The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-04-18
to
StebbinS
A Story Of LOvers' Spat and
an Obstinate Pony
BY cLARISSA N1AcKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation 1911

IgK CAdlAOHp 1OAAs
&~~~~~~~~~~~~a
Luke Prentice carefully reread the
letter a second and a third time
When he had learned it quite by hear
he tore it into hundred bits and
flung them to the four winds of heav-
en-.
Il reckon there won't another Cir
git chance to throw me down." said
Luke sullenly as he dug his spurs into
the cow pony's flank. Hump your
self, Stebbins, If you want a rundown
and bite tonightp'
Stebbins bumped himself to such
| good effect that 1t lacked an hour oil
shutdown when he Hoped into the cor
raj of the Three x ranch. His rider
dismounted, and, nodding grimly to
the circle of cowboys gathered around
the fire, he rendered the promised serv-
ices to Stebbins and then entered the
bunk house. where he made careless
| toilet.
"Wednesday nights beau night" re
A-AeAA EACN a ACt~AACA, ~ L0AG . OA0k
flannel shirt with lifted eyebrow
'You know, Luke, we kinder look to
you to keep up the reputation of the
ranch, you being the most popular
counting gent in the outfit. You ain'i
going to back out and stay homer
That's just what I'm going to do
said Mr. Prentice, turning a danger
GUS glance toward his tormentor. eve
heard 1T said that ought to stay
home and give some of you other Eel
lers chance with the girls. OF course
don't want to stand in anybody s
way. I'm taking few counting days
on, SCI?
They all saw and passed the wink
to Fletcher. That gentleman pulled al
his long mustache, turned it fercely
upward and smiled thoughtfully.
THANK you, Luke" he said at last in
velvety tone. I've been waiting
long time for chance, SO as you've
dropped out of the game I'll just
NOPE along the Chincapin trail to-
night got box of candy laid aside
for just such an emergency"
The Chincapin trail led to the Chin.
capin ranch, and there was where Els.
telle Blair lived with her brother
| Frank 1t was said that Luke Prentice
mounted on Stebbins- had worn the
| Chineapin trail down to bedrock II
was a fact that he had fallen des.
perately in love with Estelle Blair and
| 20 ~ 81
to reciprocate his feeling. Lately
however, Estelle had grown cool and
distant, and now their friendship had
been severed by the curt little letter
she had sent advising him that she
would not be at home hereafter on
Wednesday nights.
Luke could not understand why mat
tiers had turned out this way unless II
was that Estelle had learned to love
somebody else. He knew that fetch
er occasionally called at the Chincapin
to see Frank Blair, and he must al
the same time have opportunities OF
meeting Franks lovely sister. But
both Fletcher and Blair were rival
! suitors for the fair hand of Miss Ger
tie Gibbs, the schoolteacher at Lone
Tree, and It was not supposed that
either ever wavered in his allegi
ance to the plump little beauty. AS a
matter of fact, the two rivals were
close companions, and it was whis.
pered that in this way each kept track
of the others movements.
| Nevertheless Luke felt fierce stall
of jealousy as Bert Fletcher emerged
from the bunk house immaculate in q
white shirt and wearing in his bosom
the large yellow topaz pin he had won
from Mexican Pete. His mustaches
were twisted flercely, and his black
eyes sparkled maliciously as he look
ed at Luke Prentice playing solitaire
by the light of a lantern.
"Any messages you want to send
Luke?'' leased Fletcher as he passed
by.
| Prentice lifted a dangerous eye and
surveyed his companions getup with
contempt "You might tell Miss Ger
tie l can't get over tonight, but I'll
| be around sure thing next Wednes.
day." he said lazily gathering up the
cards and swapping them into a rub
Der band.
miss Gertier' Fletcher Redeemed
uneasily. 81 didn't say 1 was going
to Lone Tree. did I? Besides, reck-
on--I didn't know you'd been pros.
pecting around there"
"All gals is alike to me-" returned
Luke sententiousIy. when one amt
| to home another will do just as well
so long as they'll sing and play and
amoose me- AS l was saying, just
tell Miss Gertie I'll come around next
Wednesday. SO long, Bert. You're
| sure going to have moon"
Fletcher strobe away without a
| word, his Joke on Luke Prentice quite
forgotten in his own misery Frank
| Blair might take the opportunity Of
| his being there with Estelle to run
| over to Lone Tree and thus steal a
march on his rival. 1t was a matter
that required much thought and deli
| cate handling.
In the meantime Luke Prentice was
arguing with himself against his rid
| ing forth into the moonlit night and
assailing the Chincapin and demand
| ing an explanation from Estelle.
| There must be some reason for her
not caring to see him again, and If
| the reason was Fletcher-weIl, Luke
would see that Fletcher stopped hirt-
| ing with Miss Gibbs and gave al
iegiance to Estelle Blair.
Suddenly he arose and made hasty
toilet. Then he came out, saddled
| Stebbins and rode away down the
moonlit trail. When he came to the
place where the trails divided, one
leading straight to the town Of Per-
dition, another to the right leading to
Lone Tree and one to the left-the
Chincapin trail-he hesitated, and then
with sharp sigh he turned into the
| Lone Tree trail and cantered briskly
toward the home of Miss Gertie Gibbs.
| Here he spent pleasant evening lis
tening to Miss Gerties vivacious chat
| ter, enjoying the conventional music
she clattered from the tinny piano and
even joining In the chorus of that pop
ular melody Because Love You So
until old man Gibbs pounded on the
parior door and requested silence that
he might snatch few hours rest be-
fore he arose to pursue his daily vo-
cation Of engineering the stagecoach
down to the nearest railroad station.
Later in the evening Bert Fletcher
! appeared, and close at his heels came
Frank Blair When the rivals found
Luke Prentice installed as court IA
vorite they unburdened themselves OF
large boxes OF candy and took q
gloomy departure, Blair galloping back
to the Chincapin to tell his sister OF