The Glasgow courier., 1916-12-29

V!S tulCk duO IIidI u16 Tree uauu clNSp-
I'd the saddle horn.
The others. riding little to the rear.
burst suddenly into boisterous laugh
ter. What you think. Brandt" called
Pars Long Buds jest been countin'
his fingers. and he says there Is one
missin'. He amt sure yet, but he's
cOuntin' hard. He has to skip when he
comes to number one on his right mitt
Says he can't get started to count that
way
They drew rein. Williams, dismount.
Ing. was bending over his companion
Overland. who had suddenly slipped
from the saddle.
where's he punctured?'' queried Bud
Light.
Williams examined the PROSTATE
man. Kind Of low down, and in the
side Taint bad, but it's bad enough
Take the Yuma colt, Pars, and fan ii
for the canyon. Send the doc back.
aud you stay with that young Win
throp and look after Collie. Your boss
is quieter for Red anyway. Tell the
doc to bring his tools along. reckon
we'll camp over there near the hills to-
morrow"
"Who was it got me-" questioned
Overland as he was revived a second
time.
II don't know replied Williams.
1.-THE 0nly distinguishin' brand on him
was one put there. 1t amt worryin'
him now"
Like old times" said Overland. try
ing to smile.
Like old times" echoed Williams.
+, II guess 1t was Parks" murmured
Overland. HE had plenty of chance.
| I wasn't after him"
Slowly the group Of hOrsemen rode
! across the desert The afternoon sun
made queer shadows Of them and their
mounts. Billy Dime rode bent for
ward. His face was white and bead
cd with sweat. Overland, on Longs
pony. was supported by Miguel and
Brand Williams. Pars Long had dis
appeared in the shadows Of the range
One morning some three weeks after
the invasion Of Gophertown Bud Light.
Billy Dime and Brand Williams ap
peared ut the MOonstone ranch office.
Quite casually they had dismOunted
and, jingling up. had asked for Walter
Stone. Upon his appearance the young
err men applied individually for their
old places. The room smelled OF ciga-
rette smoke and antiseptics. Quite as
though nothing unusual had happened
the rancher reinstated them.
Have a good time. boys?" he asked.
Yes. sir: very good time: better than
we expected" replied Billy Dime. Bud
Light nodded
Stone looked hard at Billy Dimes
bandaged arm. Miguel and Parson
Long have q good time also?"
"Stayed to help Overland Red work
the claim. Overland Red got hurt a
little doin' somethin. He's all right
now"
None OF the Moonstone boys were
iniured?'
Nope: not a Que OF u.s." replied, Dime
blandly.
Walter stones eyes twinklsd. but he
did not smile. We will call it vaca.
ton this time. With pay. Tell VII
liums t." step in here. please" And the
rancl,cr dismissed his embarrassed and
happy I'unchcr> with gesture
The interview with Williams was
no. SO brief The boys came out Of 1t
all right?' asked Stone. shaking hands
with his old foreman.
Yes. sir"
RI a "a
Didn't. They did"
Amy one er of the other side have
an accident?"
"Saunders-and six gents got hur
pretty bad"
"Whew: Our boys were lucky"
1T was nothin' but luck that they
amt all back there now-on the sand
You see. the Gophertown outfit are al
what you'd call good with a gun. bu
it was kind Of surprise. the spread
in OF the thing from Reds little pri
vate deal to a six hand game. W.
sure was lucky
And Collie?"
Williams shook his head. II dom
know. We thought he had crossed over
Seems he took a new holt The do
aud Winthrop brung him to Los in tn
automobile. He's ut the hospital. Bu
they say he don't pick up any since b.
come there"
All right. Brand think that
ALL"
"How about my name goin' back OF
the books"' asked Williams.
1T hasn't been of the hooks. Yo'
know. Louise attends to the time
sheet"
Williams nodded. Il expect Migue
and Parson Long will be sniffin
around lookin' for job before long
They agreed to stay with Red till h
got on his feet again. But they tol,
him they would so just as soon as b,
was all right, for you couldn't rul
your ranch without 'em."
Walter Stone smiled broadly "You'r