The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1915-11-05

At last he tore himself away, re-
traced his steps as cautiously as he
had come and flung himself upon the
pony left waiting at a sheltered nook
far from the cove. As he sped over
the plains toward the distant herd it
came to him suddenly in u way not be-
fore experienced that it was May. that
the air was balmy and fragrant and
that the land. softly lighted in the
clear twilight, was singularly beauti-
full. He seemed breathing the roses
back home. which recalled another
face. but not for long. The last time
he had seen that eastern face the dew
had lain on the early morning roses.
How could n face SO different make
him think of them?
The G-Bar headquarters was on the
western bank of what was then known
as Red river. but was really the North
fork Of Red river. "Old Man Walker"
who was scarcely past middle age, had
built his corral on the margin Of the
plain which extended to that point In
an unbroken level from Il great dis.
lance and which. having reached that
point, dropped without warning, a
sheer precipice, to an extensive lake.
The young man reached the corral
after a ride of twelve or thirteen miles.
most Of the distance through a coun-
try Of difficult sand. He galloped up
to the rude Enclosure, surrounded by a
cloud of dust through which his keen
gray eyes discovered Mizzoo on the
eve of leaving camp. Mizzoo was one
Of the men whose duty it was to ride
the line all night-the line that the
young man had guarded all day-to
keep Walkers cattle from drifting.
"Come on. Mizz," called the young
man as the other swung upon his
broncho; I'm going back with you"
The lean. leather skinned. sandy mus
tached cattleman uttered words not
hearty pleasure. "Ain't you had enough
Of it. Biz" he added. I'D think you'd
want to lay up for tomorrow's work."
"Oh. l amt sleepy" the young man
declared as they rode away side by
side. II couldn't close an eye tonight.
and l want to talk"
Mizzoo was so called from his habit
Of attributing his most emphatic
aphorisms to his aunt. Miss Sue Of
Missouri" a lady held by his com
p~anions to be a purely fictitious char
acter, q convenient Mrs. Harris" to
give weight to sayings worn smooth
from centuries Of use.
iii talk my head off," Mizzoo de-
clared, If thatll keep you on the
move with me-
what l want you to talk about is
that little girl you met on the trail
down in Texas v years ago."
Mizzoo burst out in a hearty laugh.
Il reckon it suits you better to take
her as q little kid" he cried, his tall
form shaking convulsively. "Ill never
forget how you looked, Bill, when we
tried to run a bluff on her daddy last
month. Yep, Old Man Walker never
knowed what a proposition he was
handing us when he ordered us to drive
the old mountain lion out of his lair!
Pity you and me was at the tail end
Of the attacking party. Fust thing we
knowed them other four galoots was
falling backwards a-getting out Of that
trap of a cove, and the bullets was
whizZing about our ears
He broke off to shout with laughter.
And 1t was all done by one old settler
and his gal. them standing out open
!, and free with their breech leaders, and
us hiking out for camp like whipped
curs!"
The young man was impatient, but
!. he compelled himself to speak calmly.
"As l never got around the spur OF the
mountain before you fellows were in
full retreat. l object to being classed
! with the whipped ours, and you'll bear
, that in mind, Mizzoo. You saw the
) girl all right, didn't your
you bet l did, and as soon as | see
her l knowed it was the same I'd come
y across on the trail seven year ago. Hel
> daddy give 1t to us plain that II he
3 ever catched one of us inside his cove
he'd kill us like so many coyotes, and
| reckon he would. Well, he's got AZ
: much right to his claim as anybody
else. This land don't belong to no
body, and there he's been %a-squattinl
-
considerable longer than we've laid on,
this ranch. He was In the right OF 1t
D but what l admire vas his being ablt
= to hold his rights. Lots of folks hal
rights but they ain't man enough t.
g hold 'em. And If you could have Reel
e that gal, her eyes like two big burninl
u suns, and her mouth closed like q stee
u trap. and her hand as steady on tina
trigger as the mountain rock behin'
D. her! Lord. Bill, what a trembly. knock
e kneed. meaching sort Of a husband
'e she's a-going to fashion to her hand
a. one Of these days! But pretty: Non
l. more so. And a-g0ing all to waste GU
u here in the desert!'
J, "And now about that child sevel
years ago." the young man said.
|g "Why yes, me and the boys wa
n hrin01n0 ahOnt OOO head I'D to ADlI1n