The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1911-11-10
According to
StebbinS
a Story Of a Lovers Spat and
All Obstinate Pony
By CLARISSA MACKIE
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation, 1911

Luke Prentice carefully reread the
letter second and a third time
When he had learned it quite by heart
ne tore 1t into hundred bits and
hung them to the four winds of heay
en-.
II reckon there won't another girl
GIT chance to throw me down." said
Luxe sullenly as he dug his spurs into
the COW pony's flank. Hump YOUR
self. Stebbins, IL you want a rundown
and bite tonight"
Stebbins bumped himself to such
good effect that it lacked an hour Of
shutdown when he loped into the cor
raj OF the Three X ranch. His rider
olsmounted. and. nodding grimly to
the circle OF cowboys gathered around
the fire, he rendered the promised sery-
ices TO Stebbins and then entered the
punk house. where he made a careless
toilet.
"Wednesday nights beau night" re.
marked Fletcher, scanning Luke's blue
flannel shirt with a 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 amt
going to back out and stay homer
That's just what I'm going to do"
said Mr. Prentice, turning danger
GUS glance toward his tormentor. 1--WE
heard 1t said that l ought to stay
home and give some of you other fell
lers chance with the girls. OF course
l don't want to stand in anybody's
way. I'm taking few counting days
OF, see?"
They all saw and passed the wink
to Fletcher. That gentleman pulled at
his long mustache. turned 1t fiercely
upward and smiled thoughtfully.
THANK you. Luke" he said at last In
a velvety tone. i've been waiting
long time Cor chance, so as you've
dropped out of the game I'll Just
NOPE along the Chincapin trail to-
night. I got box of candy laid aside
for just such an emergency"
The Chincapin trail led to the Chin
capin ranch. and there was where Es-
telle Blair lived with her brother
Frank. 1t was said that Luke Prentice
mounted on Stebbins had worn the
Chincapin trail down to bedrock. It
was a fact that he had fallen des-
perately In love with Estelle Blair and
that for time at least she appeared
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 Mt home hereafter on
Wednesday nights.
Luke could not understand why mat
tiers had turned out this way unless 1t
was that Estelle had learned to love
somebody else. He knew that Fletch
er occasionally called at the Chincapin
to see Frank Blair. and he must at
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 1t was not opposed that
either ever wavered in his alleg-
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 stab
of jealousy as Bert Fletcher emerged
from the bunk house immaculate in a
white shirt and wearing in his bosom
tho 1or ro1 <op min ko
from Mexican Pete. His mustaches
were twisted 6ercely. and his black
eyes sparkled maliciously as he look
ed at Luke Prentice playing solitaire
by the light Of lantern.
"Any messages you want to send.
Luke?" leased Fletcher as he passed
by.
surveyed his companions getup with
contempt "You might tell Miss Ger
tie 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 Gertiev' Fletcher Redeemed
uneasily. II didn't say | was going
to Lone Tree. did I? Besides. I reck-
on-I didn't know you'd been pros
pectfng around there"
"All gals ia alike to me-" returned
Luke tremendously. when one amt
to home another will do just as we'll
10 long as they'll sing and play and
amoose me. As was saying. just
tell Miss Gertie I'll come around next
Wednesday. So long. Bert. You're
sure going to have a 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 deA-
cate handling. +. ~ $.
In the meantime Luke Prentice was
arguing with himself against his rid