River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1923-05-03
Observation-Disclosures
Copyright. 1922. by J. Allan Dunn
Continued f.,om page g.


with my two pardners an me? You
do that an mebbe we can fix things
up and arrange about yore daddy.
Wen come back an git him an We'll
make a place fo' him under our big
cottonwoods below the big spring"
Molly Casey gazed at him with
such sudden glow of gratitude in
her eyes that Sandy felt embarrassed.
He had been comforting girl, boy
ish girl, and here a woman looked at
him, with understanding.
"Yore sure a white man." she said.
"I'll git even with you some time If
work the bones. of my fingers through
the flesh fo' you. Thanks don't
amount to a d--n 'thout somethin
back of 'ern. I'll come through
She put out her roughened little
hand, man-fashion, and Sandy took II
as Sam emerged from the wagon with
the tools. The bay mare groaned and
gave a shrill cry, horribly human.
Sam drew his gun. putting down pick
and shovel.
toward Sam as the bay collapsed to
the merciful bullet. The girl washed
away as best she could the stains OF
blood and travel from the dead face
while Sandy sounded with the pick
for soil deep enough for temporary
grave.
The body would have to lie on the
ledge overnight, nothing but burial
could save it from marauding coyotes,
though the wagon might have baff1ed
the buzzards The two set to work
digging a shallow trench down to bed
rock, rolling up loose powders for a
cairn. Lizards fiirted in and out OF
the crevces as the miner was laid
in his temporary grave. the girl dry
eyed again.
She had brought little workbox
from the wagon, OF mahogany stud
ded with disks of pearl in brass
mountlngs. Out of this she produced
a handkerchief of soft China silk bro
eade, its white turned yellow with age.
This she spread over her fathers fea-
lures, showing strangely distinct in
the failing light.
II don't want the dirt pressin on
his face" she said.
From the dead mans clothes Sandy
and Sam had taken the few personal
belongings, from the inner pocket of
the vest some papers that Sandy knew
for location claims.
"Want to take some buds eriong
to the rancho" he asked Molly. 1--WE
can bring in the rest of the stuff
later Got to shack erlong, it's gittin'
dark. Brought an extry hawss with
US. Can you rider
"Some. | amt had much chance"
Don't know how the mare'll stand
yore skirt. II she won't Pintoll pack
you"
"IlI fix that" She clambered into
the wagon. Before she came out with
her bundle they piled the cairn, q
mask of broken rim-rOck heavy
enough to foil the scratching of the
coyotes.
It looked to Sandy as if the girl had
changed into a boy. The slender fig
ure. sIlhOuetted against the after
glow, softly pulsing masses of fiery
cloud above the top of the mesa, was
dressed in jean overalIs, a wide
trimmed hat hiding length of hair.
81 reckon can fool that hawss of
yores now" she said. 81 gen'ally dress
thisaway 'cept when we expect to go
nigh the settlements or as ranch where
we aim to visit"
The gray mare made no bother and
soon they were riding down toward
the strip of Bad lands. Sandy let the
collie go afoot for the time.
1t was close to midnight when they
reached the home ranch, riding past
the outbuildings. the clubhouse of the
men where a light twinkled, the cook
shack, the cOrrals, up to the main
house. There they alighted. Sandy
lifted Molly from the saddle and carried
her up the steps, across the porch,
kicking open the door Of the living
room where the embers of a fire
glowed. There was no other light IN
the big room, but there was sufficient
to show the great form of Mormon,
slowed away in a chair, asleep and
snoring.
Sam struck match and lit a lamp.
He struck Mormon nightly between
his shoulders.
"Gawdr gasped the heavyweight
partner 81 been asleep. But there's
kittIe of hot water. Sandy. Where's
the-what in fine are you totin'? a
gel or a boy?"
'This Is Miss Molly Casey" said
Sandy gravely, setting down the girl.
Miss Casey. this is Mr.. Peters. Nor
mon, Miss Molly is gOin' to tie up to
the Three Star for bit" 4
Mormon. little sheepish at the sud-
denly developing age of the girl as she
shook hands with him. recovered him