Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1908-02-06
CHAPTER w.
"Maggot."

An hour prior to this little episode
Jim Munson had sauntered up to
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 it; outwardly, he was
magniflcently 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 a man who practically lived
in the open. He strolled outside and
down the tracks. lie found himself
wishing the train had been on time.
Had it been so, 1.-THE impending
meeting-would now have been n
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 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 tC
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 a stock car.
switch engine, steaming and splutter
ing, stood ready to make way for an
other car as soon as the present ont
should be laden. He was not the onl!
spectator. Others were before him
Two men strolled up to the side OF
posite as he settled down to musinl
interest.
"Gee!" he swore gently under hi
breath, "ef that amt Bill Brown! Yer
It is, for a fac. Wonder what he
a shippin' now fort" He scramble,
lightly over the high fence of the per
"Hullo, there, Bill Brown he yell
ed, genially, making his way as on
accustomed through the bunch of re
luctant, excited cattle.
"Hullo yourself, jim! What yo
dom in town." responded the man aG
dressed, pausing in his labor to wip
the streaming moisture from his face
He famed himself vigorously with hi
uIOOpiHS nat WHllS lie ldlhSu'
Gal huntin'," answered Jim, sober
ly and despondently.
He'll" Brown surveyed him wit
astonished but sympathetic approbs
ton. He'll" he repeated. "Yo
don't mean it, do you, Jim, honest
Come, now, honest? SO you've com
to it, at last, have you? Well, well
What's comin' over the Three Bars
What'll the boys say?"
He came nearer and lowered hi
voice TO confidential tone. "Sa.