Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1912-08-30
to
Stebbins
A Story of a Lovers' Spat and
an Obstinate Pony
By CLARISSA MACKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

Luxe Prentice carefully reread the
letter a second and a third time
When he had learned 1T quite by heart
he tore it into a hundred bits and
flung them to the four winds of heav-
en-.
II reckon there won't another girl
git chance to throw me down." said
Luke sullenly as he dug his spurs into
the COW pony's flank. Hump your
self, Stebbins, If you want a rundown
and bite tonight"
Stebbins bumped himself to such
good effect that it lacked an hour OF
shutdown when he Hoped into the cor
raj Of the Three x ranch. His rider
dismounted, and, nodding grimly to
the circle of cowboys gathered around
the fire, he rendered the promised serv-
ices to Stebbins and then entered the
bunk 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
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 a danger
Gus glance toward his tornentor. I've
heard it said that 1 ought to stay
home and give some of you other fell
lers a chance with the girls. OF course
i don't want to stand in anybody's
way I'm taking a few counting days
of, seer"
They all saw and passed the wink
to Fletcher. That gentleman pulled at
his long mustache, turned it fercely
upward and smiled thoughtfully.
THANK you, Luke" be said at last in
g velvety tone. 1--WE been waiting
a long time for chance. so as you've
dropped out of the game I'll just
NOPE along the Chincapln trail to-
night / got a box of candy laid aside
for just such an emergency"
The Chincapin trail led to the Chin
capin ranch, and there was where Els
telle Blair lived with her brother
Frank It was said that Luke Prentice
mounted on Stebbins had worn the
Chincapin trail down to bedrock. 1t
was a fact that he had fallen des-
perately In love with Estelle Blair and
that for a 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 at home hereafter on
Wednesday nights.
Luke could not understand why mat
tiers had turned out this way unless it
was that Estelle had learned to love
somebody else. He knew that Fleteh
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
de Gibbs, the schoolteacher at Lone
Tree, and it was not supposed that
either ever wavered in his allegi-
ance to the plump little beauty. AS
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 a fierce stab
of jealousy as Bert Fletcher emerged
from the bunk house immaculate in
white shirt and wearing in his bosom
the large yellow topaz pin he had won
from Mexican Pete. His mustaches
were twisted fiercely. 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, 1
Iuke?'' teased Fletcher as he passed
by. /
Prentice lifted a dangerous eye and 1
his companions getup with /
contempt. "You might tell Miss Ger
tie / can't get over tonight. but III
be around sure thing next Wednes- !
day." he said. lazily gathering up the
cards and swapping them into a rub
Der band.
"Miss GertieY' Fletcher Redeemed /
uneasily. II didn't say | was going /
TO Lone Tree, did I? Besides, I reck-
didn't know you'd been pros
pecting around there"
"All gals is alike to me-" returned
Luke sententiously. when one amt
to home another viii do just as well
so 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 moon"
Fletcher strobe away without e
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 q
march on his rival 1t was matter
nat required much thought and deli
-ate handling.
In the meantime Luke Prentice was
arguing with himself against his rid
ng forth into the moonlit night and
,ssailing the Chincapin and demand
- IN axnlenatfOn from EStelle.