Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-06-25
The Higher Abdication
4 4
~ ~ Il I'LL NAA Il Wheeler
Continued From Page one,

ON rage One.)
celebrating in the open in front Of an
ancient wooden hotel. One great rois-
terer from the sheep country who had
just instigated q movement toward the
bar, swept Curly in like stray goat
with the rest of his flock. The princes
Of kline and wool hailed him as a new
geological discovery, and uproariously
stroye to preserve him in the diluted al
3ohol Of their compliments and regards.
An hour afterward Curly staggered
from the hotel barroom dismissed BY his
tickle friends, whose interest in him sub
sided as quickly as it had risen. Full
stocked with alcoholic fuel and cargoed
with food, the only question remaining
to disturb him was that of shelter and
A drizzling, cold Texas rain had begun
20 Iail-- an endless, lazy, uninter-
spirits of men and raised a reluctant
steam from the warm stones Of the
streets and houses. Thus comes the
''norther' dousing gentle spring and
am1aDle autumn with the chilling
salutes and adieux of coming and de-
parting winter
Curly followed his nose down the
first tortnous street into which his
the lower end Of 1t, on the bank of the
setpeI tine stream, he perceived an open
gate In a cemented rock wall. Inside
he saw camp fires ard a row Of low
wooden sheds built against three sides
or the enclosing wall. He entered the
enclosure. Ender the sheds many
| horses were champing at their oats and
corn. Many wagons and buckboards
stood about with their teams, harness
thrown careleEsly upon the shafts and
doubletrees. Curly recognized the place
as wRgon-yard, such as is provided
| by merchants for their out-of town
| friends and customers. No one was In
sight. No doubt the drivers Of those
frtycarr tr,a mar 81 he knrr
seeing the elephant and hearing the
owl" In their haste to become patrons
Of the towns dispensaries Of mirth and
good cheer the last ones to depart must
have left the great wooden gate swing
Ing open.
Curly had satisfied the hunger Of an
anaconda and the thirst of a camel, so
| he was neither In tho mood nor the
condition Of ar explorer. He EiSZagged
his ray to the first wagon that his
eyesight distinguished In the SENT
darkness under the shed. 1t was
two horse wagon with a top Of white
canvass. The wagon ~SS half filled
with loose piles Of wool sacks, two or
and a number OF bales bundles, and
boxes. A reasoning eye would have
1 estimated the load at once as ranch sup
plies, bound on the morrow for some
outlying hacienda. But to the drowsy
Intelligence OF Curly they represented
y
against the cold humidity Of the night.
After several unlucky efforts, at last be
conquered gravity so far as to climb over
@ wheel and pitch forward upon the best
and wArmest bed he had fallen upon In
many a day. Then he became instine-
lively q burrowing animal and dug his
way like a prairie dog down among the
sacks and blankets, hiding himself from
the cold air as snug and safe as bear
In his den For three nights sleep had
in
ing doses. So now, when Morpheus con
descended to pay him a call, Curly Rct
such a strange hold on the neurological
old gentleman that 1t was a wonder that
anyone else IN the whole world got
wink Of sleep that night.
six cowpunchers Of the Cibolo Ranch
were waiting around the door or the
ranch store. Their ponies cropped grass
near By. tied in the Texas fashion
which is not tied at all. Their bride
reins had been dropped to the earth.
which Is more effectual way or
securing them (such is the power o.
habit and .imaginationl than you could
devise out OF a half-inch rope and I've
oak tree.
These guardians Of the cow lounged
about, each with a brown cigarette paper
In his hand, and gently but unceaslngLy
cursed Sam Reveu. the storekeeper. sam
stood in the door, swapping the red elas-
tic bands on his pink madras shirt
sleeves and looking down afectionately
at the only pair Of tan shoes within
forty-mile radius. His ohense had been
serious, and he was divided between hum
bic apology and admiration for the
beauty Of his raiment. He had allowed
the ranch stock Of smoking to be-
come exhausted.
II thought sure there was another case
Of It under the counter boys" he ex-
planned. But it happened TO be cat
terdges."
You've sure got case Of haPpendi-
citis," said Poky Rodgers. fence rider OF
the Largo Verde potrero. Somebody
ought TO happen to give you knock on
the head with the butt end Of quirt.
I've rode in nine miles for some tobacco;
and IL don't appear natural and seemly
that you ought to be allowed to live"
The boys was smokln' cut plug and
dried mesquite leaves mixed when left.
sighed Mustang Taylor, horse wrangler
Of the Three Elm camp. They'll be
lookin' for me by nine. They'll be settin'
IN with their papers ready TO roll Whit
of the real thing before bedtime. And