The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1916-03-02
The Gun
Woman
How on One Occasion She
Lost Her Nerve
By IDA SPEED
Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Princess Wenona, the half breed
Indian champion girl roper. emerged
from her tepee in the Indian quarters
Of the 81 Ranch Real Wild West Show.
which was In camp at Wilhelmina.
Ark.
She was dressed for the parade that
was scheduled to take place shortly.
Her rowing eye rested for a moment
on a group by the campfire where
pot of the "big mulligan" had long
been boiling. Not finding what she
sought she abruptly set off toward the
big tent.
"She's lookin' for AL Fleming now"
said Uncle Rus Rayburn, the veteran
cowpuncher. who was entertaining an
admiring audience Of this seasons re-
cruits to the organization.
"And. by the way. with her hot on
his trail we are liable to git little ex-
element yet. Al. he's just flirtin' along
with her and that little she greaser
Juanita to keep his mind off of Miss
Mary Moore. He don't know we can
all tell he's crazy about her. while she
amt got no more use for him than
pig has for sidesaddle."
wish l could shoot a pistol like
Miss Moore can. She gifts more grapes
than anybody on the "a payroll. and
guess she can't be beat" said one of
the listeners.
Meanwhile Al went listlessly to the
general delivery window at the post
Office.
Fleming. A. C.?'' said the postmas.
ter in response to his inquiry. To his
amaZement he was handed the letter
1t had followed him from point to
point for a week.
He scanned the half dozen typewrit-
ten lines that meant so much to him
The land had been sold and the money
deposited to his credit minus the com
mission of his agent.
Then that was settled. He was no
longer 'land poor" He need not fol
low profession so distasteful to him.
1t had been that or starve while he
waited.
In two weeks the show would go into
winter quarters at the 81 ranch, and
he would be released to go back to
his beloved southwest. Somehow the
thought did not bring with it the de-
light he had anticipated.
The haze of Indian summer en-
CHI Cd fhn 20 hn ON,
through the streets Of the strange town
a cloud momentarily Swallowed the SUM-.
AL Fleming's mind reverted to the
night Of the big sandstone. when he
had taken refuge In lonely shack on
the prairie. He could see again the
feeting vision of the girl as she stood
poised on the doorstep, whittier she had
been attracted by his light.
Then before he could close the door
behind her the wind had extinguished
the lamp and left them without a
match to relight it.
During the hours that they had wait
ed for the storm to abate she had
grown unspeakably dear to him. They
had confided to each other their names.
and he had told her he was riding to
Sanderita to join the "a ranch show
cars, which would stop there the next
day to water their stock on the long,
thirsty ride from Ell Paso to Fort
Worth.
He had done everything he could for
her comfort. She had told him that it
was the first time a man had taken
thought for her reputation when he
had left her at the gate of the Circle A
ranch. where she was staying. with an
admonition not to speak Of having been
alone with him in the deserted shack.
With reverence he had raised her hand
to his lips in farewell.
He remembered his establishment
when Murdoch, the owner of the show,
had informed him that she-Mary
Moore-was the crack pistol shot of
the world. resting and practicing up
after a tryout on the dramatic stage
where she had proved failure.
BY this he had known she. too,
loathed the Wild West show. though
her salary was sufficient to enable her
| TO stay dC II uOLel, Only uIliuS ueT cu-
gagement each afternoon and night.
eliminating the hated street parade.
which was the most desirable part of
their contracts to the Indians and
Mexicans with the show.
When she had joined the organiza-
ton some weeks later she had chosen
to ignore the happenings on the night
Of the sandstone. Fleming was not
the man to press himself on her.
Therefore an exchange of greetings
had been the only words to pass be-
tween them. though more than once he
had espoused her cause. until it had be
come current gossip that he adored
her.
1t came to him now that the situa-
ton had changed. He need no longer
hold back because her accomplishments
were commanding a higher price than
his own He was the possessor Of a