Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-04-04

| cleared the valleys rim and the ground
was damp with dew. Somewhere near
by an unfamiliar bird was sweetly
trilling. Alaire listened dreamily I'M
til the bird-carol changed to the air of
familiar cowboy song. then she sat
up, queerly startled.
David Law was watering his horse,
grooming the animal meanwhile with
burlap cloth. 1t was a beautiful
| blOOd-bay mare, and as the woman
looked it lifted its head, then with
wet, trembling muzzle caressed its
owners cheek. Undoubtedly this at
tention was meant for kiss, and was
as daintily conferred as any womans
favor. 1t brought reward In a lump
of sugar.
GOOD morning" said Mrs. Austin.
| Law lifted his hat in graceful sa-
lutte as he approached around the edge
of the pool, his spurs jingling musical
ly. The mare followed.
"You have fine horse there"
"Yes'm. Her and me get along all
right I hope we didn't wake you,
ma'am."
mo. was too tired to sleep WELL"
"Of course. ! heard you stirring
about during the night" Law paused,
and the mare, with sharp ears cooked
forward, looked over his shoulder in
quisitively. Tell the lady good MORN
ing. Bessie Belle" he directed. The
animal flung its head high. then
stepped forward and, stretching its
neck, shifted doubtfully at the visitor.
"What a graceful bowl' Mrs. Aus
tin laughed. "You taught her that,
presume"
"Yes'm! She'd never been to school
when l got her; she was plumb ignO-
rant. But she's got all the airs Of
fine lady now. Sometimes go with
out sugar, but Bessie Belle never
does"
"And you with sweet toOth!"
The Ranger smiled pleasantly.
"She's as easy as rOckin' chair.
We're kind of sweethearts. Amt we,
kid?' Again Bessie Belle tossed her
head high. That's yes with the re-
verse English" the speaker explained.
He would not permit her to help with
the breakfast, so she lay back watch
Ing her host, whose personality. now
that she saw him by daylight, had be-
gun to challenge her interest. Phys
ically Law was of an admirable make
considerably over six feet In height,
with wide shoulders and lean. strong
limbs. Although his face was schoOled
to mask all but the keenest emotions,
pair of blue-gray, meditative eyes.
with whimsical fashion Of wrinkling
half-shut when he talked, relieved a
cOuntenance that otherwise would
have been trif1e grim and somber.
The nose was prominent and boldly
arched, the mouth was thin-lipped and
mobile. In his face there was nothing
animal in a bad sense. Certainly it
showed no grOssnesssn The man, de-
spite his careless use of the plains yer
nacular. seemed to be rather above
the average in education and intelli-
gence. On the whole, she rather re-
scented the good impression Law had
made upon her, for on general prin-
ciples she chose to dislike and distrust
men. Rising, she walked painfully to
the pond and made leisurely toilet.
Breakfast was ready when she re-
turned, and once more the man sat
upon his heels and smoked while she
ate. After while she remarked: "I'm
glad to see a Ranger in this country.
There has been lot Of stealing down
our way, and the association men can't
seem to stop it. Perhaps you can"
''The Rangers have a reputation in
that line" he admitted. But there Is
stealing all up and down the border,
since the war;"
1.-THE ranchers have organized. They
have formed sort Of vigilance COM
mittee in each town, and talk Of using