The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-10-17

EN- = 1A4 bGoI rHL31OW In x6M WORLD.
hastily up the stairs to her own room,
listened to- her light tread across the
floor and then silence
Nine withdrew her head and looked
miserably around the sunshiny room.
Il don't see what is the matter with
her." she murmured. "If she's engag-
ed to marry Linn she ought to be the
happiest girl in the world just fancyg'
Captain bod Mason and his two
partners, Linn Oswald and Jack Nick
erson, had been riding around the
ranges taking count Of the focks of
turkeys. 1t was the shipping season,
and soon the handsome bronze birds
would be corralled and protestingIy ex-
ecuted and hustled into the cold stor-
age cars that even now awaited their
coming on the spur tracks at Pento.
my appetite tells me it's nearing
dinner time, boys" said the captain
genially as they concluded their con-
ference. "If you can manage to get
that last flock Of gobblers out Of that
roost In the cottonwoods I'll telephone
down to Pento for the gang to come
up in the morning, and we'll start
things going. Coming to the house
nowT'
"I'll be along presently" remarked
Linn gloomily. Guess I'll take an
other look at those chaps in the cot
tonwoods."
Same here" added Jack Nickerson
laconically, and together in moody ST.
lence they watched the captains TO-
tund figure riding easily across the
ranges. his horse gracefully rising over
every split rail fence that impeded his
progress
Zine old boy" said Linn, with a
heavy sigh.
BEST ever-I say, Linn Jacks
voice had lost its customary tone Of
assurance. He spoke almost shyly.
"Fire ahead" encouraged Linn reck-
lessly, as II he knew what his com
panion was going to say and wanted
to get 1t over with.
I'm engaged to marry Ten Mason"
blurted Jack suddenly
'Then you ought to be the happiest
man in the world uttered Linn grave
~ as he held out his hand
Happier than the man who marrtes
NineY' demanded Jack jealousy
"Who told your Linn stared 10
him.
"ToId me whatT' 1t was Jacks tur'
to stare.
"That was engaged to marry Nine"
II didn't know that you were en-
gagged to her. said Jack shortly. Con
CALCULATIONS all that, you known
Thanks said Linn dryly. "Goilag
to ride down to the cottonwoods2"
They turned their horses and trotted
slowly across the crisp pasture land.
1t was frosty November day, and
the tang of approaching winter was in
the air.
When they drew near the cotton
woods they heard the raucous gruln-
blings of the mammoth gobblers that
were the pride of the ranch. by
mutual assent Linn rode around to
the south side of the little thicket.
while Jack protected the eastern way
VI CSSdpc
With a loud yell and a thunder Of
hoofs Linn raced through the thicket,
driving the wandering birds before
him. 1t would have worked all right.
only the biggest gobbler of all and the
leader of the flock lifted his huge
spread OF wings and few up into the
lower branches OF the nearest tree,
and soon he was followed by the en-
tire flock of fifty, whose bulk Ciarkened
the sparsely clothed trees and hung, a
menacing force over the irate drivers
head
"Let 'em stay. then" said Linn cross
~. I'VE can get 'em after dinner.
What do you say?"
Suits me- said Jack, and together
they rode silently back to the farm
house. where Nine and Ten were
experimenting the placing Of the din
ner on the table.
Nine was very pale. and her eyes
were bright and sparkling. always 4
Lsign that things were going wrong