The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-06-05

remember the sign she used to send.
Raldy-the heart with a cross inside"
''Me?" cried Badly. with intoxicated
archneSs. You old sugar stealth
coyote. Don't remember! Why, you
dadblamed old long horned turtledove,
the boys in camp was all cognoscious
about them hiroglyphs. The 'gizzard
and crossbones' we used to call it. We
used to see 'em on truck that was sent
out from the ranch. They was mark
ed in charcoal on the sacks of -four
and in lead pencil on the newspapers"
"Santa's father" explained Webb
gently. got her to promise that she
wouldn't write to me or send me any
word. That heart and cross sign was
her scheme Whenever she wanted to
see me in particular she managed to
put that mark on S0methin' at the
ranch that she knew Id see.
The last time Santa sent me the
sign" said Webb. was once when she
was sick. l noticed it rs soon as hit
camp, and l gaIIoped Pinto forty mile
that night | went to the house. Old
McAllister met me at the door. Did
you come here to get killed? says he.
I'll disoblige you for once. | just
started Mexican to bring you. Santa
wants you Go in that room and see
her and then come out and see me-
Santa was lynn in bed pretty sick.
But she gives out a kind of smile,
and her hand and mine lock horns.
and sets down by the bed-mud and
spurs and chaps and all. I've heard
you ridin' across the grass for hours,
Webb she says. 1 was sure you'd
come. You saw the sign? she whis-
pers The minute hit camp says
l. Twas marked on the bag of pota
toes and onions? They're always to-
gether,' says she, soft-Ike-' always to-
gether in life They go well togeth-
er, says. in stew 1 mean hearts
and crosses says Santa. Our sign
to love and to suffer--that's what they
mean There was old Doc Musgrove
amusin' himself with whisky and IL
palm leaf fan. And by and by Santa
goes to sleep. and Doc feels her fore
head, and he says TO NE: You're not
such a bad febrifuge. but you'd better
slide out now. for the diagnosis VT
call for you in regular doses. The
little lady'll be all right when she
wakes up
81 seen old McAllister outside. She's
asleep. says |. and now you can start
in with your colander work. Take
your time for | left my gun on my
| saddle horn
"Old Mac laughs. and he says to me:
| 'Pumpin' lead into the best ranch boss
| IN west Texas don't seem to me good
business policy. / don't know where
| could get as good a one. It's the
son-in-law idea. Webb. that makes me
admire for to use you as target.
You amt my idea for member Of
the family. But | can use you on the
| Nopalito il you'll keep outside of
radius with the ranch house in the
middle of it"
Badly Woods pulled down his hat
and uncurled his leg from his saddle
horn. Webb shortened his rein. and
his pony danced. anxious to be of
The two men shook hands with west
ern ceremony.
"Adios. Baby said Webb. .I'm
glad seen you and had this talk"
At s o'clock on the following morn
ing Bud Turner rolled from his saddle
in front of the Nopalito ranch house
and stumbled with whizzing rowels to
ward the gallery. Bud was in charge
of the bunch of beef cattle that was to
strike the trail that morning for San
Antonio. Mrs. Yeager was on the gal
lery watering cluster of hyacinths
growing in red earthenware jar.
king" McAllister had bequeathed to
his daughter many of his strong char
acteristics = his resolution, his gay
courage, his contumacious self reIi-
ance, his pride as a reigning monarch
of hoofs and horns. Allegro and fortis-
simo had been NC Allister's tempo and
tone In Santa they survived. trans
posed TO the feminine key.
i Webb stood on one edge of the gal
lery giving orders to two or three sub
bosses of various camps and outfits
who had ridden in for instructions.
"Mornin'.'' said Bud briefly. Where
do you want them beeves to go in
town-to BARRIERS. as usualY'
Now. to answer that had been the
prerogative of the queen. All the
reins of misunderstanding, selling and
banking-had been held by her capa-
BILE fingers The handling of the cattle
had been intrusted fully to her hus-
band In the days of King McAllis-
ter Santa had been his secretary and
helper, and she had continued her work
with wisdom and profit. But before
/ she could reply the prince consort
spake up with calm decision:
"You drive that bunch to thinner
man and Nesbit's pens. spoke to
/ Zimmerman about it some time ago."
Bud turned on his high boot heels.
wait" called Santa quickly. She
looked at her husband with surprise in
her steady gray eyes.
why. what do you mean. Webb?"