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

man before | married a cattle queen.
What am now? The laughin'stock
of the camps. III be man again
Santa looked at him closely.
Don't be unreasonable, Webb" she
said calmly "You haven't been slight
ed in any way Do ever interfere in
your management of the cattle? |
know the business side of the ranch
much better than you do. l learned it
from dad Be sensible"
Kingdoms and queendoms," said
Webb, don't suit me unless | am in
the pictures too. l punch the cattle.
and you wear the crown. All right.
I'd rather be high lord chancellor of a
cow camp than the eight spot in a
queen high flush. It's your ranch, and
Barber gets the beeyes."
Webb swung up into the saddle. His
serious, smooth face was without ex-
preston except for a stubborn light
that smoldered in his eyes.
4r":sThere's herd of cows and calves"
| said he, NEAR the Hondo water hole
| on the Frio that ought to be moved
away from timber. Lobos have killed
| threeedf the calves. forgot to leave
orders. Tell Simms to attend to it
Santa laid hand on the horses bri-
die and looked her husband in the eye.
Are you going to leave me, Webb?"
she asked quietly.
81 am goin' to be man again." he
answered.
81 wish you success in praisewor-
thy attempt" she said. with sudden
coldness. She turned and walked di-
rectly into the house.
Webb Yeager rode to the southeast
as straight as the topography of west
Texas permitted, and when he reached
the horizon he might have ridden on
into blue space as far as knowledge
of him on the Nopalito went,
One day being named Bartholo,
new, a sheepman. and therefore OF lit
tie account. from the lower Rio
Grande country rode in sight of the
Nopalito ranch house and felt hunger
assail him. Elk consuetudine he was
soon seated at the midday dining table
Of that hospitable kingdom. Talk like
water gushed from him.
''Missis Yeager." he babbled, Il see
q man the other day on the Rancho
Seco, down in Hidalgo county. by your
name-Webb Yeager was his He'd
just been engaged as manager. He
vas a tall. light haired man. not say
ing much Maybe he was some kin
Of yours, do you Think"
"a husband" said Santa cordially.
1.-THE Seco has done we'll Mr.. YeageF
is one of the best stockmen in the
west"
The dropping out of prince consort
rarely disorganizes a monarchy. Queen
Santa had appointed as mayor domo of
the ranch a trusty subject named Ram
say. who had been one of her fathers
faithful vassals And there was scarce.
| " a ripple on the Nopalito ranch save
when the gulf breeze created undula-
lions in the grass Of its wide acres.
For several years the Nopalito had
been making experiments with an
| English breed of cattle that looked
down with aristocratic contempt upon
the Texas longhorns. The expert
ments were found satisfactory. and a
pasture had been set apart for the blue
hoods The fame of them had gone
forth into the chaparral.
As a consequence one day a sun
| burned. capable. silk kerchiefed, non
chalant youth. garnished with reyolY
ers and attended by three Mexican
vaqueros. alighted at the Nopalitc
ranch and presented the following
businesslike epistle TO the queen there
of:
| Mrs. Yeager. the Nopalito Ranch:
/ Dear Madam am instructed by the
owners of the Rancho Seco to purchast
100 head of two and three year old cows
| of the Sussex breed owned by you. If yot
can fill the order please deliver the cattle
to the bearer. and a check viii be for
| warded to you at once. Respectfully.
WEBSTER YEAGER.
Manager the Rancho Seco.
Business Is huSiness even - wo~.