The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-05-07
CHAPTER XXI.
Trails End

Trails End
At the last camp, just north Of the
Platte. Buds two black sheep baiked.
Bud. worn by sieeplcss nights and
long hours In the saddle. turned
furiouSly when Jerry announced that
he guessed he and Ed wouldn't 30
farther.
You unEratcfui hounds- grated
Bud. hurt to the quick. IL hope you
don't think I brought you this far to
help hold me In tho saddle
YOU can see for yourself we Amt
III to meet your mother and your
father nke-like we'd went straight"
Eddie put In explsnatorily.
The kids said II. Bud" Jerry
came TO the rescue
I'VE como along because n was n
ticklish trip you had ahead"
Eddie interrupted eagerly: ISIS Is
your kind-she-she's good enough
for yuh. Bud. and--weii. n II comes
to the marrying point. f--well. darn
IL. ia like to see sis git as good a
man as you are, And II might hurt
Sis with your folks. II they found
out that FIN
Bud had been standing by his
horse, looking from one 10 the other.
listening. measuring the fun depth
of their manhood SAY he said.
.once. when l was a hid in pink
aprons. they claim I came walking
up TO the campfire dragging n dead
snake by the tail. and carrying a
horn toad In my shirt and claiming
they were mine because Ectched
en- When you bear In mind that
my folks raised that kid. you'll real
ire that II takes . good deal to STAN
pcde mother.
You can't quit. boys We've left
more at the Sinks than the crashing
Of teeth" be said whimsicaIiy. "A
couple Of bad names. for instance.
Marian win want TO see both Of you
IL she's there II she isn't--Iu need
you"
Wen sneak up on EN- Bud said
when the roofs Of houses and stables
came into view.
They rode slowly TO . point near
the corner OF the stable.
In a group with their backs 10
them stood three: Marian. Buds
mother and hts father. Bob Birnie
held Boise by the bride. and the two
women were stroking the brown nose
Of the horse that moved uneasiiy.
Bob Birnie stroked Bosses flat
forcicgs. Well" he hcsltafed. soft
richness battling with the horse
buyers kcenness. I'm give ye $50
for him II ye care to SELL"
Here. wait a minute before you
sells that old skinflintr' Bob shouted
exuberantly. dismounting with a
rush. The rush. may say. carried
him TO the little old lady In the Stat
sunbonnet, and to that other little
lady who was staring at him with
wide. bright eyes Buds arms went
around his mother. Perhaps by acct.
dent he gathered In Marian also.
I'm give you 5000 for Boise. and
IN throw In one brother. and one
Iong.iegged. goodfor. nothing COW
puncher--"
Meaning yourself, Buddy7" came
teasingiy from the Stat sunbonnet.
aITl be surprised IL she'll have you.
But n she does. you're luckier than
you deserve, for riding up on us like
thisi We've heard all about you,
Buddy--tho you were wise to send
this Iassie TO gid your faults and
make a hero Of your
Down on the Staked Plains a camp
fire burned steadily under the supper
pots OF certain hungry. happy
group.
Its somewhere about here that
I got lost from camp when ] was a
kid" Bud observed. "And here we
are. taking our herd north on the
same trailr'
Marian gave him a superior little
smile along with the coffee-boiler
Your mother told me that trip was
a perfect nightmare. She taught you
music just in the hope that you'd SO
back TO civilization and live there
where there are some modern i'm.
movements, and she could VISIT you
And here you are-all wrapped ur
In a bunch OF young stock. dirty as
a pig and your whiskers-owl Bud
stop that Immediately. or I'll go put
my face in n cactus just for relief
Maybe you didn't 20 In raptures
over our claim and make more plans
| In a day than four men could carry
out in a year. II you hate this. why
didn't you say so. lady?"
IL was speaking" said Marian, "oi
your mother. She was raised In civ
ilization. and she has simply made
the best OF pioneering all her married
life. I was born and raised in COW
country and ! love IT,"
"Heyw cried Eddie disgustedly
coming up from shallow creek with
n bucket OF water and few dry
sticks This coffee's upset and put
ting the fire outi Gee whiz! CAM
you folks quit iove.making and tend
TO business long enough TO cook q
meal?"
THE END