The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-08-16

thh iisit, thdihs ~ tudt uIculillnE Ihlu
we had last Sunday. You'll find yore range
lot better than when you left. Curley said
some Of yore cows are drifting saw bunch
on our outlying range. Wait an III square
our account" and he walked briskly to the
house, followed by Ball, who was eager and
impatient TO get home to his wife and to help
his partner round up the strays.
Wafies reappeared holding out bag Of
money: There, Sol. 50. Month an half"
Much obliged--let me know when you
want nae again, Ball said hurriedly, pocket
ing his money uncounted "Do you know
how foes been getting on2"
W" No, but he shore had a big Job on his
hands out there"
Yes; an I'm off to help him-so long"
and the dust followed him westward.
Waffies leaned in the doorway and looked
after him, musings When the distant rider
sank out OF sight over ridge he turned to re-
enter the house, "Yore blamed fine feller,
Ned but dn yorr partnerls
II was past noon when Ball saw the first
straying group OF bis cattle, but he would not
take The time to turn them then. He wanted
70 see his wife first tomorrow would do for
the strays, for he and Joe could round them up
in no time. When he entered the mouth Of
the pass he noticed that the rain mentioned by
Wafiles had washed sand across the narrow,
slanting trail and that it was marked only by
the tracks Of cows Six days had passed since
the rain and no one had used the pass.
Sometime later he turned the last bend and
saw his log cabin, and he arose in his strrups
and hailed, noting in one quick look that no
smoke came from the chimney and that sand
had been washed down before the closed door.
Jane! Jane! Joel" he shouted, spur
ring forward. Only the echoes OF bis own
voice replied and he saw that the sand was
devoid Of tracks-no, mountain lion had
crossed, it had sniffrd at the door and gone on
without increasing its stride
my Godl What has happenedl Can
that cougar have" he dashed open the
door, afraid Of what he might find. He ran
TO Joe's room and the kitchen and then re-
turned to the room used by himself and his
wife. No signs OF them, no sounds save those
made by himself. The ashes from the fire
place were caked on the HEARTH washed there
by the rain Of six days before He paused in
CONSERVATION, dismay, almost terror What
uncanny thing had happened3 Where was
his rifle, bis wifes clothes Another look in
Ioes room showed him that his partners
rifle, clothes and the few other things Of value
were not there Was there theft and murder
to be solved!
Running TO his trunk he drew his cash
box from under 1.-THE few dollars il had con-
tained we're gone. He picked up piece of
paper which he found on the bottom and
opened it mechanically. As he read it his
blood went cold and, letting the note autter to
the floor be staggered 10 chair and fell
Imply into it.
"Godl Gone together Gone together"
and strong man sobbed in the throes OF
sorrow almost uncomfortable, his huge frame
shaking conyulsh ely. Jane, the love OF his
heart, his wife, gone with Parker Gone
with the man he had known since boy, the
man whose life he had twice saved at the risk
OF his own
III tiS 4Nifh iiolSc vi tliC " Ddi-o NdlnCS
smiled in his sleep and Tenspot Davis snored
nightly. Then the foreman's dream was
rudely shattered and he awakened to find him
self roughly shaken, and he lost no time in
surmises, but grappled, and the snores
ceased
It's Ball-Ball" cried the foreman's OPP
ponent as Waifies's hand gripped his throat.
Ball was strong, but Waffles was fighting for
his lie for all he knew
Ball be id" he gritted. 81 know his
voice Strike light, YOU foolsl' he yelled.
When the light hared up it revealed
strange scene Two men were struggling in
corner, and three Others, very much awake,
and clad in over patched under garments,
each held long gbarreed Colt pointed in
quirngly at the noise Then they dropped
their weapons and leaped 10 their foremans
aid, although he could have dispensed with it.
He had scored early by landing lucky blow
on his antagonists wind. And Ball didn't
wish to fight him, anyway.
For Gods sake what's th' matterlp
cried Waiiles, slowly recognizing his nee
turnal visitor
ane an Parker has left me went of to-
gether ] want a fresh csyuse an rifle,
quick" There was no doubling the truth Of
his words, for his eyes, his whole bearing
burned with it.
What" yelled four men in unison.
"Ain't got time TO talk gimme rifle an
fresh cayuse. My COWS are yourn il you get
'em. .
Why did you waste time waking us' You
oo,lid took 'em without that" Watfies ex-
claimed.
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