Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-05-31
Their horses started irst, ears point

Their horses started first, ears point
ed at < sou!ld the men dad not them
selves hear, though they listened. Pres
emily Buck dropped hls relns and ran
forward. ~ liltle way aneaa they
leard his cry-giad. startled, alarmed.
When they made their way to HIM,
leading the horses, they found MN
holding Jess bony by the broken bride.
but Jess herseiI was not There.
HIS brioie busted SAID Buck III
a eurlously contained voice. Strike u
match, Perry, an let us look at it,
The pony squatled at the flash of
light, WINGED nervously as HIRAM
placed a %reassurlng nand upon it's
Hank.
whats thls?" he cried suddenly,
and struck Il match himself.
Raw ON the pony's TANK was the
fresh brand vi the Raccoon River
ranch!
The eyes of the three men met.
"Blll GranSe.' cried Buck, and his
voice Was hoarSe.
kllralns match flared and went out.
In the meanwhile what might have
been called Blll Oranges camp was
presenting a quiet enough appearance
as the two men busted themselves over
the fire preparing n supper.
The newly branded horses which
they had rounded up from lne drove OF
the Loop stood tethered nearby with
NiiNA1 wv VIZ 81 " = pony. JSSS,
seated OH the log, watched the proceed
ings in Il stormy silence.
Ilae girl was hungry and shaker by
what had unprecedented by her long
ride. When Grange Offered her coffee
n Il piece of the rabbit they had shot
she accepted it as she accepted he
freedom of her body which Grange per-
mitted while she ate.
The other man WAS eager to be mov-
ing.
Jess had never seen him before. but
she judged him to be either the ad-
n agent OF some body of growers
due soon to pass along the highway
branded horses We're to be received as
a sale of the Raccoon River ranch, or
else a partner of Oranges in IA venture
more peculiarly their own by which
the stolen horses We're to be put upon
a car at d stock pen some miles away
awaiting the midnight freight to the
south.
AT any rate, h gathered from their
muttered talk as they stood over the
fire eating and watching her with Il
care that did not lapse. that she was a
very unwelcome addition to their ex-
petition.
Her presence with them there means
the inevitable search for her when she
should be missed. Her release mean
a pursuit which might prove fatal in
more way than the mere defeating of
their plans.
To take her along with them meant
an encumbrance to their actions, which
they could i'll afford to add to the diff
ficulty Of managing the half wild and
rebellious horses they had seized. Tina
passed as they argued, ~wrangled, final
ly fell at odds.
She heard the startling suggestion OF
the man.
''Takp her horse alone and laayo bor
here-tledo or loose, an don't stand here
all night thinilin' bout it with a rope
tightnin' roun' YOU neck every min
ute
AS he spoke the man turned and
thrust the branding ROD once more III
the glowing Goals.
He was losing patience. Perhaps
Grange was losing nerve.
Who's bossin' this thing, Lem?'
acked Grange. You or me?'
I'm Il Soin' to- sneercd the man
for you can't
He seized the iron from the coal
and, taking q few steps forward
slapped it cruelty with an oath upor
the flank of Jess Kilrain's unsuspect-
lng pony.
With a shock ed cry Jess sprang to
her feet to be caught by Oranges ready
arms.
But it had been a t~houghtless move
on the part of the mar Grange haC
called Lem. Terrified and tortured un-
der the pressure OF the hot brand. the
pony squatted to the ground. Their
rearing and %plunging, the bride ant
rcins snapped and he wheeled in mad
dcned flight.
Fol- all his CONSERVATION Grang,
Sneered.
That's a first class message you've
sent to Martin Kilrain. That's frs
class bossin'."
CHAPTER XXIV.