Evening star., 1908-01-19
S. B. Bates, a Romance Of Paint River

wore on. S. B. Bates answers on the sub
finally, when Bill Barnes asked her il she
had a bull calf for sale. she told him In
voice which made Bill stare that she
talked business at her ranch" Just be-
fore coffee was served at L. S. 3. Bates
announced that she was going Stout,
his mouth open in ecstasy. was whrling
with the girl from the Half Way House
and did not see his neighbor walk past
him with blazing eyes. accompanied by
Uncle Sam Boucher with the lantern
Stout. jaded and yawning. drove home
at daylight. He was half asleep when
he came to the pole-bridge. but he awak-
ened to a state OF alertness which was
like the wakefulness of insomnia when
he saw a sign fastened to several poles
which blocked the entrance OF the bridge
The sign read:
THIS BRIDGE is CLOSED.
S. r. BATES.
AS Stout with numb fingers laboriously
removed the interlaced poles in the gray
dawn, slow wrath began to burn in his
bosom. He did not comprehend the
cause. but he realized that s. B. Bates
Hdu OIl I1C uIoNC hoiic, anu
after caring for his horse, printed a sign
which read:
THIS BRIDGE IS OPEN.
W. STOUT.
He attached it to his end of the bridge.
and, with a feeling of satisfaction and
pride in the neatly printed letters. re-
turned to his shack to sleep.
Refreshed by his sumbers. he started
late in the afternoon to demand an ex-
planation from S. B. Bates. IS. B." saw
him coming and was waiting for him on
the pole which marked the exact center
OF the bridge. Stout felt himself shrink
before her blazing eyes.
This bridge is closed" said IS. B."
Her lips were straight line.
This bridge is open.'' replied Stout,
trying to force determination into his
wavering voice
II am. armed" said 8. B. Bates, and
from the folds of her skirt she produced
a formidable pair of wire clippers. Take
one step forward and 1 shall use this
weapon
Stout, with his foot poised in mid air,
iiCSltdlCu -. d. IdSCS uHSpUhCh LII Cdt
to remove his flesh from his bones In
pinches rang true. He knew also that
she could do it.
II will not fight a lady, he replied
with dignity, backing off the bridge
II wouldn't advise you to- answered
S. B. Bates. mockingly.
That same afternoon it chinooked. The
soft, warm wind melted the snow in the
mountains and gulches with incredible
rapfdity and yellow stream began to
rush through the dry bed OF Paint river.
In the morning the yellow stream was
torrent, and 1t looked as though the
bridge might go out before night.
He followed the creek down to see II
the flood had taken out the wire fence he
had strung across from his property to
that of his neighbor's. The fence was still
intact, SO he returned to his shack and
seated himself disconsolately on the door
step.
Now that stout's wrath had subsided
somewhat. he realized that the with
drawal of S. B. Bates friendship was a
more serious matter than it had at first
SeeIHeu lHdI morse Win the dlStemper-
rs. B." had thought she could cure it,
He had talked of buying a carpet-"S.
b. was going to sew it for him. He
meant to purchase Meldon's water rights
on Sage creek-if IS b. thought we'll
Of it. But he was going to miss most of
all her companionship: she was surely
very companionable. She had been pa
tient with him In his verdancy, and her
kindness had been unfailing. Her vol
canic outburst puzzled and bewildered
him. AS he brooded the clatter of hoofs
fell on his ear. He arose and looked
round the corner to see the girl from
the Half Way House galloping down the
road on her blue roam.
"The upper bridge has gone out" she
said. pulling up at his doorstep land I
had to ride back and cross here. Is 1t
safe?"
We'll, you see the b-bridge is closed, -
stammered Stout. distinctly embarrassed.
CLOSED? What's the matter?'
''W-W-Why. S. B. Bates, you see-a-
"a He groped wildly for some plausible
explanation, and while he houndered he