The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-06-19
fresh from the mint OF contempt
raneous April.

lTOm Inc
raneous April.
The hats were OF . variety once
known as "cartwheels." They were
of stiff straw. colored red, and nat
brimmed. Both were exactly alike,
and trimmed lavishly around their
crowns were full-blown. immacu-
late artificial white roses.
That all you got. Uncle Tommy"
said Pearson. "All right. Not much
choice here. Burr. Take your pick"
They're the latest styles" lied
Uncle Tommy. You'd see 'em on
Fifth avenue II you was in New
York"
Uncle Tommy wrapped and tied
each hat in two yards of dark cal
leo for a protection. One Pearson
tied carefully to his calfskin saddle
thongs; and the other became part
of Road Runners burden. They
shouted thanks and farewells to IN
Gle Tommy and cantered back into
the night on the home stretch.
The horsemen jockeyed with all
their skill. They rode more slowly
on their way back. The few words
they spoke were not unfriendly
Burrows had q Winchester under
his left leg slung over his saddle
horn. Pearson had a six-shooter
belted around him Thus men rode
in the Frio country.
At 1880 in the morning they rode
to the top of a hill and saw the
Espinosa Ranch. a white spot under
a dark patch of live-oaks, five miles
away.
The sight reused Pearson from
MS dropping pose in the saddle
He knew what Road Runner could
do. The sorrel was lathered, and
stumbling frequently: Road Run
ner was pegging away like a dom
key engine.
Pearson turned toward the sheep
man and laughed. Goodbye, Burr"
he cried. with a wave of his hand
It's race now. We're on the
home stretch"
He pressed Road Runner with his
knees and leaned toward the Es-
pinosa. Road Runner struck into
Gallop. with tossing head and snort
Ing nostrils, as il he were fresh
from n month in pasture.
Pearson rode twenty yards and
heard the unmistakable sound of q.
Winchester lever throwing a cart
ridge into the barrel. He dropped
fiat along his horses back before
the crack of the rife reached his
ears
1t is possible that Burrows In
tended only TO disable the horse
he was good enough shot to do
that without endangering his rider.
But as Pearson stopped the ball
went through his shoulder and then
through Road Runners neck. The
horse fell and the cowman pitched
over his head into the hard road,
and neither of them tried to move
Burrows rode on without stop
ping.
In two hours Pearson opened his
eyes and took inventory. He man
aged to get to his feet and stag
gered back to where Road Runne,
was lying.
Road Runner was lying there,
but he appeared to be comfortable.
Pearson examined him and found
that the bullet had creased" him.
He had been knocked out temper
arily. but not seriously hurt. But
he was tired. and he lay there on
Miss Tomas hat and ate leaves
from a mesquite branch that OBJ
ligingly hung over the road.
Pearson made the horse get up.
The Easter hat. loosed from the
saddle-thongs. lay there in its
calico wrappings. a shapeless thing
from its sojourn beneath the solid
carcass of Road Runner. Then
Pearson tainted and fell headleng
upon the poor hat again. crumpling
It under his wounded shoulders.
1t is hard to kill a cowpuncher.
In half an hour he revived-long
enough for woman to have tainted
twice and tried Ice cream for a re-
storer. He got up carefully ard
found Road Runner. who was busy
with the nearby grass. He tied the
unfortunate hat to the saddle again.
and managed to get himself there,
too. after many failures.
At noon a gay and futterins COM
pany waited in front of the Espinosa
Ranch. The Rogers girls were there
in their new blackboard, and the
Anchor-O outfit. and the Green VAL
ley folks-mostly women. And each
and every one wore her new Easter
hat. even upon the lonely prairies,
for they greatly desired to shine
forth and do honor to- the coming
festival
At the gate stood Tonia with un-
disguised tears upon her cheeks. In
her hand she held Burrows Lone
Elm hat. and Il was at its white
roses, hated by her. that she wept,
For her friends were telling her.
with the ecstatic joy of true friends |
that cartwhNls copld not, be worn,