The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1909-04-14

boy couldn't look after herd of any
decent size, such as | suppose ole
PEBBLES owned. Did he tell you theil
number!"
Don't guess he knows grinning
"His great drawback is weak head
lie talks big as 10000 man-'bout
what they've done an are dom an
are goin' to do an bout their round
ups an brandin's an sich. But one
time when l pinned him down to rea'
numbers he flung his shoulders bacl
an looked proud as peacock an
said he guessed as much as seventy
an spoke like It was printed in big
letters. Ye see, at home he'd never
been used to but one.
Nov, my idee's this" looking about
the group which had closed in to lis
ten. ''Old PEBBLES himself wa'nt
much of cattle man an got more an
more shiftless fore he was gored. He
never had only 500 or 600 head, !
guess. an half these slipped away OF
died fore his end come. Then be-
tween the gorin' an the girl reachin'
there the herd must "a thinned con-
sider'ble. l wouldn't wonder if the
weak herd was reasonably close tc
the mark, though mebbe the count II
run to a hundred or more. One man
could look after that many in any
place an up where they are could
care for most any number. The V
ranch is jest long valley that ends in
a pint, with the only entrance this
way, an it has the best grain ]
know. Almost any size herd could
feed there, an a man at this end could
look out for 'em all. If It want fol
that the two innocents couldn't "a
herded a dozen week without 6
stampede That valleys jest honey
an peaches for the little grille"
"It's one of the most exposed ranches
in the whole country" declared Bell
with considerable uneasiness in his
voice. eff there are cattle stealers in
the mountains, as seems a sure thing
now, the V ranch is right at theil
hands, and, from what you say about
the owners, there wouldn't be much
opposition. I question if even now
any cattle are left on the ranch
What'd you say the girls name was?
Didn't say. But 1 guess it spells
out Katherine. for the man spoke OF
l~r as Mees Kat'in', though likely hel
schoolgirlie name is Kitty. Shall ]
ride out that away"
"No; I'll go myself. It's time | was
showing neighborliness. Besides,
don't mind confessing I'm little anx
ious. The rest of you visit all the
ranches within thirty or forty miles
and invite every man who has lost cat
tie to join in the hunt. | will cover
the territory in my direction"
There were two ranches on the way
out, and these he visited. But the
owners seemed inoredulous as to his
| loss. The year had been the most
| prosperous in their experience, they
declared, and neither CT them had
missed a hoof. And yet their Cattle
! had. strayed ia all directions, many
even penetrating into the foothills.
On across the plain With long. easy
undulations be swept making rapid
progress, but so easily as to seem IL
no hurry. himself and horse as one. q
machine fer speed.
The V ranch owner was swinging II
hammock under one of the trees
| that were scattered about the dug
! out Old PEBBLES had been shiftlegs
/ financially and industrially. but he
4
comfort Other ranchers had raised
rattle: he had grown trees and ar
RANGED hammocks ard seats urde;
them and boxes for birds nests in
them Within the dugout he had more
easy lounging places ard entrances
for birds and a profusion Of books
Ard while he had read and dreamed
ard slept the herd had scattered ard
decreased.
To this place had come the girl
from the east. young in years but
with the dreaminess Of centuries in
her blood. And she had found the
place good.
She had scarcely thought of loneli-
ness or visitors, but now. as she saw
the first one sweep into her valley
and straight on to the dugout, she
found that interest Of the outside
world surpassed that of the book in
her hand, and she rose and stood
awaiting his approach with flush OF
anticipation on her face
She was more than merely pretty,
and the consciousness of 1t thrilled
Sam Bell even before he swung him.
self from his horse and stood before
her with DOTTED hat. Since his college
days he had seen little Of women, but
| this one struck him as being more
suited to a drawing room than to a
dugout. He had thought to pay his
compliments and state his errand
while holding to his bride reins, but
before a half dozen words were spo-
ken he made a turn with the reins
I about limb and accepted the camp
chair beside her hammock, which she
Hospitality indicated. Then he pushed
! the chair aside and SDrawled at full