Evening star., 1914-12-27
By WALTER S. BALL

BY WALTER >. BALL
Taking it for granted is easy, because Fmvle, like
all Towns, suffers from Chronic Shortage in the
Feminine Column of the Census Returns The Sheriff's
Daughter therefore, need not be coy until she happens
to feel in the Mood. She can order balky Deputy
to look her Ten-Shooer in the eye and take his choice
without having stop think of its probable effect
her Social Career.
No Sheris Son could do this and expect to have his
Neutrality respected. Which is perhaps why nobody
saw Sheriff's Son.
When the Sherif's Daughter makes her Formal
Debut her Father is standing beside his Faithful
Horse reading Letter. There is badge his shirt
and scowl on his face; that it needs cutin
show that he is living up to Rule Three. AS
his Daughter appears he hands her Automatic Ar
sena and tells her to be Brave Girl because Heaven
knows
His departure is the Signal for Events to arrive with
great rapdity. First the Breathless Messenger
Sometimes it is that the Indians bombarding the
Suburbs with intent to annoy More often it is that
the Foreman's pet Horse has been ANONYMOUSLY COM
nandeered from Bar X Ranch Hopeful Cowboys
promptly swarm the Foreground in anticipation of a
Killing. They turn anxously to the Sherffs Daughter
for orders. Much they love her, they dread her
prejudice against Hasty Executions, and dash merriy
away without waiting for Posscrpts to her first gesture
of disrnay.
After several Film feet of cross-country agility the
Cowboys find the alleged Horse Thief lying asleep under
Tree. They all for hanging him the spot-al
but He surreptously back to ask for more
detailed instructions
The Sheriff's Daughter thereupon fondles her new
Revolver and starts for the Scene board her Tu-
multuous Bronc.
As short cut she takes the Trail along tine edge of
the Cliffs which disconcerts the Judicous. 1t Film
vile axiom that Cliffs spell Disaster to Heroines; but
the Shers Daughter has forgotten this in her anxiety
to preserve her Fathers reputation from the stain
Premature Hanging.
After her Bronco has registered few Onestep Novel
ties along the Brink it succunbs the Hoodoo and
rolls the Horizon; thus compicatng matters to an
almost breathless extent The Sherfs Daughter lies
unconscious long enough for cut-back of the Horse
Thief standing haughtily under the Tree with Rope
round his neck By the time she has recovered suf-
GENTLY to regain her mount and prance sight they
are just yeave-hoing on the Rope.
The Sherif's Daughter registers grieved surprise at
seeing the Horse Thief in this predcament She was
brought up of Jaunty Homicide; but this is
the first Hanging she has had her own RESPONSE
blity.
Feminine Instinct moves her to indulge in few inter-
rogative formalties while Cowboys NOPE around the
Background Suddenly she discovers that the Captive
is to be pitied than hanged, because he is not
Horse Thief at all, but Hero out of work who was
moving to the Next Town when he was inter-
rupted.
The Cowboys are overwhelmed by this evidence of
adroitness the part of the Shefs Daughter. Ask
ing questions before Hanging new point of Etiquette
to them and they chalk it up another Revelation of
Feminine Charm. After which they
hurriedly exit, remembering that Bar
still has one horse in the Profit and Loss
Column.
The Sheriff's Daughter takes advan-
tage of their absence to get acquainted
with the ex-Candidate for Tragedy Honors,
and is successful with the First Sight
Maneuvers that by the time the Real