The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-07
EVENING STORY
AmicabIy Settled.


ing over the sun-baked plains, he no
ticed 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. Leveling 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
into the oats again. I'm going over
to give him piece of my mind. You
might look over the binder"
| All right, I'll keep busy"
In a few minutes Ruffy was astrlde
his pony, raising clouds of white ak.
ali dust, galloping in the direction OF
| McLaughlin's ranch.
Mclaughlin was busy mending
saddle when Ruffy rode up 10 MN
and shouted somewhat angry
! How are you, Hank? Glad to see
you
my oat field again. NJ
by heck, Is that so?" said NC
Laughlin in surprise as he arose.
! Yes. that's so, and you'd better get
them out of there" .;b,o
Sure, Hank, as soon as possible
Hope you aren't angry
mo, but it's a mighty Improbable
way of raising grain.
Eyes, it is, but it won't happen
again. Have a cigar
| Ruffy accepted this and rode away
| Soon several of McLaughlin'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 wheat field. Hastily pro-
curing his field glass, 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
trouble ~
Hello. Hank. Nothing much, ex-
cept that your cattle are sampling my
wheat
1.-The deuce they are. Darned crit
tiers anyway. Say. Audry! Audry."
Coming up. What you want?'
Hurry up and get my mavericks
out of McLaughlin's grain. Be sure to
fix the fence for good"
@'T got you
How about some sunnybrook %
asked Ruffy.
NO. L don't care for any. Thanks
nevertheless. We must keep the cat
tie out of the grain if we want to do
any threshing this fall"
You are right agree Ruffy. 1.-THE
next time your cattle break into my
patch of choice Silver King oats I'll
ride over and shoot you up
1.-The same here" Mclaughlin
shouted as his horse galloped away.
Audry was desperately in love with
Alga Mclaughlin. SO much so. indeed
that he had saved all of his money
during the last two years and bought
an automobile because she was very
f@ra of
ming they took a spin together over
the plains, and there were few dances
within a radius of twenty five miles
that they didn't attend. The match
was looked upon with favor by both
families; Audry was ready at any
time, SO it all depended upon AIga.
A few days after Mclaughlin had
visited Ruffy in regard to the cattle
he noticed with chagrin and anger
that Ruffy's cattle had again broker
into his wheat field. Very angry. he
got his rifle. jumped onto his ALREADY
saddled pony and rode away
| At about the same time Hank Ruffx
became aware of the fact that Nc.
Laughlin's cattle had again straye6
into his patch of choice Silver Kine
oats He swore lengthily. After this
psychic relief he remembered his
threat, and at orce decided to put il
into effect. Accordingly his trusty an.
tomato rife was jerked from its case
loaded and slung over his shoulder
He saddled his horse hurriedly and
rode away in angry haste
About half way between the ranch
houses Mclaughlin and Ruffy met.
Ruffy shouted: DO you remember
what l said I'd do if your cattle go
into my oats again? >"
Yep, and do you recall what L alsc
said %
Same here: your blankety-bIanl
in,
field I'll return bullet for bullet
Get off Your horse. l can't shoe
you in cold blood
That's what 1 say. I'm quite han
dy with my fists
Consequently the two slid from thei
steeds, slung their rifles over the sad
die horns and pulled off their cute
q clothing Then after few minutes O
sparring and invective they closed il
on each other and engaged in a regu
lar rough and-tumble fight. Thi
lasted for about five minutes, unit
they were both thoroly tagged, sweat
ing and putting Their clothing wa
torn, their faces were bruised ant
e bleeding, and each had black eve.
Too tired to fight longer, they re
treated to their horses and graspet
their rifles. At this juncture an auto
r. mobile emerged from a turn in tn
: road and sped toward them SO be
= fore the enraged ranchers could shoe
5 at each other Alga and Audry ha,
driven their machine between them
:: Both jumped out, ran to their respec
tive parents and jerked their rifle
f from them.
.'Well. what in thunder is the mean
S ing of all this? asked Audry in ex
! element.
Yes, that's what I'd like to know
r agreed Alga.
THAT stiff over there expects t
It fatten his cows on my oatsi'' erie,
| Ruffy-
( And you seem to want to hav
, your skin-and-bones herd pasturini
t in my what" retorted Mclaughlin
None of that stuff shoute
IT Audry as he clapped his hand over hi
fathers mouth Alga did the sam