The Little River news., 1920-05-08

together next morning at daybreak. Their ponies ambled along side by side at the easy gait characteristic of the Southwest.
 Your plainsman is taciturn indi- vidual. These two rode for .Sl hour without exchanging a sylla M
 At Willow Wash their ways d- verged. They parted with the casual "So-long; see you later" Curly was Cow creek where Soapy Stone had a horse ranch.
 About two o'clock he reached lit- tie park in the hills, in the middle of which, by dry creek, lay a ranch.
 The young man at first thought the place was deserted for the day, but when he called a girl appeared at the door. She was a young person of soft curves aDd engaging dimples. Be meath the brown cheeks of Arizona was a pink that came and went very attractively.
 Curly took off his dusty gray hat. "Buenos tardes, senorita! I'll bet I'm too late to draw any dinner" l "Buenos senor," she answered promptly. 'I'll bet you'd lose your 1 money. You can wash over there by the pump. There's towel on the fence."
 She disappeared into the house and Curly took care of his horse, washed, | and sauntered back to the porch. He could smell potatoes frying and could hear the sizzling of ham and eggs While he ate, the girl fitted in and 1 out, soft-tooted and graceful, replen- ish,ng his plate from time to time. 1 Presently he discovered that her fa- ther was away hunting strays on l Sunk creek, that the nearest neighbor | was seven miles distant and that l Stones ranch was ten miles farther up Dead Cow.
 "Ever meet lad called Sam Gull l lison?" the guest asked carelessly.
 Curly was hardly prepared to see meet the quick stabbing look she fast | ened on him.
 You're looking for him, are you?' 1 she said. Do you know him?' l He shook his head. She looked at him very steadily before she spoke again.
 1 You haven't met him yet, but you want to- Is that it:''
 That's it.
 l "WiH you have another eggY
 Flandrau laughed. No, thanks. Staying up at Stone's is he?"
 'How should I know who's staying l nt Stone's?"
 It was quite plain she did not in- tend to tell anything that would hurt l young Cullison. l Are you expecting to stop in the l hills long-or just visiting?" l "Yes,' Curly answered, with his most innocent blank look. ''Yes which?' | 'Why, whichever you like, Miss l London. Whats worrying you? If you'll ask me plain out I'll know how to answer you" l "SO you know my namew l <Ahy tuiIS dDOuI tHdt3 AHC Bar 99 Is the London brand. I saw your calves in the corral with their Hanks still sore Naturally I assume the young lady I meet here is Miss Laura London"
 What do you want with Sam Gull lison? Are you friendly to him? Or aren't you?"
 Ladies first. Are you friendly to him? Or aren't you?" | Curly smiled gayly across the table at her. A faint echo of his pleasantly l began to dimple the corners of her mouth. Both of them relaxed to peals of laughter, and neither of them quite knew the cause of their hilarity.
 "Oh, you!" she reproved when she had sufficiently recovered. | 'So you. thought I was a detective or a deputy sheriff. That's certainly | funny"
 For all I know yet you may be one."
 | T never did see anyone with a dis position so dark-complected as yours. If you won't put them suspicious to sleep I'll have to table my cards" From his pocket he drew copy of the 1 Saguache Sentinel and showed her a marked story. Maybe that will ex- plain what I'm doing up on Dead l Cow"
 This Is what Laura London read: From Mesa comes the news of an- other case of bold and fragrant l rustling On Friday night bunch of horses belonging to the Bar Double M were rounded up aNd driven across | the mountains to this city. The stolen animals were sold here this morning, after which the buyers set out at once for the border and the 1 thieves made themselves scarce. It is claimed that the rustlers were mem- bers of the notorious SOapy Stone out 1 fit. Two of the four were identified it is alleged, as William Cranston, gen erally known as Bad Bill and a young vaquero called Curly Flandrau.
 'In case the guilty parties are ap- prehended the Sentinel hopes an ex- ample will be made of them that will