Catoctin clarion., 1923-05-17
SYNOPSIS

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CHAPTER Ito the ThreeBar ranch
Arizona, owned Jointly by Sandy Bourke
Mormon" Peters and soda Water Sam
Manning, dog makes it's way, in tn
last stages of exhaustion. inscription OIL
It's collar says Its name is Grit, "propert,
Of +. Casey" Seeming desert tragedy
Bourke and Sam mount and let the dog
lead them.
! CHAPTER 1.-THE two find a dyint
man, Patrick Casey. pinned under al
overturned wagon. and a young girl, hi!
daughter; They get him out. but he de'
almost instantly, murmuring Molly
mines" Sandy takes the girl. Molly. tt
the ranch.
CHAPTER III.-It is agreed that Molly
stays as mascot" of the ranch. Sandy
insists. though. that she must have al
education. jim Plimsoll gambler. visiting
the ranch, insults Molly. He, claims he
old mans partner. Mormon drives him off
THAT goes" said Sandy. putting
out his hand go all three of us
When the mines are payin' dividends
we split. half on count of the Three
Star, half to you. Provldn' you fall
I'm line with the eddication, SOS to dc
yore dad yo'sef an us, yore pardners
due credit when the money starts
comm in. Sabe?"
IL don't sabe the eddication part of
it," she answered. Jest what does
that mean? l don't want to go to
school with lot of kids who'll laf
at me-"
You don't have to. As pardners," "
Sandy went on earnestly, II don't
mind tellin' you that the Three Bar
has put all its 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 shown
Not till after the fall roundup, any
way SO yore eddication'll have To be
put Off a bit. Meantime you'll learn
to ride an rope an mebbe break 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 a speShulty of
western heireSses. How's that Sound%'
sounds fine. Ony, you've picked
up Dads hand to gamble with. Mebbe
IL amt yore game, nor the one you'd
choose to play If it wasn't forced on
you"
Sister" said Sam, "yo're skinnin'
yore hides too close. Sandy 'ud
gamble on which way a horn-toad II
spit It's meat an drink to him. We
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 a sure
fire cinch."
Sam says it," backed Sandy. "One
good gamble"
Molly fumbled at the waistband Of
her One-plece gown, working at 1t with
her fingers, producing "A golden eagle
which she handed to Sandy.
That's my luck-piece," she said
dad give it 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 Sandys eyes as
he took the ten dollars.
Il sure will do that" he said. "An'
mighty soon. Now, then, talks over,
all agreed. Sam an me has got some
work to do outside. Won't be back
much before sun-down. Mormon he's
goin' to be middin' busy, too. Molly,
you jest acquaint yOresef with the
Three Star. Riders won't be back till
dark. No one about but Mormon. Pc
drO the cook, an Joe. Rest up all
you can. I'm gOin' to bring yore dad
in"
Tears welled in Molly's eyes as she
thanked him. Again Sandy saw the
girlsh frankness change to the CRATE
fulness of wOman's spirit. looking
out at. him between her lids. IL naue
him a 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.
Well take the blackboard, with tarp
to stow him under. Up to you to
knock together a coffin an dig a grave
under the cottonwoods an below the
spring. Git Joe to help you. No sense
in lettln' the gel see you, of course"
Mormon rounded up the half-breed
Joe, to help him dig the grave, first
locating Molly in hammock he had
slung for her In the shade of the trees
by the cstern.
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 headboard
he had fashioned from 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-
itably 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 a rattle