Smyrna times., 1917-01-10
AMICABLY SETTLED
BY H. A. sLATTENcREN.


Hank Ruffy strobe out of his shack
into the hot Montana sunshine. He
lived alone with his son Audry.
Glancing over the sun-baked plains, he
noticed something in the distance
which caused him to hesitate and look
more carefully. After a moment he
went back into the house and came
out with a field glass. LeYeling this
at the thing that had interested him,
he saw something that made him
swear, as he lowered the glass.
"Audry," he shouted.
"HellO," came a voice from the shade
of the shack.
"McLaughlin's cattle have broken in
to the oats again. I'm going over to
give him piece of my mind"
In a few minutes Ruffy was astride
his pony, raising clouds of white al
kali dust, galloping in the direction of
McLaughlin's ranch.
Mclaughlin was busy mending a
saddle when Ruffy rode up to him and
shouted a somewhat angry, "Hello,
there"
"How are you, Hank? Glad to see
you"
"Say, your cattle have broken into
my oat field again."
"By heck Is that SOP" said Nc
Laughlin in surprise as he arose.
'Yes, that's so, and you'd better get
them out Of there"
Soon several of McLaughlln's men
were driving out the cattle and repair
ing the fence.
On the following afternoon Nc
Laughlin noticed that some cattle were
in his wheatfield. Hastily procuring
his fieldglass, he saw that the cattle
belonged to Ruffy.
"Aha, tit for tat" he thought as he
saddled his pony, mounted and rode
away toward Ruffy's ranch.
When he reached Ruffy's place he
found the latter lOunging in his chair,
smoking and reading a paper.
Hello, Mclaughlin. What's the
troubleT
"HellO, Hank. Nothing much, ex-
cept that your cattle are sampling my
wheat"
'The deuce they are. Darned crit
ters anyway. Say, Audry! Audry p'
Coming up. What you want?"
Hurry up and get my mavericks out
Of McLaughlin's grain. Be sure to fix
the fence for good"
II got yOu."
"How about some SunnybrOek? p
asked Ruffy.
"No. I don't care for any. Thanks
nevertheless. We must keep the cat
tie out of the grain if we want to dc
any threshing this fall"
"YOu are right" agreed Ruffy. "Tht
next time your cattle break into my
patch of choice Silver King oats III
ride over and shoot you up"
"The same herep Mclaughlin
shouted as his horse galloped away.
Audry was desperately in love will
Alga Mclaughlin, so much so, indeed
that he had saved all his money dur
ing the last two years and bought al
automobile because she was very fonC
of motoring. Almost every evening
they took a spin together over tn
plains.
A few days after Mclaughlin ha,
visited Ruffy in regard to the cattle, h
noticed with chagrin and anger tina
Ruffy's cattle had again broken int
his wheat field. Very angry, he got hi
rifle, jumped onto his already saddle
pony and rode away.
At about the same time Hank Ruff
became aware Of the fact that MC
Laughlin's cattle had again strayed in
to his patch of choice Silver King oat'
He swore lengthily. After this psychi
relief he remembered his threat, an
at once decided to put it into effect.
About half way between the ranc
houses Mclaughlin and Ruffy met.
Ruffy shouted: do you remembe
what said I'd do if your cattle got ii
to my oats againT"
''Yep, and do you recall what ais
said?"
; "Get Off your horse. I can't shoC
you in cold blood"
"That's what say. I'm quite hand
with my fists"
Consequently the two slid from the