The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-08-04

/ reason tncL roQ1dceQ coyote uQn't
trail you up here is because he's
scared. He allus was scared Of you.
But I reckon he's shore scared to death
Of me an Monty" ".* 2s7s-a -.faste17s
swell, Well take Pat in his turn.
The thing now Is, when will that
Greaser stalk us, and what'n we do
when he comes?" e.. 7'.e7ssss.
my boy, there's only one way to
handle Greaser. shore told you
tibet. He means rough toward US. He'll
come smilin' up, all soci'ble like, in
sinuatin' an sweeter n q woman. But
he's treacherous; he's wuss than an
Indian. An, Gene, we know for a
positive fact how his gang hev been
operatin' between these hills an Aqua
Prieta. We know jest about what
tibet rebel war down there amounts to.
It's guerrilla war, an shore some har-
vest time fer lot of cheap thieves an
outcasts."
"Oh, you're right, Nels. I'm not dis
putting that" replied Stewart. IF it
wasn't for Miss Hammond and the
other women, I'd rather enjoy seeing
you and Monty open up on that bunch.
I'm thinkin' I'd be glad to meet Don
Carlos. But Miss Hammond! Why,
| Nels, such woman as she is would
never recover from the sight of real
gun-play, let alone any stunts with
rope. These eastern women are differ
ent. I'm not belittling our western
women. It's inAthe blood, Miss Ham,
mond isis" +
ashore she u.s." interrupted Nels;
'but she's got d-h sight more spunk
than you think she has, Gene Stewart.
I'm no thick-skulled COW. I'd hate
somethin' powerful to hev Miss Ham
mond see any rough work, let alone me
an Monty startin' somethin'. An me
an Monty'n stick to you, Gene, as long
| as seems reasonable. Mind, ole Teller,
begin your pardon, you're shore stuck
on Miss Hammond, an overtender not to
hurt her feelin's or make her sick by
1ettin' some blood. We're in bad here,
J an mebbe We'll hev to fight. Sabe,
senior? Wal, If we do you can Jest
gamble tibet Miss HammondM be game.
An I'll bet you million pesos tibet If
you got goin' onct, an she seen you as
I've seen yOu-wal, know what she'd
think of you. This old world 'ain't
| changed much. Some women may be
wh1te-skinned an soft-eyed an sweet
voiced an high-souled, but they all like
to see man! Gene here's your game.
Let Don Carlos come along. Be civil.
If he an his gang are hungry, feed
'em. Take even a little overbearin'
Greaser talk. Be blind If he wants
his gang to steal somethin'. Let him
think the women hev mosied down to
the ranch. But If he says you're lynn
If he as much as looks round to see
the women-jest jump him same as
you jumped Pat Have. Me an Monty'n
hang back fer tibet, an If your strong
bluff don't 60 through, If the Don's
gang even thinks of flashin' guns, then
We'll open up. An all I got to say is
| If them Greasers stand for real gun
play they'll be sure fust ever seem"
"Nels, there are white men in that
gang" said Stewart.
"Shore. But me an Monty'n be
thinkin' of thet If they start any
thin it'll hev to be shore quick"
"All right. Nels, old friend, and
thanks" replied Stewart
Nels returned to the campfire, and
Stewart resumed his silent guard.
Madelines guests sat talking in low
voices until late hour. The incident
now began to take on the nature of
| Helen's long-yearned-for adventure.
Some of the party even grew merry in
a subdued way. Then, gradually, one
by one they tired and went to bed:
| To keep from thinking of Stewart
and the burning anger he had caused
her to feel for herself, Madeline tried
to keep her mind on other things. But
thought Of him required, and each time
there was a hot commotion in her
breast hard to stif1e. Intelligent rea-
soning seemed out Of her power: In
the daylight it had been possible for
her to be oblivious to Stewards deceit
after the moment Of it's realization. At
night, however, in the strange silence
and lowering shadows of gloom, with
the speaking stars seeming to call to
her, with the moan of the wind in the
pines, and the melancholy mourn of
coyotes in the distance, she was not
able to govern her thought and emo
ton. She had inadvertently heard
Nels' conversation with Stewart; she
had listened, hoping to hear some good
news or to hear the worst; she had
learned both, and, moreover, enlighten-
ment on one point of Stewards COM
pick motives. He wished to spare her
any sight that might offend, brighten,
or disgust her. Yet this Stewart, who
showed a fineness Of feeling that might
have been wanting even in Boyd Har-
vey, maintained a secret rendezvous
with that pretty, abandoned Bonita.
Here always the hot shame, like a
live, singing, internal fire, abruptly
ended Madeline's thought The hours
wore on, and at length, as the stars
began to pale and there was no sound
whatever, she fell asleep.
She was called out of her slumber.
Day had broken bright and cool. The
sun was still below the eastern crags.
Ambrose, with several other cowboys,
had brought up buckets of spring wa
ter, and hot coffee and cakes. Made
lines party appeared to be none the
| worse for tho nights exDerience In