The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1920-04-21

that bunch that's been ranging ~
Little Pinion all winter. Guess wee
better bring 'em down this forenoo1
and let her pick one"
They departed. They had little n
say TO one another in the hours 4
required to gather the horses ane
bring them down, but when theT
were within sight OF the corrals Hep.
burn began to speak as though whaf
he had to say was the result Of carQte
full elaboration.
. II don't want us TO have any mis-
dInderstandin,' Tom. This morTAn'
figured you wanted to move and
don't want any man in the oJIff
who'd rather be somewhere else. q
dong as I'm runnin' IT," He shifted
his weight in the saddle and glanced
at Beck, who rode hooking straigf1
ahead. course, you and l ainl
been pals, I've thought ,sometime<
you didn't just like me-
, II sipose Shell want a gentle
HORSE" the other broke in
, "Prob7y
, you and can be friends, / knoVA
We can get along
. Look at this outfit" Beck interA
Fupted again, this time with bette1
reason.
, Around the bend IN the road app
peared a queer cavalcade. 1t was
headed by a pair Of ancient mules
drawing a covered wagon, on the sea-
of which sat scrawny, discouraged
man with dropping lids, moustachq
and shoulders. To, the wagon were
tied three old mares and behind thent
'trailed a half dozen colts, ranging
from one only a few weeks old TO q
runty three-year-o'd. b
These were followed by a score 4
cattle, mostly cows and yeariiIt
calves, and the rear was Drought u
iby a girl, riding a big brown horse.
She was young, and yet her face
was strangely mature. She wore 81
hat the worse for wear. red shirt
open at the throat, a riding skirt and
dusty boots. She was slouched eaS4
ily in the saddle, as one who has
ridden much. =
Tom spurred ahead to prevent thesur
horses from entering a draw which
opened on the road just where theN
must pass and as ne slowed to &
walk and looked back he saw HepA
burn making a movement of ono
hand. That hand was just dropping
to the fork OF his saddle but-and he
knew that this may have been purely
thought that 1t had been lifted in Z
gesture of warning.
The foreman halted and the wagon
stopped with creak, as of relief
Just foller on down and swing to
the left. Keep right on. You'll pass
the state boundary" Beck heard
Hepburn say.
The wagon started again and Dad
joined him.
Coin some placer" Tom asked.
Utah. He was askin' the way"
Inc he ri RI wi
talking distance.
Coin far?" Tom asked
mot so fur" the other replied sui
lenly and swung a worn quirt againRe
her boot.
They rode on after their horses.
"Nesters," Beck commented grimlyp
They're a bad lot to see comm in
THANK God. they're headed for
Utah." Dad replied.
Yeah. Utah's a long ways though
The girl didn't seem TO think they
was going so very far"
The other made no answer and
after a moment Beck said:
Notice the brand on them cattle
T H o? That amt a good nedghboE
for the H c to have. Unless
it's an honest neighbor."
We'll, thyre goin' into Utah." Dad
said doggedly.
first things I'd do If were foremad &c
this outfit?" Beck asked.
Whats that?"
Take up the water in DeViIs Hole
! That's the best early feed this OUTFIT
has got, but without water it's wortn-a
less. Nesters are comm in, which
would worry me, If l was foreman
The Colonel had somebody file on ID
once, planning to buy when he'd
patented the claim. This party didn't
make good, and the matter dropped. :
| The other did not reply for a mo-
ment, but looked hard at his horse'a
/ ears, as II struggling TO control him-s
self.
'Tve already took that UP With
her." he said sullily, and stirred in
his saddle.
"If wasn't foreman Of an OUTFIT, do
you know what I'd do? I'd let the
/ foreman do the worryin'."
Beck scratched his chin with a con-,
Germ which surely could not have
been genuine, for he said:
Yeah. That's the best way.
, well, you had your chance TO be
( foreman; why didn't YOU AXE it?''
1 Beck pondered a moment.
, In the first place l wasn't crazy
wild TO stay with this outfit, cause
{ ~ ucu lluL my AOoc In Ine air ana
sniff real careful, can smell a lot
of hell coming this way, and I'm u
mighty meek and peaceful citizen.
I'm the second place, l don't care
much about drawing the best job in
the country like I'd draw a prize
cake at a church social"
, Hepburn smiled.
you passed it up, though. Now,
why don't you pass up woTTyin'
about my jOb?''
, Beck did not reply at once, bud
turned on the other a haunting, mad
dening smile.
You're right, / passed it up, but
there's something that WON'T let me
pass UP the worry.
You know what that is,"-noddy
toward the distant ranch house. E"
know she's in a jack pot. Yo,
her tell me she needed goo
men she could trust, and T. |.
Lord knows that's 80. You Z.
stayed on because she asked
she meant ii and not be
fancied the job.
I've got "a notion that max
out here means more to hi
making money; / like her sty
like to help her sort If can. -
why l may do mdre n an ordi