The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1913-09-16
eyA. BoNNEY

rail- OF the $Ntu lHHc6i AhluA uAi4ct
clean.shaven chin, he smoked lazily On
Bis paper pipe Ills big spurs hung
idle on the high heels Of hts boots, the
empty pistol scabbard chung to hls
1.-THE hip The acahbard WAS decorated
for the owner Of 1t had artistic taste
and talent, while he lacked tile lam
guage to express the idea in such
words; he had 4iust fixed It up to lock
nice, he said.
It had been a lazy dAy for him, one
Of the few which had come into hia
life. and he reflected morosely en- the
extreme comfort Of a life Of toilesa
ease. From the fine elevation Of
man Of leisure tie surveyed those Of
his own craft as they worried the sui
len cattle past the place, their explos.
ive English toned down ia Difference TO
the divinity that ruled there, and the
Company For once he was alooi
from hts own kind, guest Of tho
boss.
There was q consideration which
added to the hahitual acowl cn his
brow. the inevitable return to tho sad
die; the weary night guard, the fren
lied chase after the stamping herd
The retribution for few days Of case
he saw looming Id the tomorrow,
whole perspective Of tomorows. In
fact, and unconaclously the smoke Of
his cigarette oozIng from lips and nos
trils was mixed and blended with his
one persistent soliloquy:
''Aw, cut it QUIT
His savage glance now took In for
the first time the girl, who was watch
Ing him with amused interest. 1t gave
him o queer. not unpleasant sensation,
and conscious OF height, weight and a
certain savage beauty OF head, he
drew himself up, taking pull at his
neglected smoke.
The most Of the herd was now past
the house, and the girl and the own
er's son went ont through the rude
gate to the corall near BY, where some
calves we're being branded. As they
passed the taciturn one the owners
son said. pleasantly:
This is all very novel and interest
Ing to us, while constant repetition
has, presume, made Il monotonous to
you.s
After deep thought the man deftly
rolled another smoke, and started to
answer, when his eyes met those Of
the girl. deep, blue eyes, which
laughed out from a pink and white
face framed in a tangle Of golden
curls, the bewildering combination
shaded BY a fower-bedecked summer
hat His heart struck his throat, and
aetting his teeth in his inoilensive
cigarette he growled:
Jaw, cut it out!"
And then there came a distant yell,
mingled with the sound Of pounding
hoofs, and turning to look he saw a
maddened steer charging down on the
two, the bright crimson Of the girls
sash focus for his murderous efforts.
The sullen-eyed man spat out the
roll OF paper his teeth held and, sweep
ing his big hat from his head. sprang
for the fence, which he cleared at q
bound, feeling for his gun as he landed
on the other side. to give vent to an
untranslatable snarl OF rage as hil
hand CROPPED over the empty scabbard
Tha steer was within a few feet Of ths
glaring red thing now, never pausinf
at the sight Of SO common a thing al
a cowboy, until with savage Jaw, Gu
it outi" the man hurled himself on thl
animals head. grasping the nose witt
one hand and horn with the other
AS the muzzle Of the brute was driver
into the sand there came the cracking
of pistol shot; but the bullets, spen
from long flight, only angered tn
) brute the more.
I Them. Jaw, cut" and merciful OF
iivion cut It out for him.
} He lay for long time dimiy cor
D scious OF life. not remembering an
/ not caring, only wondering little re
. gardIng MS surroundings. Sometnln
j. very like his mothers hand wa
i smoothing his brow. while his nostril
o took in a perfume new to the deser
a He was not breathing easily. Will
5 there was strange roaring IN hi
n ears. through which he heard words {
d lavish praise he could not understan
e nor apply, then, all in a flash. hi
!, mind cleared and he opened his eye
r his lips moving silently with: CAV
n cut It outln
it The ranch owner stood over hin
n twisting his hands together.
i My boy!" he cried. you save
y their lives. You did. by Joyel AT
4 TIL
e The injured man stirred uneasil
Z looking him sqnarely IN the face fro
under euilen brows
Aw, cut It out!g he snafled.
Copyright. by Daily story Pub Co..
EQUINE Inurattude.