The evening world., 1912-01-19
III.
(Opo1Duad)
The Kid and the COpb0v.

turned IN . boW noU1ns of1vinB
half Q dozen catt1s-b1nded
with the sign Of the = Down
This was Toban's brand. In response
to the rangs boss's mauiv-couchsd in
sharp tones-Bali replied that he had
found the strays feeding down IN the
big basin. near the Bend. Later. when
pressed by the range boss. he declared
tina he had met Toban In tho big basin
driving the steers toward the Bar Cross.
Toban had said that he could not &C.
count for the steers being in his corral.
soon as he saw II.
Following BARS trip 10 the Bend.
several otf<r men OF the OUTFIT had Nike
experiences. Bar CroR strays were
found each time In he big basin .
the Bend. though not always did h
bear the r Down brand. Several times
Toban was seen. driving the Bar Cross
steers toward tho big basin.
There was no mystery about Nhis.
Every man on the IA Cross outnt
know that tho hand OF n . was
against Toban. TIN, cattle that ~
peared No regularly In the basin did not
come there accidentally. 1t was dirty
work. and presently tho mon OF the out
nj began to grumb!e. Rope Jones. who
had boon at the Bar Cross only a few
months. declared openly-after two trips
to tho ~baSin-that he would refuse
another trip.
On tho range boss's next visit 70 tho
rancihouse no remained long In the
Office with MoVca andScame out. pale,
but smiling with grim satisfaction. No
one knew what lc had said 10 the man.
ager. but on the following morning
there were no orc..ss for the Bar Cross
men to search for strays In tr,s vicinity
OF tho Bend.
Certainly. something more than the
managers word was necessary 80 con-
vince the men OF the ouh thar Toban
convLnxd that Mcvea waa determined
TO continue the riding sign on the hester
they took great pains to let him know
that even II a Bar Gross COW should hap.
pen to turn up adorned with the T Down
sign. that fact would nave to ,be accom-
panied with absolute. damning proof
against Toban. They would stand Tor
no dirty wort. Later. when the edge
had worn on tho incident. the range
boss told tho mon that this was what ne
had told AicVea on tho occasion Of the
visit that had kept him 20 long in the
ranch house.
But the boys knew the manager would
not rest. Ito was no. taking any
chances. but he was determined ana un-
~scrupulous and would not allow Toban
to remain mt the Bend. Therefore they
kept n watchful eye upon Mcvca and
tho hester. determined 20 know the truth
when tho crisis came.
This was not long delayed. Al noon
on tho Fourth of Ju1y. while the
twcnty-seven men OF the OUTFIT were
seated at dinner near tho chuck wagon,
they saw n balloonlng dust cloud MP.
~pronchlng from the direction OF the Bar
Cross headquarters. II vas the black
smith. Ho had ridden twenty miles IN
Cess than an hour. he said. when no
had dlSmountod and could got his
breath, and his news was that Toban
had appropriated one Of the Bar Cross
horses and gone away with It.
Shortly before II o'clock. he said.
the manager had appeared at the
ranch. riding Toban's horse and in =
towering age. His story vas that
earlier In tbs morning he had met To-
ban down near the big ba sin and that
the hester had traded horses with him.
after first relieving HIM OF his six
shooter.
At FIRST che b~,acksmnh's story was
not believed. but when within an our
McVea himself appeared at the chuck
wagon, riding n fresh Bar Cross horse
ani leading ToNan's misft. there was
nothing to do but accept the inevitable.
A man might steal nm occasional COW.
he might even appropriate several.
providing he was clever enough to OBJ
literate the brand and substitute an
other that would stand inspection. Bun
steal a horse7 Even friend ship could
not excuse that crime.
And 90 the Bar Gross men. sincerely
~re9retting the theft and filed with pity
Tor Toban. grfnly sahdled their ponies
and set out over ne plains toward the
nsster's cabin. there to apply the law
Of the range Leading Toban's horse
md concealing his satisfaction to some
slight degree. McVea followed.
II wa. . o'clock when tho twenty
seven men OF this outfit swept around
the base ot n low foothill at tho edge
Of tire big basin and rode silently down
the river toward the Bend. Apparently
the cabin wa deserted. No smoke rose
from tho adobe brick ch!mney-a sure
sign that the cabin was not occupied.
Bat near the crossing the outnt came
upon tho Kid. sitting on o nat rock.
throwing pebbles into the water. lie
rosa 10 his fee, as he saw the men
Riding In tho forefront. Badly came
upon him frst and disnounted beside
him.
Hello. KID, your dad home?"
''Nope. He's gone somewhere. An
I'm 20 sit here an play with tho rocks
until he comes back. lie said he
wouldn't be gone very long. Wa you
lookin' for him?"
Badly turned his head and scowied at
tho other men. who had now come up,
'I reckon we ars,'' ne said. He turned
again 10 the boy. II reckon hs didn't
ride OIL Rust2"
NO" Tho boy looked up proudly.
Hes got a better horse. lie told
mamma that he bought It from a man
named Mcvea. Does that man sell
horses?'
From tho rear came McVea's voice.
hoarsa ana sullen.