New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-04-12

could the better take in her surround
down.
Blue had caught sight of the moving
Specks far down e Y the liver and up
the stream half a mile or more. He
was II cow-horSe to the bone. He knew
those far-of specks for cattle, and he
knew that his lady would like u closer
look at them.
Blue chose his trail and crumpled
at the knees with his hoOfs OF 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 n distinct mir of triumph
that Blue reached the bottom, even
though he slid the last forty feet on
his naunches and landed belly-deep in
Il soft %snowbank. 1t was with triumph
tn match his perky ears that Billy Lou
is" leaned and slapped him on the
neck. "We made it :" she cried, land
| didn't have to walk n step, did l.,
Blue? You're there with the goods,
all right !"
Blue scrambled out of the bank to
firm footing IN the ripened grass of
the bottom. and with n toss of his head
set off in a swinging lope, swerving
now and then to avoid II badger hole
or II h~alf-sunken rock. They had done
something new, those two; they had
reached n place where neither had ever
been before. and Blue acted as IL he
knew it 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 a
rider, If he chose.
The cattle began to swcrve away
from them, closer to the river. Blue
pulled ahead n little, Swerving also,
and as Billy Louise frightened the
rcins, he slowed and circled them craft
lily until they huddled on the steep
bank. uncertain which way to go. Billy
Louise pulled Blue down to a walk as
Sh" drew neal and eyed the cattle
sharply. They did not look like any of
hers, after all. There were five dry
cows and w steers.
one of the steers stood broadside
10 Billy Louise. The brand stared out
from his dingy red side, the most con-
%spicuous thing about him. Billy Lou
Use caught her breath. There was no
faintest line that failed to drive its
message into her range-trained brain.
She stared and stared. Blue looked
around mt her inquiringly, reproach-
fully. Billy Louise sent him slowly
forward and stirred up the hoddled
little bunch. She read the brand on
each one; read the story they shouted
at her, of bungling theft.
Finally she swung Blue on the down
side and shouted the range
cattle cry. The animals turned awk-
wardly and went upstream. as they
had been going before Billy Louise
SltIIbth tlltili. biut IvlloN GU NdlCU-
fully after. content with the game he
was playing. Where the bluffs drew
again to the river. the cattle
to a narrow. shelving trail
picking their way carefully along the
bluff. Below them it fell sheer to the
above them it rose steeply, a
tumble, saw where the snow
of the last storm lay drifted.
Billy Louise had never known there
was a trail ND this gorge. She eyed II
critically and saw where boulders had
been moved here and there to make
It's passage possible. Her lips were
set close together and they still bore
the imprint of her contempt.
She thought of Ward. Mentally she
herself before him because Of
her doubts. How she had dared think
him a theft Her brave buckaroo!