
late afternoon had put on that thin
veil of cooiness which is a 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
startlinRly