Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-12-19
Eueniing Story
AMIcABLY SETTLED.
BY II. A. s'attengren.
Copyright, 1916. by Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)


! Copyright, 1916, by Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)
Hank Ruffy strobe out of his shack
into the hot Montana sunshine. He
lived alone with his son Audry GlaEc-
ling over the sun-baked plains he no.
ticed something in the distance which
caused him to hesitate and look more
Fcarefully. After moment. he went
back into the house and came out
with field glass. Leveling this at
1.-THE thing that had interested him he
saw something that made him swear
las he lowered the glass.
'Audry,' he shouted.
Hello came voice from the
shade of the shack.
"McLaughlin's cattle have broken
Into the oats again. I'm going over to
give him piece of my mind. You
might look over the binder"
All right, I'll keep busy"
In few minutes Ruffy was astride
his pony. raising clouds of white al.
i kali dust. galloping in the direction Of
McLaughlin's ranch
Mclaughlin was busy mending a
Sduuie WHEN nulS rue up " Hill
and shouted a somewhat angry, Hell
To- there"
How are you. Hank? Glad to see
you"
Say. your cattle have broken into
my oatfeld again.
BY Heck! Is that so?" said Nc
Laughlin in surprise as he arose.
| Yes. that's so. and you'd better get
them out of there
Sure. Hank. as soon as possible
Hope you aren't angry"
No, but it's mighty Improbable
way Of raising grain
Yes, it is, but II won't happen
again. Have cigar"
Ruffy accepted this and rode away.
Soon several of Mc!-aughlins men
were driving out the cattle and repair
ing the fence
On the following afternoon Nc
Laughlin noticed that some cattle
were in his wheat field. Hastily pro-
curing a field glass be saw that the
cattle belonged to Ruffy.
aha. tit for tat he thought as he
saddled his pony and rode away to.
ward Ruffy's ranch.
When he reached Ruffy's place he
found the latter lounging in his chair
smoking and reading paper.
Hello, Mclaughlin. What's the
,trouble?"
Hello. Hank Ncrhing much ex-
cept that your cattle are sampling
my wheat
The deuce they are. Darned crit
tiers anyway Say Audry. Audry."
Coming up. What you want?'
Hurry up and get my mavericks
! out of McLaughlin's grain. Be sure
to fix the fence for good
81 got YOU
How about some sunnybrook p
asked Ruffy.
mo. l don't care for any. Thanks,
, nevertheless. We must keep the cat
tie out of the grain IL We want to do
|; any threshing this fall"
You are right agreed Runfy THE
, next time your cattle break into my
patch of choice Silver King oats I'll
ride over and shoot you up
THE same here" Mclaughlin
shouted as his horse galloped away.
Audry was desperately in love with
,Alga Mclaughlin. so much so indeed
that he had saved all of his money
,during the last two years and bought
an automobile because she was very
fond Of motoring. Almost every even
ing they took spin together over the
plains, and there We're few dances
, within radius of twenty-five miles
; that they didn't attend. The matcn
u was looked upon with favor by both
} families; Audry was ready at any
, time. so it all depended upon Alga.
A few days after Mclaughlin had
visited Ruffy in regard to the cattle
he noticed with chagrin and anger
that Ruffy's cattle had again broken
. into his wheat field. Very angry he
, got his rife. jumped onto his already
saddled pony and rode away.
} At about the same time Hank Ruffy
became aware OF the fact that Nc
Laughlin's cattle had again strayed in
to his patch of choice Silver King
oats. He swcre lengthily. After this
psychic relief he Remembered his
threat and at once decided to put il
into effect. Accordingly his trusty
automatic rife was jerked from its
case, loaded and sung over his shoul
der. He saddled his horse hurriedly
and rode away in angry haste.
|
About half way between the ranch
houses Mclaughlin and Ruffy met
Ruffy shouted: DO you remember
what said I'd do if your cattle got
into my oats again.
Yep. and do YOU recall what al
| so said?"
. Your mavericks are eating up the
finest oats | ever had. so am simp
! ly going to shoot you up"
, Same here; your blankety-blaab
critters are wallowing in my wheat
field. I'll return bullet for bullet"
Get off my horse. can't shoot
, you in cold blood
That's what say. I'm quite handy
with my fists"
Consequently the two slid from,
their steeds, sIung their rifles over the
saddle horns and pulled off their outer
clothing Then after few minutes
;Of sparring and invective thew closed