The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-01-14

ESCOfeF 11ulSeiI.
The lad on the pony's back Redeemed
to his unkempt hair. Il heard you
talking last night-something about
me stealing a blue mustang. ! don't
know anything about it. W. saw
a blue mustangr' he muttered sui
lenly.
The three men rolled in the brush
once more while the tenderfoot stared
resentfully at them. HE amt never
seen a blue mustang!'' shrieked Beese,
pointing a finger at the lads mount
The boy looked down and a strange
expression came into his homely face.
When he raised bis little eyes a fame
fiickered In their green depths. The
pony which he had found ready bridled
In the gray dawn and which had borne
him so valiantly In his fight dropped
YEARLY under the fierce a y of the
sun The wet coat showed a blush
gray.
as this the blue mustang?" asked
the boy In a husky voice.
They shrieked assent. "It was a
joke" they said gleefuIly.
"Git up there. you blamed c0wardsi'
cried the boy fercely, and. strange to
relate, there was that in his voice that
brought the three to their feet.
Look at that there foot" he COM
manded of Long jerks. and that gen.
tleman inspected the injured and swol-
len foot with some concern In his good
natured face.
1T sure must hurt some. sonny" he
said regretfully as he backed of to a
position beside his companions. It
looked very much as If the tenderfoot
vas to be judge and jury and execu-
toner also.
I'VE was only breaking you In" muir
INJURED Beese, uncomfortably. for they
could all see the boy was suffering and
dared not offer him any assistance in
his resentful mood.
you've gone and broke up my
plans!' he fared suddenly. 1--we come
way out here into the God forsaken
country to look for somebody and you
have gone and put me back weeks in
my search. She'll only have to worry
that much mole SOS you folks could
have some fun. f'd-Td like to smash
your facesT'
Il reckon we deserve tive didn't
think of doing harm. Tell us who you
are looking for and mebbe we can
help you. Sure. the three Of us as
knows the plains like an open book can
do more than enc lone little chap like
you" When Long jerks smiled like
that he was Irresistible, and the boys
somber face softened.
Its my father I'm looking for. He
and my mother disagreed about some
thing when l AS a little Teller, and
he went away and left her. He sends
her. money every month. but that isn't
the proper thing. He's got to CONF
back and be the head of the family
and stand back of her or I'll know the
reason why. ! didn't know where he
was till lately. She knew he was In
the cattle country from the postmarL
on his letters. and I've come to find
him. but nobody seems to know the
name of Pinney so far as I've come"
He looked discouraged.
Hen and Beese looked at Long jerks,
and Long jerks went white as paper
and stared at the homely face Of the
boy, nov so like his own. even to the
grim mouth. The boy gazed back at
him long and earnestly. and something
flashed between them. and they both
knew.
"You amt got to look any further.
irving; your fathers been waiting for
a summons this fifteen years. He
thought he wasn't wanted back therC
and He stopped and drew a brown
hand across his trembling lips.
"Oh. If yon could only see her. you'd
know" cried the boy excltedly.
1T won't be long before we both
see her" retorted Long. jerks mean
lngly. He stepped forward and lifted
the boy from the saddle. brushing his
cheek with his lips as he did so. and
both of them blushed.
Gents" said Long jerks with be-
coming dignity. III have to ask you
to render some first aid to the injured
here. My son has hurt himself a-6ght-
lug three grown men all to once"
And his name is Sandy Grit here
after" added BeeSe SOIemnly.