The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1912-04-09

Yum-Yum Yarn of the Cow Country
How the kd-Bess His Heart-Wins Virginia Heiress.
BY

but got run out, have three sisters, one lame an
I'm hankerin. to ,trot doublef
Thorpe whistled and looked hard at the Kid
"Did you git it. Dude?" the latter asked innocently
Thorpe turned to his work and wrote busiy for
several minutes Then he lifted his head and yawned.
did We tell 'er want internal pore-lookin' in
tn features, Dude?"
Told 'er you wan an angel, Kid-kind-hearteder'n
a she-goat," said Thorpe.
'Nawl" The Kids eyes glowed in glad surprise.
That night Hamilton Thorpe up late penning an
other letter that to Westhampton Virginia. He
had resolved husband his little secretat any rate
naugurate bit of detective work before making any
serious fractures in the Kids hopes With this end
in view he quietly but scientifically sorted the Kids
trousers when that gentleman in the distant land
of Nod Thorpe's disappointment was keen he sur
yeyed the total of his disclosures gry copy of
a newspaper. But not ordinary newspaper, either
-he looked at it crtcayit the strangest-appear-
ing paper Thorpe had seen.
-'Hm-Lonely Heart he read as he examined the
title
Then, glance he say the solution of the mystery.
It was plain day. 1t read like this:
17o77.-Sweet and lovable brunette aged 20. Only
daughter of wealthy parents Western men pre-
ferred. Address Box AL, Westhampton, Virginia.
That's Mabe Gentry straight 6ddlestring I" re-
marked Thorpe he carefully adjusted the paper and
crowded it back to its place. He then crept off to
his bunk and fell asleep with broad smile upon his
bronzed features
Three weeks drifted by with monotonous regularity
land heat Incidence characterized the existence of
theTriple~O ranch at this season-there was nothing
to build, nothing to down. nothing to repair The
punchers sole duty eat drink and be as mser-
able heat dust and idleness can make human.
And then two letters arrived
Kid Holton and Dude Thorpe the lucky recipients,
the gauntlet of greeneyed envy that fairly blazed
in the eyes of their mates, and retired to the sacred
and quiet precincts of the lower corral There they
broke the carefully sealed envelopes.
Thorpe consumed an unusually long time in the
perusa of his letter. Bess had plenty tell and she
told it with girlish abandon and voluninosity But
when he had finished and leaned back to think it over
he became aware that the Kid was still delving
herocay into the mystfyng contents of Miss Centys
letter. Observing Thorpes attitude, the Kid hastily
ended his efforts and thrust the letter into his friends
hand
"Read 'er out Dude. 1--we got something in my
eye!" he said, weakly
Thorpe ignored the delicate prevarication and took
the letter.
1t was read-but the reading was done in spots a
hundred feet apart owing to the unparalleled curiosity of
the boys who were found glued to cracks in the corral
"Whew! Amt that great Dude? Nice GAL I'll
bet my .hossp exclaimed Holton, at the close
"You bet she is, Kid-er-I sort of know FER!
Thorpe blurted out lamely
Holton stared at his friend an instant-then turned
a dusl1y red beneath his coat of bronze
"Haw! Haw! Haw! Say, Dude, that's good one
Ell? That's a sassyperiy of joke amt it?
Haw! Haw! Hawp
The Kid slapped his thigh nightly and bent nearly
double. Thorpe, after his first feeling of hesitation
stifened up and looked at Hoton sternly
tits gospel truth, Kid! I was raised with Mabe
Gentry-stoe apples from her dads orchard-went to
sngin' school with Mabe herseH-helped er squeeze
through an algebra exam. regular once a year-and-
Oh, lot more things! I know Mabe all right son r.
Hoton began kicking at the sod with his boot Pres
emily he took long look at the horizon then turned
and faced Thorpe resignedly
''We1l, darn me- Dudel Of course that cuts TIL deal
off shortern Hank Wi<inson's pups tail! Jest write
er so, will ye? Well, hang me for pig-thiefp
What? Cuts tn deal off? Why so, KIDD"
why so? Oh, now, say, Dude You don't really
reckon fellers is plain idiots do ye? Don't We sup
pose we're onto you lttle-after bein with you TO,
FIVE years? We know pretty what class you roteo
in before you give it up take this cow-puchin DUN
shment-sure do! An Kid Holton amt no fl
human to be sidn' up alongside any crtter that ha.
been travelin' in your bunch-no sir!"
Hamilton Thorpe Redeemed trihe It was his frs
mixing that the Tripe-O boys supposed him to b.
otherwise than a plain Woodworking cow man. Hi
past he had thought successfully buried
"Now look here Kid I" Hamilton said placing two
fingers forcibly into the palm of his left hand in al
authoritative fashion, give bunked an grubted with 70,
close onto FIVE you say an in that time have
I passed out any hints that l didn't like vou
style? What I am or have been cuts no figure Kid
It's what I know you are-and that is flat-footed
enandshut reliable friend, and by ginger old man
that girl is yours if Dude Thorpe can make the rifle
Holton looked into Thorpes eyes in open-mouthes
wonder.
mo use, Dude-no use. Algebry, you said? Gil
away Dude! Imagine me- old calf-brander will
saddle both knees loomn' up on tn same da
with-umEwith HER-itd look fine, wouldn't it
huh?"