The Lamar register., 1923-04-25
Continued from Page Two)
Illustrations by Irwin Myers
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Copyright by Harper and Brothers

listened to her companions, the sun
rose higher and grew warm and sonred
and grew hot; the horses held tfe-
lessly to their steady trot, and mile
after mile OF rolling hand slipped by.
From the top of ridge Madeline
saw down into hollow where few
of the cowboys had stopped and were
sitting round fire. evidently busy at
the MONDAY meal. Their horses were
feeding on the long, gray grass,
"Wal, smell OF thet burnin' grease
wood makes my mouth water" said
Stillwell "Tm sure hungry. Wen
noon hyar an let the hosses rest. It's
long pull to the ranch"
During lunch-time Madeline observed
that she was an object OF manifestly
great interest to the three cowboys.
She returned the compliment, and was
amused TO see that glance their way
caused them painful embarrassment.
They were grown men-one of whom
had white halr-yet they acted like
boys caught In the act OF stealing
forbidden look at a pretty girl.
Cowboys are sure all fiirts," said
Florence, as II stating an unlnteresting
fact But Madeline detected merry
twinkle in her clear eyes. The cow
boys heard, and the effect upon them
was magical They fell to shamed
confusion and to hurried useless tasks.
"Haw, haw I" rosred Stlilwell. Flor
ence. you Jest hit the nail on the haid.
Cowboys are all plumb fiirts. / was
wonderin' why them boys nooned hyar.
This aln't no place TO noon. Amt no
grain or wood wuth burnin' or nuth-
In. Them boys Jest held up. throwed
the packs an waited fer us. II amt
so surprisin' fer Body an Ned
they're young an coltlsh-but Nels
there, why, he's old enough TO be the
paw OF both you girls. 1t sure is amaz-
in strange"
A silence ensued. The whitehaired
cowboy. Nels, fused aimlessly over
the campfire. and then Strengthened up
with a very red face.
"Bill, you're dog gone liar" he
said. "I reckon I won't stand to be
classed with Body an Ned. There
amt no cowboy on this range thets
more appreciatin' OF the ladies than
me, but I shore amt ridin' out Of my
way. I reckon / hev enough ridin' TO
do. Now, Bill. II you've sich dog-gone
good eyes mebbe you seen sonethin'
on the way out7"
"Nels, 1 hewitt seen nothin'." he re
piled. bluntly.
"Jest. take squint at these hoss
tracks" said Nels. and he drew Still
well a few PAGES aside and pointed to
large footprints in the dust. II reckon
you know the hoss thet made themr
Gene Stewards roam. or I'm SON
of-a-gunr exclaimed Sttllwell. and he
dropped heavily to his knees and began
TO scrutinize the tracks. Nels. who
ever was strsddlin' Stewards hoss met
somebody. An they hauled up a bit,
but didn't git down"
"Tolerable good for you, Bill, thet
reasonin'," replied the cowboy. 81
reckon you know what hoss made the
other tracksr'
I'm thinkin' hard. but amt sure"
at was Danny Mains bronc."
How do you know thetT' demanded
Stillwell, sharply.
.'Bill, the left front foot of thet little
boss always wears a shoe thet sets
crooked. Any OF the boys can tell you.
I'd know tibet track II / was blind"
''Nels. you don't think the boys
sloped with thet little hussy. Bonitar
"Bill. he shore WAS sweet on Bonita.
same as Gene was. an Ed Linton be-
fore he got engaged, an all the boys.
She's shore chain-lightnin'. that little
black-eyed devil. Danny might hev
sloped with her all right. Danny Was
held up on the way TO town, an then
in the shame OF II he got drunk. But
he'll show up soon"
wal, mebbe you an the boys are
right. / believe you are. Nels, there
amt no doubt on earth about who was
ridin' Stewards hoss?"
"Thet's as plain as the hoss' tracks"
wal, it's all amazin' strange. 1t
beats me I wish the boys would ease
up on drinkin' l was pretty fond Of
Danny an Gene. I'm afraid Genes
done fer, sure. II he crosses the bor-
der where he can fight II won't take
long fer him to get plugged. l guess
I'm gettin' old. I don't stand things
like used TO-"