The Glasgow courier., 1916-12-15

A"uu UaCh little, ReO. SneS
brought me close to 200 miles in the
last three days"
Sure. BO! Ill brush her teeth and
manicure her toe nails If you say the
word. guess that hoss has kind Of
made hit with you"
Collie yawned. "Mebby But it isn't
in 1t with the hit she'll make with
you If you try TO take up her feet.
She's half sister to shot OF dyna-
mite. I'm only telling you SO she won't
kick your fool head off,"
You talk like most full size man."
said Overland.
Down at the meadow Overland look
ed at the colt and shook his head.
He is correct he said succinctly.
THAT hoss don't welcome handlin'
worth a beam"
Winthrop's silence rather stirred
Overland's sensitive pride in his horse
manship. Course | broke and rode
hundreds like her down in Mex. But
then | was paid for doin' it. 1t was
my business then. Now minin and
educatin' Collie is my business, and 4
busted neck wouldn't help any"
Winthrop realized for the first time
that Oyerland's supreme interest in life
was Collie's welfare. Heretofore the
paternal note had not been evident.
Winthrop had imagined them chums.
friends. tramps together. They were
more than that. Overland considered
Collie an adopted son.
That afternoon. toward evening. Col
lie arose. refreshed and eager to Inspect
the claim. He could hear the faint
click Of pick and shovel up the canyon.
He stretched himself. drank from the
stream and sauntered toward the mead
ow. He would see to his pony first
lie found the horse had been picket
ed afresh by Overland when he had
come for the saddle. He was return
Ing toward camp when he heard a
slight noise behind him-the noise q
mans boot makes stepping Oh Il peb-
BILE that turns beneath his weight.
Collie wheeled quickly. saw nothing
unusual and turned again toward the
camp Then he hesitated. He would
look down the canyon. He realized
that he was unarmed. Then he grew
ashamed Of his hesitancy He picked
his way down the stream. A buzzard
circled far above the cliffs. The air
hummel with invisible bees in the
rank wild clover. He peered past the
next heEd. \ short distance below
stood riderless horse. The bride
was trailing. For an instant Collie
did "n: realize the significance Of thc
nni'En; waiting patiently :or ~ rider
Thea. like the fash of a speeding film.
he saw II all-bis pony's tracks NJ the
canyon, the rider who had undoubted
ly seen him crossing to the water hole
and who had waited until daylight to
follow the tracks. who had dismountcd
and was probably in ambush watching
him. He summoned all his reserve
courage. Turning away he remark
ed. distinctly, naturally casually:
Thought heard something. Must
have been the water"
He walked slowly back to the notch
in the canyon wall. Stepping through
~ uC \oHtiliuVu VII NY tuc S(lVuul ~
few PAGES beyond the notch and face
appeared in the cleft rock. watching
him. The watcher seemed in doubt.
cOllies action had been natural
enough. Had he seen the horse: The
hidden face grew crafty. The eyes
grew cold. The watcher tapped the
side OF the cliff with his revolver butt.
The noise was slight but in that place
OF sensitive echoes loud enough to he
heard long way M the canyon. Then
it was that Collie made a courageous
but terrible mistake. He heard the
sound and seemed to realize that it
was made intcntionally--to attract his
attention. Yet he WAS not sure. He
kept on. ignoring the sound. Had he
not suspected some one was in the
canyon to have glanced back would
have been the most natural thing in
the world. The watcher realized this.
He knew that the other had heard
him-suSpected his presence and was
making daring bluff.
Got to stop that muttered the
watcher. and he raised his hand
The imprisoned report rolled and re-
echoed like mountain thunder. Collie
threw up his arms and lurched for
ward
Below in the canyon clattered the
hoofs of the speeding horse. The rider
still holding his six gun. muZZlc up,
glanced back Il didn't care partic'lar
about gettin' him. but gettin' the kid
hits the red head between the eyes.
guess I'm about even now" And 81
lent Saunders hulstcred his gun, swung
out OF the canyon and Spurred down
the mountain. not toward the desert
town. hut toward Gnphcrtown. some
thirty miles to the north. He had
found the claim. The desert town folk
he had used to good advantage. They
had paid his expenses while he trailed
Overland and Collie. They had even
guaranteed him protection from the