The Holly chieftain., 1923-06-28
CHAPTER x
Sandy Returns.

SauAy EhVs6bH9s
Eight days passed before Sandy
came riding back on Goldie, leading
the bay, reaching the Three Star at
the end of sunset. Mormon was in
his chair with the one letter that
Sandy had written, on his lap.
Sandy pulled in the mare beyond
the corral. He could hear the sound
Of Sans harmonica and pictured him
with the instrument cuddled up un-
der his great mustache.
"It's sure good to be home. Goldie,"
said Sandy. Then he let out a mighty,
.tHello, the housed"
Sans Tilt ceased abruptly. The rid
ers came hurrying. Sam. appeared,
with Mormon waddling after, too
swiftly for his best ease or grace of
motion. both grabbing at Sandy, swat
ting him on the back as he off-saddled.
'Lemme Co." said Sandy. I'm hun
Cry as a spring bar. Where's Pedro?
Pedro, I'm hungry-muy hambriento.
Despachese vd. Pronto! Huevos-
sells huevos-fritos Frijolesl Jamonl
Cafei Panecilos! Todo ell ranchol
Prontol"
"Si, senior. Embellishments" And,
with a yell for Joe the half-breed,
Pedro hurried away, grinnlng, to pre-
pare the six fried eggs, the ham, the
coffee, the mullins, everything In the
larderl
His two partners watched Sandy eat
plying him with food and then with
question after question about the trip,
about Barbara Redding and about
Nolly's going TO school.
"Molly's got an outfit Barbara Red
ding bought her" said Sandy. Trunk
an leather grip. all kinds Of do-dads
School costs fifteen hundred bucks q
year. The rest Of Molly's money IL
banked. Barbara picked out school
IN Psnnsylvania she said was the best" /"
"It's been ALFRED lonely with both
you an her gone," said Mormon. sAn'
the dawg amt eat q mouthful, 1 don't
believe. Mebbe you can coax him,
Sandy. Set around an howled like a
dck coyote TO- fo'-five days-mostly
oights. II the gel balks TIL stand back
Of her to quit an come back to Three
STAR
.An' have Jordan git her away an
put her under Plimsoll's guardeen-
shipf'
'He c'udn't do that. Mirandy Bailey
'ud block him"
"He c'udn't do anything" said San
dy. II got myse'f app'inted legal
xuardeen to Molly while we was in
Santa Rosa, one day Barbara an
Molly was shoppin'. John Readings
lawyer fixed 1t up" :.
The months passed without especial
Incident at the Three Star. Sandy
purchased champion Hereford bull
for the herd out Of the ranch share Of
the faro winnings Other improve
ments were added, and the three part
ners seemed on the fair way to pros.
perity.
Occasional letters came from Molly.
HOmesickness and unhappiness
showed between the lines Of the first
apistles, despite her evident efforts to
conceal them. Her ways were not the
ways Of the other girls. She apparent
iy formed no friendships and 1t seemed
that none were invited from her.
"But I'm going to stick with 1t till I
get same as the rest-on the outside,
anyway" she wrote. ~ don't know
how some Of them work inside. 1t amt
like me. But I've started this and you
all want me to go through, SO will,
though l get lonesome as sick cat
for the ranch. don't swear any more
Il got into awful trouble for spilling
my language one time-and can spell
pretty good without hunting up every
word In the dictionary. reckon I'm
q hard filly to break, but then, I was
battered late. don't think 1t would
be allowed for me to have Grit, so
Sou'I have to look out for him and not