The Holbrook news., 1921-04-22

1 tender in front of the mirror, indus triously rubbing the immaculate glass. Thoroughly angered by this time, Shel- by advanced, his footsteps muffled by the sawdust on the floor
 "What the h-l is the matter with this dump?" he demanded savagely, his fist humping the bar. "Oh, so it's you, is it, Moran? Well, are you all that's left in Ponca?"
 The red-mustached one turned in- differently, yet managed to extend a rather limp hand in fraternal greeting.
 That's bout the size of it, Tom,'' he admitted gravely. "Where yer been the last six months?"
 lover on the Cottonwood, ranching. Say, I ain't seen nothin' but dogs since struck this valley. Whats up? Ponca gone on the bum?"
 "No; she's all right mostly. Be all right tomorrow, reckon, fer Hitch cocks outfits comin' in with a bunch O steers. What'll yer drink?"
 Best yer've got, O course. That looks a bit like old times, an tastes like it. Take a snort with me, Moran. Where's Mac, an all the boys. any how?"
 "Out ter the funeral; that's what's the matter with this town. cThe whole kit an caboodIe gone across the creek to help plant old Dad Calkins. You remember Old Dad?"
 No, can't say do; what was he, gambler?"
 ''Kind of a tin-horn; soused most O. the time but still everybody liked him i; pretended ter be a blacksmith when he first come, an put up a shack down there next the hotel. Never worked morn three days to my knowledge since-just naturally bummed round, but he was h-l of a good story-tell- CT, an the boys cottoned to him. Sure yer must have knowed him."
 Shelby shook his head. "What did he die from?"
 "Shot himself. I reckon. He was picked up over back O the dance hall, with a bullet in his nut an a gun in him, cause he didn't come home, an so Dan he went along with her. The two of lem found him out there"
 -'What girl?"
 Daughter, I s'pose She's been yere kinder keepin' house ever since I first knew the cuss."
 "How old is she?"
 q ain't no jedge O females ages, if yer ask me, but maybe sixteen or seventeen. Quite. wisp of gurl first I saw her, but she don't make up with nobody; sorter sullen-like, an just stays ter home all the time''
 "Where'd you say all this rumpus was goin' on?"
 "OYer cross the creek, beyond that bunch O willows. You know where the graveyard is. Coin ter be some obsequies, you bet. Dan he went clear to Buffalo Gap for ter git a preacher ter do the thing up swell. Whats the matter with yer goin' over there, Tom, an takin' the show in? Dan'1 be be mighty pleased ter see yer horn in."
 Shelby helped himself 10 another drink and gazed disconsolately about the big, desolated room. q reckon I'll turn the brOncs into Davis corral. an then amble along" he said slowly. Even a funerals better than this dump today"
 He had waded the shallow waters and reached the edge of the willows before his eyes distinguished the crowd gathered in the open space be- yond. It was surely some funeral; there was no doubt about that. A mass of men stood there, bare-headed in the sunshine, and ,'eyond them, on a little knoll, small bunch of women were crowded together, girls from the dance hall mostly, judging from their clothes and faces, although one or two older women were at the farther end. Shelby caught glipmse of the ex- preacher, elevated on a box, and his ears caught the sonorous words of ex- hortation with which he ended his ser mon. There followed faint applause, checked instantly by Mccarthy, who politely requested the bunch to stop making d-d fools of themselves, and immediately announced that the Ponca male quartette would sing "On- ward, Christian Soldiers,'' after which those who desired would be given the opportunity to view for the last time the features of the departed. As the last dulcet strains of the hymn rolled away, Mccarthy, as though anxious to preserve the lives of the singers by