The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-03-09

Billy Louise Held Blue Firmly to a
Curved Neck.
along the river. / know one place
where l believe cattle can get down to
the bottom, If they're crazy enough to
try 1t. You didn't look there, did
your"
mo, l never looked down there. |
know they can't git down nohow."
"Well, all right; maybe they can't"
Billy Louise slackened the reins, and
Blue went off with short, s~tiff-legged
jumps. 1t had been a long time since
he had felt the weight of his lady,
and his mood now was e%xuberant.
Blue threw up his head, lifted his
heels, and ran like a scared jackrab-
bit over the Uneven ground. They
were not keeping to the trail at all;
trails were too tame for them In that
mood. They ran along the rim-rock
at the last, where Billy Louise could
glance down, now and then, at the
river sliding like a bright blue ribbon
with icy edges through the gray, snow
spotted hills.
Hold on, Blue" Billy Louise
pulled up on the reins. 'Quit it, you
old devill A mile ought to be enough
for once, l should think. There's cattle
down there in that bottom, sure as you
live. And we, my dear sir, are going
down there and take a look at them"
She managed to pull Blue down to
| sts 80 I,a.-aI 4.V,ve onI fho, 20 N xualLr
Finally she stopped him, so that she
could the better take in her surround
lngs and the possibilities of getting
down.
Blue had caught sight of the moving
specks far down next the river and up
the stream half a mile or more. He
was a cow-horse to the bone. He knew
those far-off specks for cattle, and he
knew that his lady would like a closer
look at them.
Blue chose his trail and crumpled
at the knees with his hoofs on the very
edge of the ledge; went down with a
cat-jump and landed with all four feet
planted close together. He had no
mind to go on sliding in spite of him
self, and the bluff was certainly steep
enough to excuse a bungle.
1t was with a distinct air of triumph
that Blue reached the bottom, wen
though he slid the last forty feet on
his launches and landed belly-deep In
Il soft snowbank. 1t was with triumph
to match his perky ears that Billy Lou
Use leaned and slapped him on the
neck. "We made 1t p she cried, 'and
/ didn't have to walk a step, did /.
Blue? You're there with the goods,
all right !"
Blue scrambled out Of the bank to
firm footing on the ripened grass of
the bottom, and with a toss of his head
set off in a swinging lope, swerving
now and then to avoid a badger hole
or a half-sunken rock. They had done
something new, those two; they had
reached a place where neither had ever
been before. and Blue acted as If he
knew ii and gloried in the escapade
quite as much as did his lady,
The cattle spied them and went trot-
ting away up the river. and Blue quick
ened his stride a little and followed
after. Billy Louise left the reins upon
his neck. Blue could handle cattle
alone quite as skillfully as with {
rider. If he chose.
The cattle began to swerve away
from them. closer to the river. Blue
pulled ahead a little, swerving also
and as Billy Louise frightened the
reins, he slowed and circled them craft
lily until they huddled on the steer
bank, uncertain which way to go. Billy
Louise pulled Blue down to a walk as
she drew neal and eyed the cattle
sharply. They did not look like any OF
hers, after all. There were five dry
cows and two steers.
One of the steers stood broadside
TO Billy Louise. The brand stared out
from his dingy red side. the most con
spicuous thing about him. Billy Lou
ise caught her breath. There was nc
faintest line that failed to drive 1T:
message into her range-trained brain
She stared and stared. Blue looked
around at her inquiringly. reproach
fully. Billy Louise sent him slowl,
forward and stirred up the hoddleC
little bunch. She read the brand oil
each one; read the story they shouted
at her. of bungling theft.
(To Re Confinuedl