The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-04-10
The Ridin' Kid From
Powder River
By
Henry Herbert Knibbs
Copyright 1919 emy Herbert Knbbs

pcnings during rets'h absence until
they saw the blackboard TOP the dis
tant edge OF the mesa Pete lm-
modiately secluded himself IN tho
harm. while Andy hard blue Smoke
into a box rtRil and hid pots's saddle
Ma Bailey. allsh,ing from the
blackboard. heard Andy's brief eS'
PLANTATION OF hia absence with indif-
ference most unusual IN her.
Mas upset about pomethin'.- cr'
planned bailey, seems letter came
for Pete"
Letter from Pctel"
"a letter Tor Pete. Ma says u looks
nkr a iady's wri,in' on tho envelope
She says she'd like 90 know what
female r. writin' TO Pete
Il sure would lilo Go sc him. said
Andy. ferycntiy.
well. " somebody's writin' 10 hin,
here az the coneho. looks Ike he
might drir IN ono % these days.
And Bailey strod~ into the house
while Andy lod the team 60 tho corral
Meanwhile Ma Bailey busted her
self preparing supper. and II was
evident 20 the boys In tbs bunkhouss
that INA had something on her mind
from the sounds which came from
the kitchen. Ma scoidod tho potatoes
as she fried them. rcbuked the bis
cults because they had Drowned
little too soon. ccnsurrd the stove Tor
lta miatehavlor in having neorched
the biscuits. and rrprimandrd the
mammoth cofre, pot that threatened
20 dcluFe the steak.
Mas s,ramln' about somefhin'.
remarked Andy. as he entered the
hunkhouae
The ciattrr of the pack hors~ beil
brought N. men 60 their feet and
they fiied across tothe houpe. Andy,
lettering behind them. saw PETE COM
ing from IN. stables. tried 10 com
pore himself. but could not ct r'd
% the boyiah grin.
Hank Barley. the silent was gazing
AZ mas saco when he saw her eyes
widen. saw her rtse and stand staring
~ the doorway NJ Andy elufnped In.
followed by Pete.
Ma HALEY sat down suddenly.
~Its all right. ma" laughed Andy.
alarmed n, the expression on h1r
facc. ITS just Pete
-JuSt pctsi- echoed Ma Bailey.
family. And then. Goodness alive.
child. where yuu been
pe,e's reply wna los, In the shuttle
o, feet a. tho m.n rore and xhook
hands With him. asking him dozen
questions Ia as many seconds. ASSERT
ing THAT he vas looking flnc. and
generally behaving nike a crowd OF
.chooiboy~. as they welcomed him 10
their midst again
when the men finiHhei supper and
irtirnafed that Pete should go with
them. Ma Haiiey would not hear 81
". Pete was going to help her with
the sfihh~a Ma fsailcy's chief inter
81. In life a, the moment was 20 ret
Pete IN the most comfortable rocking
chair in tho room. that she might
hear his account Of how u an hap
psned
And Pate told n~r--or,sttfnx no cir
c,Trnrtsnocs afb~fs hs did not sccen-
tuate that part OF his recital hating
10 DO with Doris Gray. merely men
tioninx her ar -tha, little gray-eycd
nur-e IN n pnwo---ani IN s1rh m
orYhani manner that Ma Bailey
began 10 ~riEpcc, tina, pc..'wa- ke.p.
ing something 90 himuelf. Finally.
by a series % croxz-qursiioninE. com
ment ard sympathetic concurrrnce.
ahc arrived n, the feminine conciu-
don that tho gray eynf nurse IN ~
pa-o had ~, her cap for Pste--of
~nur-~, Pete waH innocent Of any
sich adjuctnen, ~ hesdrrsr-'o
snh~sanffnte which -hs roz-. and.
stepping 90 the bedroom. returned
with the letter which had cau~~f her
No much speculation as 10 VITO was
writing 70 Pete. and why the letter
had been directed 20 the concho.
Pete glanced NJ the letter. and
thanked Ma bailey a. he tucked II
in his pocket. a
she told him. Goodness knows how
long s's been laying IN the post
officei And n. mebby. IL important
from that doctor. rnebhy. Oh
chhy it's from tho hank. sakes
slivei To think of tina, man leaving
you all that money Mebby that
bank has faiied'-
II reckon 7 better read IT, stari.
nered Pete. hsiplessiy
He felt. somehow. that ma would
feel slishied n he didn't. Ma Bailey
watched his face az he read IN,
rather brief note from Doris. thank.
ing him for his letter 20 her. and rs
..trlr.. LIN - he. -. 49, l. 4 l.