Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1911-07-27

my ranch don't have to pay anything,
and they very scarcely ever offers It
Supper II he ready In half an hour"
"Where's the bell?" asked Mcclure
"Bell for what!"
"Bell to ring for things. can't
see here" he exploded in sudden
weak fury. Il never asked you to
bring me here never held you up
for a cent | never give you hard
luck story till you asked me. Here |
am fifty miles from bellboy or a
cocktail. I'm sick. can't hustle"
Raider Went TO the door and called
A slender. bright cOmplexiOned Mexi-
can youth came quickly. Raider
spoke to him in Spanish:
"Ylario. 1t is in my mind that l
promised you the position of vaquero
on the San Carlos range at the fall
rOdea.'
Isl. senor, such was your goodness"
Listen. This senoritO is my friend.
He Is very sick. Place yourself at his
side Attend to his wants at oil
times. Have much patience and care
with him. And when he is well Or
and when he Is well instead Of va
quero will make you mayordomo of
hancho de las Piedras. Esta buenO"
Isl. si-mil gracias. senor."
Ten minutes later YlariO came from
McGuire's room and stood before Raid.
Ter.
1.-THE little senor." he announced,
"presents his compliments" Raidler
credited Ylario with the preliminary
"und desires some pounded ice. one
hot bath. one gin feeZ-z. that the win
dows be all closed. toast, one shave,
one Newyorkheral. cigarettes and to
send one telegram"
Raider took a quart bottle Of whis-
Ky from his medicine cabinet. Here;
take him this" he said.
Thus was instituted the reign Of
terror ut the Solito ranch. For few
weeks Mcclure clustered and boasted
and staggered before the cowpunch-
ers, who rode in for miles around to see
this latest importation Of Raiders.
He was an absolutely new experience
to them. He explained to them all
the intricate points Of sparring and
the tricks Of training and defense. He
opened to their minds view all the
indecorous life Of tagger after pro-
fessional sports. His jargon Of slang
was a continuous Joy and surprise to
them. He was like being from a
new world.
Nearly two months after. his arrival
he began to complain that he felt
worse. 1t was then that he became
the ranch's incubus, its harpy. Its Old
Man Of the Sea. A flush on his
prominent cheek bones each afternoon
hinted that a clinical thermometer
might have revealed symptom and
percussion might have established the
fact that Mcguire was breathing with
only one lung, but his appearance re-
mained the same. The air-the mans
only chance for life-he commanded
to be kept out by closed windows and
drawn curtains. The room was al
ways foul with cigarette smoke.
The attitude of the invalid toward
the cattleman was something like that
Of a peevish, perverse child toward an
indulgent parent. When Raider would
leave the ranch Mcclure would fall
into a fit OF malevolent, silent sullen-
ness. When he returned he would be
met by a string of violent and singing
reproaches.
One day Raider said to him: "Try
more air. son. You can haveN the
blackboard and q driver every day II
you'll 60. Close to the ground-that's
where the medicine In the air stays.
Try a little hossback riding now.
There's gentle pony
"What've Gone to yer?" screamed
Mcclure. Ibid ever double cross yer"
Did ask you to bring me here? Drive
me out to yer camps II you wanter or
stick knife In me and save trouble.