The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1918-08-03
BY A. c.. GALE.
Written for The Labor World.

Written for The Labor World.
Il don't like him that's ALL"
growled Shove OFT Grant leaning
across the bunk house table.
Easy son, that's knockin' coun-
selled Pickme James the Foreman Of
Bar. G. Ranch.
EFF ye kant say wots good, say
nuthin' is BEST" advised Cranky Bal
lard the chuck cook.
"Wall I seed him "a tuckin' tina
ticker in tina baskit AN it amt rite
Off persisted.
Long as it is not Bar. c. what do
you care?" suggested Bert Carleton.
But it's hittin' Maize an she's sum
gal" said Shove Off glazing at Bert.
Easy boys, Maize has sense she
knows;s''> Pickme waved his hand for
silencgS4 Its jest that Maize Lik'
all Ga3stsis-- ffascernated swith-his good
luks. but she's a wise one. I say we
shuts up fer good"
All except Shove Off Grant en-
dorsed this so the conversation turned
to other things. Shove Off thumbed
over the leaves of badly soiled ma
gazine and muttered few things
under his breath. 1t was easy to see
he was not reading at all. 1t hurt
him to have the Foreman intimate
he was a knocker.
There was a clatter Of hoofs on the
hard roadway. The whole bunch ran
to the bunk house door to see who
was coming. It was Nels Larson from
down the Valley. He dropped off at
the house gate. Mr.. Jerry came down
to meet him at the garden fence. The
cowboys could hear every word of the
conversation.
II understand Mr. Jerry that one
Of your boys saw, Russell get the
liquor at McCombs store: I want tn
know this for sure. Eli put him be-
fore the County Board in quick time"
Lets go over to- the bunk house.
Most: of the boys are in. We will
ask them. Hope your folks are well
Mr.. Larson?"
Nels tied his pony to the fence and
followed Pa Jerry over to the stable
yard. When they entered the bunk
house the boys were all innocently
porting over books and magazines.
"Hewdy' said Larson waving his
hand to the crowd.
''Howdy" answered the rides in
chorus.
Amy of you boys see Howard Rus
sell get liquor over at McComb's place
yesterday?" Mr.. Jerry asked looking
around the circle which had formed
about the two ranchmen.
Every cowboy head nodded a vi
gorous denial.
who was over to town yesterday
Pickme.p Demanded Mr.. Jerry turn
ing to- his foreman.
"a IL of 'enl," replied Pickme.
Mr.. Jerry questioned each puncher
separately and: each one stoutly de-
MED any knowledge of seeing Howard
Russell get any liquor or In fact hav-
ing SEEN him at all, except on the
road going over in the forenoon.
The two ranchmen left the bunk
house and Mr.. Larson rode away.
= Shove Off Grant craWled out of the
blanket box where he had hidden so
none Of us lied at that.
When the news crept, up the Valley
had brought home liquor from Cres-
cent City, got two of the cowboys
drunk at Larson's, was stewed to the
ears himself and had tried to shoot
up the whole place until Mr.. Larson
roped him and they tied him up in
the COW barn until he sobered up.
Any one else would have been run
out of the Valley; but old man Rus
sell was Larson's commission man
and agent at Kansas City and owned
big block of the stock in the Ranch.
He insisted that Howard be kept
there as he was a trial and a disgrace
around home. Howard was about
twenty-three, handsome as an Apollo
Belyidere and had every girl for fifty
miles .just1 crazy oyer HIM.
Not a ranch in the Valley allowed
a drop. of liquor ON the place. To
come home steWed was to go to the
bunk house, pack your kit and ask for
your time.
The year before there was quite a
ripple of excitement when Maize Mat
zell came to live at the Browns.
Every puncher within hearing of the
news shaved, shined and washed to
make call and see the new arrival
She nearly took their breath away.
A typical girl of the West. She was
from Nevada. The Browns were
counsins of hers. Short, built from
the toes up, big brown. eyes, a wealth
of chestnut hair, that creamy skin Of
the. open and the prettiest smile the
Chinoceek Valley had seen in many
a day. There were many fluttefing
hearts: in the bunk houses up and
down the line. A regular path was
worn past Browns by the punchers
trying to show off, but Maize was fine
to all and favorite to none She was