The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-05-04
CHAPTER VIII.
GoADINGS.

| II might have been noticed, however,
that kilrain did not press the point
| with any fervor, and that Buck Bran
| non was oddly silent on many occa-
sions when sheep were mentioned. AS
Tor Jess, she frankly said that IL served
! the Loop right. II they were going to
make a business Of holding sheep for
ransom they ought to have locks that
could not be picked and not sleep like
| snakes in winter time
At which Martin Kilrain had looked
rather sheepish himself. But If any
one thought that the restoration Of his
! sheep was going to make any differ
ence in Cardross's relations with the
| Loop, he was doomed to disillusion.
| Work on the dam across the Raccoon
river went steadily on.
II was rumored on the Loop that
Earle Worthing had already taken le-
gal steps to protect himself, though Of
this the youthful owner OF the Loop
said nothing even to his foreman.
In the mean time summer had come.
and all day the plains lay under a
| shimmering heat that turned the grass
to golden brown. following the ten
der green of the broom sage and dry
ing the earth to a fine dust that stirred
| like smoke under the hoofs of the
| cattle and in the warm breezes that
swept out of the cloudless skies. 1t
! was the heyday for the gorgeous liz
ards and the horned toads. and for the
ctcadae that strumn.ed their strident
music by the hour. adding to the
drowsiness Of the air.
And every night the heavy dews and
the purple sky. pulsing with its warm.
| lnnumerable stars, gave unwelcome
promise of the advent OF the rainless
| season when streams ran dry in their
| beds and water became the most
| precious thing on the wide ranges.
In the already shrunken bed Of the
Owl creek, Worthing was every day
just then sinking hogsheads over
springs, that whatever happened he
might be prepared, for he knew the
he was determined, should the worst
come to the worst, that he would take
the law into his own hands. He had
fairly warned Cardross.
Jess Kilrain upon her pony in the
| cool shadow Of the overhanging bank
OF the creek was watching several Of
the men under the guidance Of Buck
Brannon as they made excavations for
a hogshead.
Say, Buck" remarked Skull Will
liams, so called because Of his receding
| eyes and the smile that revealed his
even teeth, who gave you the tip there
was any water here? Are you goin'
plumb through the crust OF the earth
| till you strikes hell?"
You are, Skull" said Buck, sooner
or later. What's the difference Of a
| year or so, more or less? Dig away"
Skull grinned.
II hopes l meet Blass Cardross ahead
Of me-" he grunted. "Spilin' our rest
full summer thisaway."
"Blass Cardross amt thinkin' Of hell
| just now" volunteered another wiring
| ing the sweat from his beaded brow.
! They say he's gittin' married to q gal
his sister has visitin' her from Sanan-
tony, rotten with money an ugly as
p'ison. Mebbe that'll be hell enough
for him.
Cut out the swears an the gossip,
| Bill' commanded Buck with unwonted
sternness, his quick eye sweeping Jess
| Kilrain's face. This amt q Quiltin
bee"
Didn't know It was a prayer meet
in, either" retorted Bill Grange, ag-
| grievedly. He had not for q long time
An you's gittin' powerful careful Of
Blass Cardross reputation, Buck"
That's all right" muttered Buck
stabbed by the sharp pallor of the girls
face. Never you mind what I'm careful
of. You scratch gravel till you gifts
water! You know more'n as Is good
for you bout Cardross' affairs, any
how.
Jess Kilrain said no word. The mans
remarks had come upon her with star
Ting revelation. More than once re-
Gently she had waited in the Skunk
Hollow ravine in vain for Cardross
coming, and when he had next come,
though his love for her had been all
the more ardent for its denial, there
had been q restlessness about him
which mad caused her to wonder.
And his excuses had not rung con-
vincingly, even though she had be-
lieVed them.
ho1
Nance Cardross. Instinctively she had
come 10 feel that Nance's friendship
would not stretch to welcome her as
Blass Cardross' wife, and the element
Of seer ecy in her love imposed upon
her by Cardross more and more irked
the girl, accustomed as she was by
nature and habit to be open about
everything.
She fingered a little longer by the
men at their work, perfectly aware Of
Bucks sensitive regard for her feel
ings, but according him no shade Of
recognition for it. More than once,
however, her eyes centered upon his
stalwart young body and winning face,
turned hastily aside as his own glance
| lifted to hers.
In her heart Jess admired Buck and
was graceful to him.
II think I'll ride on, Buck" she said,
after a time, and even for so slight a
| singing OIL nlLl out IOE Special COu-
sideratioA the warm color leaped to
the young fellows face and his eyes
glowed. Il hope you strike water
soon."
He stepped back nearer to her, plac-
ing his lland upon her pony's neck.
There was an odd satisfaction to him
in touching her pony.
why don't you ride down the creek
bed? ?" he asked, its mighty hot up
there on the plains"
Jess NODDED. He noticed that her
cheeks hal not yet regained their
wonted hue; that her eyes were
strained and troubled.
II guess WILL" she said. 80 long"
1t was vesy little. Jess meant 1t for
even less. But she had been ruled by
his advice. Something almost soft
had been in her manner. Buck re-
turned to his men, his veins tingling.
Another and different sensation
would have been his could he have
seen Jess Kilrain when the winding of
the creek had we'll hidden her from
those she had just left. A sudden
dependency settled upon her.
| The infant grace of her body with =