The Snowflake herald., 1923-03-23
SYNOPSIS

mormon" Peters and soda water sam
Manning. a dog makes Its way, in the
last stages of exhaustion. inscription on
Its collar says its name is Grit. property
of p. Casey Seeming desert tragedy.
BOurke and Sam mount and let the dog
lead them.
CHAPTER 1.-THE two fnd a dying
man, Patrick Casey, pinned under an
daughter. They get him out. but he dies
almost instantly, murmuring Molly
mines" Sandy takes the girl. Molly. to
the ranch.
CHAPTER Iu.-It is agreed that Molly
stays as mascot of the ranch. sandy
insists, though, that she must have an
education. JIM Plimsoll. gambler, visiting
the ranch. insults Molly. He claims he
grubstaked Casey. which made him the
old mans partner. Mormon drives him OFF.
You don't have to. AS pardners,"
Sandy went on earnestly, II don't
mind tellin' you that the Three Bar
has put all It's chips into the kitty
an, while we figger sure to win, we
can't cash in any till the increase of
the herds starts to make a showin'
Not till after the fall roundup, any
way. So yore eddieation1l have to be
put off bit. Meantime you'll learn
n
colt or two, between meals an ridin'
herd on the dirt When you start in,
it'll be at one Of them schools in the
East where they make speShulty of
western heiresses. How's that sound?'
sounds fine. On'y, you've picked
up Dads hand to gamble with. Mebbe
1t amt yore game, nor the one you'd
choose to play If 1t wasn't forced on
you"
SISTER" said Sam, "yO're skinnin'
yore hides too close. Sandy 'ud
gamble on which way horn-t toad II
won this ranch on gamble-him
playin'. He CANDLES as he breathes
An whatever hand he plays, me an
Mormon backs. Why, If we win on
this minin' deal, we're way ahead of
the game, seein' we don't put up any.
thin in cold collateral. It's sure
fire cinch."
"Sam says it." backed Sandy. "Ont
good gambler"
Molly fumbled at the waistband of
her one-piece gown, working at it Will
her fingers. producing golden eagle
which she handed to Sandy.
That's my luck-piece," she said
dad give 1t to me one time he
cleaned up good on a placer claim.
Mex time you gamble, will you play
that-fOr me? Half an half on the
winnin's. / sure need some clothes
The CLINT of the born gamblers su-
perstition showed in Sandy's eyes as
he took the ten dollars
Il sure will do that" he said. IAN
mighty soon. Now, then, talks over
all agreed. Sam an me has got some
work to do outside. Won't be bacl:
much before sun-down. Mormon. he's
goin' to be middin' busy, too Molly
you jest acquaint yOrese'f with the
Three Star. Riders won't be back til.
dark. No one about but Mormon, Pc
dro the cook, an joe Rest up al
you can. I'm gOin' to bring yore dad
In"
Tears welled In Molly's eyes as sh.
thanked him. Again Sandy saw the
girlish frankness change to The CRATE,
fulness of a woman's spirit. looking
out at him between her lids. II maut
him little uneasy. The men went
out together, walking toward the
corral.
"Sam an mes goin' to- bring In
what's left Of Pat Casey, Mormon.
We'll take the blackboard, with tarp'
to stow him under. Up to you to
knock together coffin an dig a grave
under the cOttOnwoods an below the
spring. Git Joe to help you. No sense
IN lettin' the gel see you, Of course"
Mormon rounded up the half-breed
Joe, to help him dig the grave, first
locating Molly in a hammock he had
slung for her In the shade of the trees
by the cistern.
The soil was soft and clear from
stone. An hour sufficed to sink
shaft for Pat Casey's last bed Nor.
mon carefully adjusted the headbeari
he had fashioned from a thick plank.
to be carved later when the lettering
was decided upon. This done, he
buckled on the belt he had discarded.
from which his holster and revolver
swung. Sandy carried two guns, his
partners one, habits of earlier more
stirring days. tOting them as inev-
itabiy as they wore spurs, though
there was little occasion to use them
on the Three Star, save to put hurt
animal out of misery, or kill rattle
snake.
Moisture streamed from Mormon's
face. patched his clothes as the heat
and his exertions temporarily melted
some of his superfuous adiposity. He
wiped his face with his bandanna
Suddenly his big body stiffened. He
heard Molly's voice from the cistern.
frightened, then storming in anger.
Mormon ran at sprinters gait from
the cottOnwoods. along a side of the
corral. through the trees bordering
the cistern. The girl was out of the
hammock. facing n man In ridino