Willmar tribune., 1909-10-06
WITH FLYING CO[ORS,
The Incident That Ended His
Period Of Probation,
BY CLARICE ENGLE.

BY CLARicE ENoLE.
Copyright, l9o9 by Associated Literary
Press.l
A man picked his way slowly along
the sun baked trail that led westward
to Taggart across the desert. It was
high noon and the day had been hot
and dry and the mans throat was
parched with thirst. This did not tend
to lessen his ferocious aspect nor to
soften the anger that glowed in his
eyes. 1t was all due to his visit that
morning to the little ranch few miles
behind, for there he had met with the
first failure in his life. He had pro-
posed and been rejected.
1t was not Bill Warren's nature to
be ballled by anything. He usually
carried matters his own way and with
high hand, as result Of which he
was looked upon as sort Of local
bad man." But this cognomen was
applied to him only by people who did
not know Bill. In reality no better nor
kinder natured man than he ever rode
into Taggart.
But Sue Patterson was one Of those
who were not intimately acquainted
with Warren, and this asserttveness
she looked upon as something evil.
Therefore. although otherwise she
liked Warren better than any other Of
her admirers, she felt that she was
acting quite right when she rejected
his offer Of marriage.
All the consolatio that she had
given him in answer to his earnest
pleading was that she would put him
on an indefinite probation and If he
came through it with flying colors why
she would think about it.
All of which Warren took too liter
ally. and he thought that she had
spoken thus only to soften her refusal.
He became angry at the thought Of it.
She don't care nothin' fer me-" he
muttered savagely, "an' l know why.
It's all along Of that sneakin' coyote,
Ralph Henderson. Been to Frisco an
seen a few things an comes out here
to lord it over us. know the brand.
She's plumb loco over the cuss. too,
an he amt no man. No." he finished
spitefully. "he amt no man."
He rode on across the desert in a
sort of dulled consciousness. with his
hat pulled we'll down over his eyes.
At length. toward the middle of the
afternoon. he came into the foothills.
Before him lay the Tooth of Time,
the largest mountain in that vicinity.
Beyond it, ten miles to the westward.
was Taggart. This necessitated his
taking the trail that wound round the
slope of the mountain. This trail was
hardly more than a we'll trodden foot
path and was only wide enough to per-
NIT single rider upon it. One side
of it sloped up at an angle of almost
eighty degrees. The other formed the
side of precipice that dropped
sheer 200 feet to the sandy ravine be-
low.
AS he rode over the trail. lost In
thought. Warren was dead to external
sounds. He did not notice the fidget-
Ing Of his horse nor his frightened
whinnies. He had no intimation what
ever that any one was approaching
along the trail from the opposite direc-
ton. And yet not hundred feet
ahead of him horse and rider were
rounding the curve Of the mountain
Neither noticed the other until they
were fifty feet apart Then by some
strange intuition both raised their
heads. Recognition was mutual and
instantaneous. for the man ahead of
Warren was Ralph Henderson.
The faces Of both men paled with
fear. Not in years had two men met
on that narrow trail. and it seemed
some strange Intervention of destiny
that it should be Warren and Hender-
son. While the face Of the cattleman
grew anxious, that of Henderson be-
came quickly overshot with a crafty
cunning.
"Hello!" he drawled pleasantly.
"Hello" muttered Warren nervously.
"Well, what are we going to do
about it," the city man continued. 1T
looks as if you'd have to 60 back"
mot by - sight," snapped War
ren. There's no turning about for
either of us. Well have to manage to
pass each other. The place seems pref
ty wide here"
"Flip a coin for the inner side," sug-
gested the other. suddenly reaching a
hand into his pocket.
Right" agreed Warren, "but let's
have look at it firSt.''
Henderson's face turned scarlet and
he stayed his hand. II declare. I'm all
out of coin." he ratified sheepishly.
Here's an eagle" replied Warren,
with narrow eyes. "Heave her up!
Heads pass on the inside, tails pass
on the outside"
He tossed the coin to Henderson as
he spoke who. pale faced and hesitat-
Ing. fumbled with it a moment and
let it fly up into the air with a twirl
of a veteran trickster 1t fell down on
the trail at their feet. ringing out clear
and cold.
"Tails" cried the city man, overcome
with excitement. His face resumed
something of it's natural color and the
old craftiness stole into his eyes.
Warren accepted his fate nonchal-
antly, although he knew that it might
mean death for him. There was one
thing about it, however. that CALLED
him. He we'll knew that Henderson
was on his way to the Patterson ranch.
and it came to him as rather bitter
thought that he might have to play