Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1913-07-25
O. HENRY STORIES
Copyright by the Mcclure Company

wind.
Three nights after that Curly rolled
himself in his blanket and went to
sleep. Then the other punchers rose
up softly and began to make prepare
tons. Ranse saw Long Collins tie a
rope to the horn Of a saddle. Others
were getting out their sixshooters.
Boys" said Ranse, I'm much oblig-
ed l was hoping you would"
Half a dozen sixshooters began to
pop: awful yells rent the air; Long
Collins galloped wildly across Curly's
bed. dragging the saddle after him.
That was merely their way of gently
awaking their victim. Then they hazed
him for an hour, carefully and ridicu-
lousy, after the code Of cow camps.
Whenever he uttered protest they held
him stretched over roll Of blankets
and thrashed him woefully with pair
of leather leggings.
And all this meant that Curly had
won his spurs. that he was receiving
| the puncher's accolade. Nevermore
would they be polite to him. But he
would be their ''pardner'' and stirrup
brother, foot to foot
When the foOling was ended all
hands made raid on Joe's big coffee
pot by the fire for a Java nightcap.
+, Ranse watched the new knight careful
| " to see if he understood and was
worthy. Curly limped with his cup
| of coffee to a log and sat upon it. Long
| Collins followed and sat by his side
Buck Rabb went and sat at the other
Curly grinned.
| And then Ranse furnished Curly
| with mounts and saddle and equip
| ment and turned him over to Buck
| rabbi. instructing him to finish the job.
| Three weeks later Ranse rode from
the ranch into Rabb's camp, which was
then I'm Snake valley. The boys were
saddling for the days ride. He sought
out Long Collins among them.
| 'How about that brOnco!' he asked.
| Long Collins grinned.
'Reach out your hand, Ranse Trues-
| dell" he said, land you'll touch him.
| And YOU can shake his'n, too, If you
like, for he's plumb white and there's
| none better in no camp"
| Ranse looked again at the fear faced,
bronzed, smiling cowpuncher who stood
at Collins side. Could that be Curly ?
He held out his hand and Curly grasp
| ed it with the muscles Of a broncho
| buster.
81 want you at the ranch,' said
| Ranse.
| "All right sport" said Curly heart
lily "But l want to come back again.
Say, pal. this is dandy farm. And
! don't want any better fun than hus-
| tim cows with this bunch Of guys.
| They're all to the merry-merry
| At the Cibolo ranch house they dis
mounted. Ranse babe Curly wait at
| the door of the living room. He walk
| ed inside. Old "Kiowa" Truesdell was
! reading at table.
Good morning. Mr.. Truesdell," said
Ranse
The old man turned his white head
quickly.
How is thts?" he began. "Why do
you call me Mr.
When he looked at Ranse's face he
stopped, and the hand that held his
newspaper shook slightly.
"Boy." he said slowly, chow did you
find it Out?''
Its all right" said Ranse, with a
| smile. 81 made Tia Juana tell me
1t was kind of by accident, but it's
all right"
you've been like son to me-" said
old "Kiowa," trembling
eta Juana told me all about it.
said Ranse "She told me how you
adopted me when / was knee high to
q puddle duck out of a wagon train OF
prospectors that was bound west. And
she told me how the kid-yOur own
Kid. you know-got lost or was run
away with And she said it was the
same day that the sheep shearers got
on a bender and left the ranch"
"Our boy strayed from the house
when he was two years Old" said the
old man. "And then along came these
emigrant wagons with youngste1
they didn't want. and we took you.
never intended you to know, Ranse
We never heard Of our boy again"
He's right outside. unless I'm
mighty mistaken" said Ranse, open
ing the door and reckoning.
Curly walked in.
No one could have doubted. The ole
mant and the young had the same
sweep of hair, the same nose. chin
line Of face and prominent light blue
eyes
Old "Kiowa" rose eagerly
Curly looked about the room curious
". A puzzled expression came over
his face. He pointed to the wall op
pOsite.
''Wheres the tick -tock?" he asked
absentmindedly.
"The clock!'' cried old "Kiowa'
loudly. '"The eight day clock used t.
stand there Why
He turned to Ranse, but Ranse was
not there.
Already hundred yards away
Vaminos, the good flea bitten dun, was
bearing him eastward like racer