The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-02-20
The Girl With
the Lariat
BY DWIGHT NORWOOD

When Lloyd BraytOn was graduated
Orom college. having means. he thought
he would like to 60 west aud become
q rancher. So he bought a sheep
ranch with a good house on 1t and
we'll stocked. Then he settled himself
to wait for his sheep to grow and their
wool to stand out thick on their sides.
For awhile riding e his broad
acres and doing q little bossing morn
ings kept him contented. But 1t
wasn't long before be began to pine
for something more exciting. An Op-
portunity was afforded. him BY seeing
one day q girl chasing \ steer. There
was something picturesque In her gal
hoping over the ground. her alpine
broad brim hanging to her neck by Its
ribbons aud her hair streaming behind
her. BraytOn. who was OF horseback.
put SPURS to his animal to help her.
But she didn't need him. for before he
reached her she drew y iuriat caught
the steer by the horns and held ON to
him till some punchers came up and
! relieved her.
The girl wal the daughter Of q
neixhbOring rancher. Evan MacDougall.
q scotchman. who had recently come
to America for the purpose Of cattle
raising.
Brayton complimented the girl on
her exploit. and then and there began
an acquaintance that gave the young
sasterner something to occupy his
mind. He spent many Of hix mornings
riding with her and most Ut his even.
inxs at her fathers ranch. Ifngpong
was In fashion ut the time. and. the
MacDougalls having a good table for
the purpose. Jennie and Lloyd spent
a lot Of time batting the tiny bail be-
tween them. But the celluloid sphere
was only typical Of the love taps that
were passing between them. When
Jennie sent 1t it was to say. 81 don't
love yOu." aud when 1t went back II
seemed to carry the message. "Yes.
you do: you know you do" And 40
the ball kept dying.
The affair went on till Brayton took
it into his head that he would gu east
His affair with the ranch girl be ~
garded M a pastime. and the idea Of
breaking with her didn't trouble him
ut all. II his going affected her she
was too proud to show 1t. He tried
hard to make her show her colors OF
the separation. but she re~0luteiy kept
them furied. 1t Is singular how q man
will consider u woman not for him
and at the same time try tO make her
show that she wishes to b. his.
The day before ne was to take his
departure he was out Of his horse
some distance from his ranch. 1t hap,
pened that Jennie Macl)ougall had
lost 4 pet antelope. and she. too. had
ridden afeld io"kinE for 1t. She knew
every foot Of the country. and Bray
ton knew very little anout 1t. Rein
ing w on a rise in the ground. Jennie
saw Lloyd half y mile away riding to
ward a dangerous %quicksand.
"Great %heavens!! she exclaimed
Suppose he doesn't know it's there!"
The young man rode on rs lightly
a. carelessly as II mis- horse were
treading IN flowers. ~.Jennie's cheek
blanched. He was within 100 feet Of
the q%uicksand. while she was half 4
mile away from him. with no other
person in sight. Then suddenly his
horse began to founder. His rider
gave him the spur. but 10 no purpose
Down anle %,Jennie's quirt on her
horse'S fank. and like a fash ne dart,
ed to the rescue. hut his rider had
no hope. She knew the sucking prop.
ArA0n ~ thn Ar.s.Nxt ~,,i,1snyN o,<
that before she could reach the maj
it was dragging down to death he
would he half buried in It. What
would she do to save him? If she
rude neMr enough to extend q hand
she. too. would be drawn in. Though
she drove her hOrse OH u KallOp. Bray.
toms horse had disappear RID tefure
she reached the quick~and. Braytou
himself was engulfed to his waist. Be
believed himself lost.
'~lsOOdby. dear heart" be cried.
Jennie seldom went out without fire.
arms and neve without her Iariut.
She rode up 40 near and ~ fast to the
Q~uicksand that she was obliged to pull
her horse back Oh bin launches to save
uVtSUl AIOH xOIAx IulO H.. ] ucu III
stinctively her fingers claslsd her lar.
lat cOited to her saddle. CncUilfng 1t,
she began to swing 1t in the air. her
eye fixed IN her object: then 1t left
her and fell around Rrayton. Turning
her horses head. she urged him slowly
away. The rOTe frightened without
breaking and encir.led the sinking
body about the chest.
1t was now Il question whether the
rope. the girl and the horxe were
strong enough to drag the man from
the Q%uicksand. Jennie fixed One end
Of the lariat firmly to the saddle and.
restraining her horse ~ far a. pOssi.
bic from jerking. let him out BY de.
Krees. A iariat Is not . weakly arti
Gle. and %.Jennie's stood the test
Slowly RraytOn was pulled from the
Quagmirp from the back 1T the horse
that went down to it's death. Reach.
ing hard ground. hr xrrang to the girl,
who WAS rpeIing in her, saddle. and abe
fell into his arms. ,
Uyhs.v shHA tO h>p~~lp n~nfn =