South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-05-01

had heard it used by freight brake
men and large persons in blue car
rying clubs.
"Me?" he growled. "Oh. was you
talkin' to me? Why. 1 was on my
way TO the Menger. but my valet lad
forgotten 10 pack my pajamas So
crawled into that wagon in the
wagon-yard-see never told you
10 bring me out TO this bloomin
farm-see p"
What is it, Mustang" asked
Poky Rodgers. almost forgetting TO
smoke in his ecstasy. What do it
live on?"
It's a gilliwampus, Poky," said
Mustang. Its the thing that hol-
lers 'willi-wallo' up in ellum trees in
the low grounds OF nights. 1 don
know If il bites"
mo. il amt. Mustang" volun-
teered Long Collins. Them GALL
wampuses has fins on their backs,
and IS toes. This here is a hickle-
snifter. 1t lives under the ground
and eats cherries. Don't stand so
close to il. 1t wipes out villages
with one stroke of its prehens!lc
tail"
Sam, the cosmopolitc. who called
bartenders in San Antoine by their
first names. stood in the door. lie
was a better zoologist.
We'll. amt that a Willie :nr your
whiskers?" he commented Where'd
YOU dig up that hobo. Tarse? Coin
TO make an auditorium Tor iubrcYi-
ates out OF the ranch?"
say" said Curly, from whose pam
oplied breast all shafts OF wit fell
glunted. ANY of you kiddin' guys
got drink on you? Have your fun.
Say. I've been hittin' the stuff till I
don't know straight up"
He turned TO Ranse. Say you
shanghaied me in your ID old
prairie schooner-did L tell you TO
drive me to a ram? want a drink.
I'm goin' all to little pieces. What's
doin'?"
Ranse saw that the tramp's nerves
were racking him. He despatched
one of the Mexican boys TO the
ranch-house for glass of whisky.
Curly gulped it down: and into his
eyes came a brief grateful glOw-as
human as the expression i'm the eye
of a faithful setter dog.
"Thonks boss" he said quietly.
You're 80 miles from a railroad,
and 40 miles from a saloon" said
Ranse.
Curly fell back weakly against the
steps.
"Since you are her. continued the
ranchman, come along with me. We
can't turn you out on the prairie. A
rabbit might tear you to pieces.
He conducted Curly to a large
shed where the ranch vehicles were
kept. There he spread out canvas
cot and brought blankets.
II don't suppose you can sleep"
said Ranse, since you've been
pounding your ear for "a hours. But
you can camp here till morning. I'll
have Pedro fetch you some grub"
"Sleep!" said Curly. Il can sleep
week Say. sport. have you got a
coffin nail on you?
Fifty miles had Ransom Truesdell
driven that day. And yet this is
what he did.
old "Kiowa" Truesdell sat in his
great wicker chair reading by the
light of an immense oil lamp. Ranse
laid bundle of newspapers fresh
from town at his elbow.
Back. Ranse?" said the old man,
looking up.
Son old "Kiowa" continued,
I've been thinking all day about
certain matter that we have talked
about. / want you 10 tell me again.
I've lived for you. I've fought wolves
and Indians and worse white men
TO protect you. You never had any
mother that you can remember. I've
taught you to shoot straight ride
hard, and live clean. Later on I've
worked to pile up dollars that'n be
yours. You'll be a rich man, Ranse,
when my chunk goes out. I've made
you. I've licked you into shape like
a leopard cat ticks its cubs. You
don't belong to yourself-you've got
TO be a Truesdell first. Now, is there
ony more nonsense about this Cur
tbs girl ?''
I'll tell you once more" said
Ranse, slowly. AS 1 am a Truesdell
and as you are my father. I'll never
marry a Curtis"
Good boy" said old 'Kiowa."
You'd better go and get some sup
per.
Ranse went to the kitchen at the
rear Of the house. Pedro. the Mex
lean cook. sprang up TO bring the
food he was keeping warm in the
stove.
Just a cup of coffee. Pedro" he
said, and drank it standing. And
| then:
There's a tramp on a cot in the
wagon-shed. Take him something
to eat. Better make it enough for
two"
Ranse walked out toward the
jacals. A boy came running.
Manuel, can you catch Vaminos,
in the little pasture, for me?"
Why not. senior? I saw him near
the puerta but two hours past. He
bears a drag-rope."
Get him and saddle him as quick
as you can.
"Prontito, senor."
Soon, mounted on Vaminos Ranse
leaned in the saddle, pressed with his
knees and galloped eastward past
the store. where sat Sam trying his
guitar in the moonlight.
Vaminos shall have a word-Vam-
mos the good dun horse. The Mexi-
cans, who have a hundred names
for the colors OF a horse. called him
/ gruyo. He was a mouse-colored.
slate-colored, flea-bitten roan-dun, IL
you can conceive IT. Down his back
from his name TO his tail went a
| line Of black. He would live for
ever; and surveyors have not laid off
as many miles in the world as he