Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-04-02

AAGAN5 ~ AaHNAAAh anu bAatOAyf Ahti
they discarded the clOaks and plunged
Mcclure managed to tumble into his
clothes. Then Raider took him by the
collar and showed him out and across
the yard to the extra pony hitched at
the gate. The cowpunchers lOllec in their
saddles, open mOuthed.
Take this man." said Raider to Ross
Hargis, and put him to work. Make
him work hard. sleep hard, and eat hard.
You boys know | done what / could for
him, and he was welcome Yesterday the
best doctor in San Antoine examined him,
and says he's got the lungs of a burro
and the constitution of steer. You know
what to do with him, Ross"
Ross Hargis only smiled grimly.
"Aw," said Mcclure, looking intently
at Raider. with a peculiar expression up
on his face, the croaker said / was all
right, did he? Said l was fakin', did
hef You put him onto me. You fought
wasn't sick. You said I was liar.
Say, friend, I talked rough, l know, but
| didn't mean most of 1t. II you felt
like / did-aw! l forgot amt sick,
the croaker says. Well. friend, now Ill
so work for yer. Here's where you play
even"
He sprsng into the saddle easily as a
bird, got the Quirt from the horn, and
gave his pony q slash with 1t. Cricket"
who once brought In Good Boy by a neck
at Hawthorne-and a 10 to l shot-had
his foot In the stirrups again.
Mcclure led the cavalcade as they
dashed away for San Carlos, and the
cow-punchers gave a yell OF applause as
they closed In behind his dust.
But In less than mile he had Jagged
to the rear and was last man when they
struck the patch Of high cbaparral be-
low the horse pens. Behind d clump Of
this he drew rein, and. held a nandker.
chief 10 his mouth. He took it away
drenched with bright, arterial blood. and
threw II carefully into a clump OF prickly
pear. Then be slashed with his quirt
again, gasped "G'wan" to his astonished
pony, and galloped after the gang.
That night Raider received message
from his old home In Alabama. There
had been death in the family; an es-
tate was to divide, and they called for
him to come. Daylight found him In the
blackboard, skimming the prairies for the
station. 1t was two months before he
returned. When he arrived at the ranch.
house he found II we'll nigh deserted save
for Hlario. who acted as a kind of stew
ard during his absence. Little by little
the youth made him acquainted with the
work done while he was away. The
still doing business. On account of many
severe storms the cattle had been badly
scattered, and the branding had been &C
complished but slowly Tie camp was
BY the way" said Raider, suddenly
remembering, that fellow l sent along
with them-McG ulre-is he working
Il do not know" said Ylario. mans
from the camp come verre few times to
the ranch. So plentee work with the
leetle calves. They no say. Oh l think
that fellow Mcclure he dead much time
"Deadl'' said Raider. what you talk
"Verree sick fellow, MCGUIRE" replied
Ylario, with shrug of his shoulder. 4
ttheenk he no live one, two months when
dShucksI'' said Raider HE hum
bukged you, too, did he7 The doctor
examined him and said he was sound as
MESQUITE knot"
he tell you so +? That doctor no see Nc
CURE
Talk up" ordered Raider. What the
devil do you mean Z"
MCGUIRE" continued the boy tran
gully, he getting drink water outside
when that doctor come in room. That
doctor take me and pound me all over
to his chest-"T not know for what He
put little glass stick in my mouth. He
feel my arm here. He make me count
Ike whisper-7so-twenty. treinta, GUAR
with a deprecating spread of his hands,
for what that doctor do those verree
droll and such like things?"
What horses are up?" asked Raider
shortly.
"Paisano is grazing but behind the
little corral, senior"
Saddle him for me at once"
Within a very few minutes the cattle
man was mounted and away. Paisano,
we'll named after that ungainly but swift
running bird, struck into his long lope
that ate up the road like a strip of
macarOni In two hours and a quarter
Raider, from a gentle swellA saw the
branding camp by water hole in the
Guadalupe. Sick with expectancy of the
news he feared, he rode m dismountei,
and dropped Paisano's reins. So gentle
was his heart at that moment he would
have pleaded guilty to the murder of
Mcguire.
The only being in the camp was the
cook, who was just arranging the hunks
of barbecued beef and distributing the
tin coffee cups for supper. Raider
evaded a direct question concerning the
one subject in his mind.
Everything all right in camp, Pete ?"
he managed to inquire.
$50, So" said Pete conservatively.
Grub give out twice. Wind scattered
the cattle and we've had to rake the
brush for forty mile. ] need new coffee
pot. And the mosquitoes is some more
hellish than common"
1.-THE boys-all well?'
Pete was no optimist. Besides, in
quiries concerning the health Of cow
punchers were not only superhuous but
bordered on faccidity. 1t was not like
the boss to make them.
whats left of 'em don't miss no calls
to grub" the cook conceded.
whats left of 'em ?" repeated Raid
Ter in a husky voice. Mechanically he
began.to look around for McGuiro's grave.
He had in his mind a white slab such as
he had seen In the Alabama church
yard. But Immediately he knew that was
foolish.
Sure" said Pete; what's left. Cow
camps change in two months. Some's
gone"
Raider nerved himself
"That--chap--I sent along--McGuire--
did--he-"
SAY" interrupted Pete. rising with