Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-07
CCopyrieht. 1910.
Harper a Brosl

ness tickled her palate. Even the nervous
switching OF her tail was eloquent of pleas
ure. Meanwhile the owner showed his white
teeth in n smile
"Goodmorning" said Mrs Austin
Law lifted his hat in graceful salute as
he approached around the edge of the pool.
his spurs jngling musically. Ths mare
followed
You have fine horse there"
''Yes'm. Her and me get along all right
l hope we didn't wake you, ma'am.'
mo. 1 was too tired to sleep we'll"
"Of course. ! heard you stirring about
during the night" Law paused and the
mare. with sharp ears cooked forward.
looked over his shoulder inquisitively.
Tell the lady good-morning. Bessie Belle"
he directed. The animal flung its head high,
then stepped forward and, stretching its
neck, shifted doubtfully at the visitor.
| '"What a graceful bowr' Mrs. Austin
laughed. you taught her that. I pre-
sumo"
"Yes'm! She'd never been TO school when
/ got her; she was plumb ignorant But
she's got all tho airs of a fine lady now.
Sometimes / go without sugar. but Bessie
| Belle never does"
And you with n sweet toothr
The Ranger smiled pleasantly. "Shes
| as easy as a roclsin'-chair We're kind OF
sweethearts. Amt we kid2" Again Bessie
Belle tossed her head high. That's yes,
with the reverse English" the speaker ex-
4 pitAihSus ANOW SOu JhbN itSl yOuibtils
ma'am. and order your breakfast. Whatn
| It be-quail, dove, or cottontail?"
| "Why-whatever you can get"
THAT amt the kind OF restaurant we run.
| Bessie Belle would sure be offended II
she understood you. Ever see anybody call
| a quail?"
"Can It really be doneT"
Laws face frightened. You wait"
He led his mare down the arroyo, then re-
turned, and, taking his Winchester from
its scabbard. explained: There's a pair Of
| top-note' on that side hill waitin' for a
drink. Watch 'em run into my lap when
1 give the distress signal of our secret
| order" He skirted the water hole, and
| seated himself with his heels together and
his elbows propped upon his spread knees
| in the military position for close shooting.
| From where he sat he commanded an un-
| obstructed view of the thicket's edge. Next
| he moistened his lips and uttered an in
describable low whistle. At intervals he
| repeated the call, while tho woman looked
| on with interest Suddenly out of the grass
burst blue quail, running with wings out
stretched and every feather ruftied angrly.
| II paused, the mans cheeks snuggled
against the stock of his gun. and the bark
| OF the thirty-thirty sounded loudly. Mrs.
Austin saw that he had shot the little birds
head of. She spoke but he stilled her with
| a gesture threw In q second shell, and re-
| peated his magic call There was a longer
wait this time. but finally the performance
was repeated. The marksman rose. picked
up the two birds, and came back to the
| camping place.
Kind OF q low-down trick when they've
just started housekeeping, amt itr he
| smiled.
Mrs. Austin saw that both crested heads
had been cleanly severed. THAT Is quite
wonderful" she said. You must be an
unusually good shot"
"Yesm. You can fool turkeys the same
way Turkeys are easy"
what do you say to them9 What brings
them out all ruffied up7" she asked, curl
ously.
Law had ono of the birds picked by this
time. II tell 'em a snake has got me- i
reckon each one thinks the other is In
trouble and comes TO the rescue Anyhow.
it's mighty mean trick"
He would not permit her to help with the
breakfast, so she lay back enjoying the
luxury Of her hard bed and watching her
host, whose personality, now that she saw
him by daylight had begun TO challenge
her interest OF late years she had pur.
posely avoided men, and circumstances had
not permitted her to study those few she
had been forced TO meet but now that fate
had thrown her into the company OF this
stranger, she permitted some play to her
curiosity
Physically Law was an admirable make
considerably over six feet In height with
wide shoulders and lean, strong limbs.
Although his face was schooled 10 mask
all but the keenest emotions the deftness
OF his movements was eloquent. betrayinR
that complete muscular and nervous con
troll which comes from life In the open. A
pair of blue-gray. meditatiye eyes. with a
whimsical fashion OF wrinkllng half-shui
when he talked. relieved a countenance that
otherwise would have been tribe grim
and somber. The nose was prominent and
boldly arched. the ears large and pro
nounoed and standing well away from the
head the mouth was thin-lipped and mobile
Alaire tried TO read that bronzed gisage
with little success until ahe closed her eyes
and regarded the mental image Then she
found the answer; Law had the face and
the headfof a hunter. The alert ears. tbs
watchfuneye the predatory nose were lllks
those of sons huntlnE animal Yea thai