The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-04-20
CHAPTER 1.
SHEEP.

q blacksnake whip might speedily
bring the trouble to a head.
1t had begun when Blass Cardross
had added some thousands Of head OF
sheep to the possessions of the Rae
coon river range. OF course he might
have added thousands of devils to his
stock so far as his right to do so was
concerned; but your cattleman hates
sheep almost as much as he does devils
and II was no time before those sheep
began to overrun the boundary lines Of
the two big ranges. Worthing had pto-
tested IN some disdain, and Cardross
had grown sore. What were few
sheep that they should threaten long
friendship!
What did any fullblooded cattleman
want with the damned wool sacks, any
way?" Worthing had retorted.
Then 1t was the sheep dogs. There
being no alien flocks Of sheep In the
neghborhood for the occasional sheep
killer to modest, they developed a pred
Election Of the Loop calves. After
Worthing had lost several mavericks in
this way, and again protested, he shot
one Of Blass Cardross' splendid collies.
The depreciation continued, for the
dog has laugh his vicious tendency to
others, and the hard feeling between
the two ranches grew. To make mat
tiers worse. Earle Worthing was in love
with Cardross' sister, Nance, and the
girl took sides with he brother.
But all this was nothing to what had
more recently happened.
When Worthing had heard that his
old time chum and friend was dam
ming up the Raccoon river so that the
perennial pools of that portion Of II
which ran through the Loop would
probably go dry in the season Of
drought when the river bed as a whole
was as bare Of water as the plains OF
- 81 NJ
longer his friend.
The realization hurt even more than
It angered-at first. There had always
been q Vindictive streak to Blass Card
ross. but 1t had taken the sheep TO
make HIM do so mean a thing.
That is what they were saying about
him on the Loop.
It's them religious animals what's
made Blass Cardross so contrary"
declared Buck Brannon to the foreman
of the Loop, as number Of the outrtt
hung about the barn lot at the dinner
hour. It's like 'tendin' a protracted
camp meetin an have dealin's with
them solemn critters, an there amt
nothin' like Camn meetin' for stIrrin'
up the devil in a man."
Il reckon this last things stirred the
DEVIL Up in Worthing, all right" re-
sponded Kilrain. Il amt seen him 80
white over anything for q long time
an when the boss gifts white in The
face an don't say nothn'-he means
that much more. Too bad, too for Blass
Cardross amt a bad fellow"
Its them silly bleaters, | tell you,
Kilrain," reiterated Buck Brannon. a
long'orn steer can be mighty pesky, an
q crazy COW can be worse; but there
amt nothih like a sheep for spreadin a
cussed influence, Tess it be q wom-
an"
That so. Buck Brannon!"
1t was Jess Kilrain VINO came up at
the moment and stood EesIce her ia
Their.
I'm glad to know what you think of
sheep-an women!" she added.
The young fellow colored under the
amused smiles Of I'll ose about him.
Il was just LallSin', Jess" he said:
though it's plumb true bout sheep"
That's all you're ever DOM" re-
torted the girl. Even eatin' don't stop
you talkin'. Only you eat good grub
an talk mighty poor sense: but that's
cause your grub's fixed for you by q
woman, an your tongues a mans"
Jess" demonstrated the girls ia
ther, when you've roped an throwed
your steer. jest hold tight. Don't yank
him.
Jess Kilrain tossed her handsome
head.
Some steers don't know when they
Is roped, father"
"That'll do now" said Kilrain, speak
ing little sternly, for the young cow
puncher was q favorite with him, and
he knew that his daughter was not al
ways merciful. There's enough dom
without havin' ructions in our own
camp. What's 1t. my girl?"
"Nothin', answered Jess, somewhat
GROSSLY. Il seen you talkin', an I come
over. Any harm in that? What's dom.
father?"
For some reason the girls presence
broke up the lingering group Of men.
Perhaps II was the serious nature of
this latest act of their neighbor on the
Raccoon River ranch that made them
feel rather averse to talking about II
just then.
Perhaps they had heard enough
about 1t for the time being. Perhaps
1t was their general knowledge that
Jess Kilrain was on very friendly
terms with the Cardross household.
Singly and in pairs they moved to-
ward the stables, and Kilrain himself
remembering something, left his
daughter abruptly and followed them
Buck Brannon sprang down from
the high fence upon which he had
been perched.
"Blass Cardross Is hittin' below the
belt this time" he said to the girl. who
turned to him, something Of a question
in her fine eyes.
You mean he's gittin' the best OF
Earle Worthing?"
Anyway he's tryin' to DO him the
worst. He's dammin' up his water
supply. With the summer drought only
few months off, that'll mean hell"
You seem to know a whole lot
bout sheep an women an hell, Buck.
Jess said, scorn in her eyes and voice
Amt a man the right to do what ht
pleases on his own land?"
The words swept Buck into q We
hemence that was kindled not alone
by his loyalty to Earle Worthing.
NO." he cried, "he amt with a fret
river what means all the difference
tween another mans havin' water an
havin none; an reckon he'll find tina
out. The boss'l fight now, sure an
plenty"
Il guess two can fight" said the girl
and smiled at his evident amazement.
You amt meanin', Jess" he man
aged to say with some check upon hill
establishment, that you sides will
Cardross against the Loop"
The answer carried evasion. Il al
ways like to make a turkey g0bble
Buck Brannon. You gobble fine!"
She saw the anger that whitened hi
face at that: was, indeed. little afrai'
O. bad ## . l.