Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-08-01

VI COurHtt btlu LUX III u uiSDtlIcNluk
tone, for which Nan could have shaken
him. "I'll take the matter up with
Loo Sing"
stop awhile, you and the lady, and
I'll give you broiled chicken dinner
I'm aiming to cook him right away"
mot today, thank you" said Dick,
with scant courtesy, and the bad man
flushed under his tan at the implied
insult. Nan looked down at him and
met his embarrassed glance. She smil-
ed reassuringly Into his startled eyes,
and there came surprised look into
her own. AS she rode away she looked
back more than once at the lone figure
standing In the sheep herder's hut, and
the last time she looked he waved his
hat I'm friendly farewell. After that
she kept her face straight ahead, her
eyes fixed on the triangular space he
tween her horses ears. A little smile
played about her lips, and now and then
dimples came and went in her pink
cheeks.
At the ranch Loo Sing was closely
ing his masters chickens. The matter
was talked over at the supper table.
and Dick threatened to make trouble
for Gay Ransom, the bad man.
"The country is well rid OF such YER
min," he muttered as he went to bed,
Two hours later, at midnight, there
came the thunder OF running hoOfs on
the ground without and the pounding
of revolver butt on the front door
Dick Fancher threw up his window
to find the glare OF n grass fire red
dening the sky with lurld pickering
light and outlining the tall, graceful
form Of the bad man on his brown
horse.
"Well, what is itY' he demanded
sharply.
"Fire See 1t coming? I've come to
help you ditch 1t around the house or
else get the women away What do
you want to dor" He asked the ques-
ton impatiently, and indeed there was
little time to be lost, for the long red
wall Of flame was approaching rapidly.
The ranch house was OF adobe and
would stand the fierce encircling
flames If they could manage the ditch.
They could turn the contents Of the
water tank Into the ditch, Dick was
thinking while he rapidly dressed and
ordered his family from their beds.
Loo Sing had quite disappeared. and
the three MeXicans, who We're all the
help Dick had on the farm at this sea
son, were doubtless gambling down ut
Cummings saloon, eight miles away.
There was nobody here but the bad
man and Dick Fancher.
First they drove the frightened
horses to the shed near the house.
Then they turned loose the restless
cattle and saw them flee instlnctivcly
to the refuge OF the hills to the east
IL would take days to gather them In
again. The two men fell to work with
shovels and made wide ditch all
around the little lonely adobe house,
waiting there in the middle OF the
crisp, parched plain to know what her
fate would be- Would the heat OF the
flames crack her walls beyond endur-
ance OF the women within, or would
the two be able to complete the ditch
and fill 1t with water, thus frustrating
the cruel tongues OF devastating firef
The ditch was finished while the hot
breath of flame famed their cheeks.
They turned the water, an all too slen'
der stream, into the ditch, saw the
earth drink It up, drink and drink, and
then when 1t could absorb no more
saw the ditch slowly I'LL to half Its
depth Then Gay Ransom, hatless,
coatIess, slnged by flame and scorched
beyond recognition, threw pail after
pail of water against the walls Of the
house. even while the heated surface
Kissed under the contact and the steam
rose In white drift Dick Fancher
was everywhere ut once, beating back
little incurslons of flame, tossing a
bucket OF water on a flaming shrub,
chasing bewlldered chickens into the
house, soothing first his family and
then his horses until the morning
dawned and found them safe.
Black and grlmy beyond recognition,
they stared at each other while tho
smoke clouds beloved away TO the
northeast. Then It was that Loo Sing
emerged from the adobe chicken house,
wild with fright and dragging after
him the evidences OF his own guilt In
the shape Of II bag Of munled chickens
81 owe you the slncerest apology,
RANSOM" snid Dick Fancher frankly
as he grasped the others hand, "nnd
I owe you more than can say for the
help you've given me tonight"
II think you've made a mistake,
Dick, dear," said Mans soft voice, with
Il hint OF laughter In Its tone. This
Is not Gay Ransom, the desperate. /
am sure 1t IL Mr.. Block himself, for I
met him last summer Mt the Tetleys'."
"Of course Of coursew cried Bleck
excitedly. II knew I'd seen you DO
fore. took you In to dinner, you
know"
"Please explain" said Dick with
what patience he could muster "Why
are you not Gay Ransom2 Why are
you Mr.. Bleck? Why are you posing
~ n bud man and a sheep herderT'
Block laughed heartily "Pm Bleck
because | can't help It. came out
here to learn the business on my ranch |
from the bottom up, and the bottom
seems 10 be herding. told my fore
man I'd be incog for awhile, and the
rascal planted on me the name and
reputation Of well known bad man
herenbouts. I've Just discovered tho
fact, and marvel that I've not been
lynched before this"
This is the story Of how the bad man
cnme TO be Dick Fancher's warmest
friend and finally his brother-in-law
and how Nan became hor brothers
nearest nelghbor and yet lived In the