The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1915-11-19
Reckon thoughts WE'LL"

"Don't know. Reckon thoughts WE'LL"
r'iled up till I'm b'ilin' over with mad
ness. LOr' a-massy! Gin them old
cows stays in that field all night 1
won't have corr enough left to winter
a grasshopper."
"Well, why don't you go and drive
them out?"
"How kin I when l got to keep my
eye on this Teller to keep him from
runnin' off,"
"Tll stand guard over him."
Eyes, an let him light out the fust
thing"
"I1l have your gun, and I know how
to shoot as we'll as you do"
Ross looked interestedly up and lis
tened eagerly to this conversation.
His chance of escaping might not be
any better with the daughter than the
father, but it would be a change. and
In a change there was a ray Of hope.
He was anxious for the daughter to
have her way.
Eyes, you know how to Shoot" silas
coAN u hCLCu Il "Ol4uu IKE YOU
shootin' anybody"
"Do you think 1 wouldn't shoot him
If he tried to run away"
Goose you wouldn't. Lor', If you had
all the guns in the world he could jest
walk right off an leave you"
Don't you believe it, father"
II don't believe til know it. I'd
jest as soon set a yearlin' hen to
guardin' a man as to put a woman
at it,"
"You just try me once and see if I
don't manage it all right"
II hain't goin' to do it. I'm not a
dadgam fool if I hain't got much more
than the law allows"
what are you going to do, then?'
"Goin' to stay right we're myself"
"But those cows will destroy all your
corn, won't they?"
They'll jest have to destroy it."
James Ross ventured to take a hand
in the conversation at this point.
"Mr. Bone" he said, 'if l promise
not to try to run away will you be
willing to risk me with your daugh-
ter?"
"Humph! I dunno" Silas replied.
Guess you amt goin' to make no SIGH
promise"
"Yes, l will. I'll promise this: I'll
obey every word she speaks to me
while you're gone"
Old Silas shook his head and smiled.
He said nothing, but it was plain that
he had his doubts. Ross saw and I'M
derstood.
"You don't believe me?" he said.
"Waal, l dunno" Silas replied. II
don't jest like to accuse a Teller O.
lynn, but when his life is at stake 1t
hain't best to put too much strain on
a mans conscience"
"If I promise on my sacred honor to
obey every word FOUR daughter speaks
to me won't you believe that I'll do it,"
Old Silas squinted his eyes and grin
ned.
II hain't jest iggered you out t. be
a plumb fool, young %feller," he said.
what has that to do with it," Ross
asked.
ut has a heap to do with it, I
reckon"
II can't understand just how"
Il kin. ANY man that hain't a blame
fool hain't goin' to hang back for a
promise when it's a choice between
lynn or losin' his life"
you think that, no matter what l
promised. I'd run away If l had a
chance"
I'D feel like kickin' you all over the
county II you didn't"
"Then you won't trust me"
Marry time l won't"
"Well, suppose l should run off. Isn't
your corn of more Importance to you
than l am"
"Mebby so. But it hain't more i'm
portant to me than my life Is"
"You would not lose -FOUR life even
if l should escape"
Don't you be too dadgum shore o.
that. You don't know them BUSH
whacks like l do. If l was to let you
go my hide wouldn't be worth as much
as a slfeepskin. l amt takin' no
chances with them fellers, you bet"
ITO be continued 4,