Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-04-19
CHAPTER L.
SHEEP.

reached that pass where the cracA Of
a blacksnake whip might speedily
bring the trouble to n 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 al1moSt as much as he does devils
and it was no time before those sheep
began to overrun the boundary lines of
tested IN some diSdain, and Cardross
had grown sore. What were a few
sheep hat they should threaten a long
friendship.
What did any fullblooded cattleman
want with the damned wool sacks, any
way?" Worthing had retorted.
Then it was the sheep dogs. There
being no alien flocks of sheep in the
neighborhood for the occasional sheep
killer to modest, they developed a pred
Election of the Loop calves. After
Worthing q lost several mavericks in
this a n 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 it
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
trees. he realized that Cardross was no
longer his friend.
The realization hurt even more than
1t a~ngered-at first. There had always
ross, but it had taken the sheep to
make him do so mean a thing.
is what they were saying about
him on the Loop.
It's them religious animals what's
made Blass Cardross SO contrary"
declare Buck Brannon to he foreman
or the Loop, as a number OF the outfit
hung about the barn lot at the dinner
20 Its like 'tendin' a p%rotracted
camp meetin' an have dealin's with
them solemn critters, an there amt
nothin like a camp 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 so
white over anything for a long time.
an when the boss gifts white in the
a IN don't say nothin'--he means
n a much more. Too bad, too, for Blass
Cardross amt a bad fellow
Its them silly bleaters, 1 tell YOU.
kllrain.' reiterated Buck Brannon. "A
long orn steer can be mighty pesky. am
a crazy COW can be worse: but there
amt nothin' like a sheep for spreadin' a
cussed Influence, less'n it be a WON
AM"
"Th9f en- R1y~l. J2cc
1t was Jess ISilrain who came nm at
the moment and stood beside her ia
Their.
Pm glad to know what you think of
sheep-an' women!" she added.
The young fellow colored under the
~ was just talkin', Jess" he said;
though it's plumb true bout sheep"
That's ali you're ever doin'." re-
torted the girl. Even eatin' don't stop
you talkin,. Only you eat good grub
an talk mighty Door sense; but that's
cause your grubs fixed for you by u
omar an your tongues q NAM.
Jess" demonstrated the girls ia
ther, when you've roped an throwed
your steer, jest hold tight. Don't yank
him. AA
Jess Kilrain tossed her handsome
head.
Some steers don't know when thew
is roped. father"
"That'n do now" said Kilrain, speak,
Ing a little sternly, for the young cow
puncher was a favorite with him, and
ne knew that his daughter was not AL
Ways merciful: There's enough dom
without havin' ructions in our own
camp. What's it, my girl?"
.Nothin..' answered Jess. somewhat
GROSSLY. Il seen you talkin', an come
over. Any harm in that? What's doin'
Fol some reason the girls presence
broke up the lingering group of men.
Perhaps 1t was the serious nature of
this latest act Of their neighbor on the
Haccoon River ranch that made them
reel rather averse to talking about it
just then.
Perhaps they had heard enough
It was their general knowledge tlst
Jess Kilrain "a on very friendly
terms with the Cardross household.
Singly and in pairs they moved to-
ward the stables. n Kilrain himself,
remembering something, left his
abruptly and followed them.
the high fence upon which he had
been perched.
"Blass Cardross IL hittin' below the
oelt this time" he said to the girl, who
turned to him. something Of q question
You mean he's gittin' the hest of
Earle Worthing?"
anyway he's tryin' to do him the
worst. He's dammin' up his water
supply. With the summer drought only
Q lev months off, that'l mean hell"
You seem to know q whole lot
.pout sheep n women an hell. Ruck.'
Je:s said. scorn in her eyes and voice.
Ant q ma1 the right to do what he
pleases on his own land."
Tne words swept Buck into Q w.
oesnsace mat was skindled not ialone