The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1923-05-24
CHAPTER xiII--continued.

IL
Two riders. trailing a rope, had
raced down the valley hoping To sweep
away the tent, to send its occupants
sprawllng, It's contents scattered in a
confusion Of which advantage would
be taken to chase the three off their
claims, taken by surprise, made ridicu-
Ious.
Sandy and Sam, searching for a con
yenlent tent site, had happened upon
a mass Of outcrop, overgrown by
tent, using the rock for table, propping
their dummies about II. If dynamite
was flung ii would find something TO
work against. They bad not anticl-
pated the use OF the rope to demolish
the canvas, any more than the two
riders had expected to bring up
against a boulder. The impact, with
their ponies spurred. urged on by their
shouts to their limit, tore the cinches
Of one saddle loose, Jerked II from the
horse and catapulted the %unprepared
rider over its head, flying through the
air to land heavily, while his mount,
unencumbered, frightened, went ca.
reering off leaving It's breathless mas
ter stunned amid the sage.
As the cinches had given way at
one end, the line Itself had parted at
the other. The second pony had stun
bled sidewise, rolling before the man
was free from the saddle. They could
hear II thrashing In the willows, the
rider cnrslng as he tried To remount
while Sandy ran cat-footed down the
kill, leaving Mormon and Sam TO
handle the other.
The two found their man grooming
and limp.
Don't believe he's busted any
thing" announced Sam, "'less he's
aruv his neck inter his shoulders. Got
his saddle, Mormon?'
yep. Want the roper"
They trussed their captive with the
laslat still snubbed to his s%addle-horn.
Gown In the willows there was a flash,
: report, a scurrying flight p~unctuated
ay an oath almost as vivid as the shot.
Sandy came UP the hin toward them.
Miss himf' asked Mormon.
III was sure dahk.' said Sandy.
'and hated TO plug the hawss. So l
only took n shot to cheer him on his
way He was mountin' AZ the time
an II was n snapshot. ! aimed az the
sect 81 his pants. | w'udn't be SUR
prised hut what he's ridln' SOFT Of one
sided. Who you got here? Tote him
downhlll. ! don't believe they busted
the lantern. Wen take q look at him"
Sandy retrieved the lantern from
The collapsed nva and III IL. Nor
mon and Sam took the senseless man
down TO the creek, where they at
tempted to revive him by pouring hat
fuls Of the icy water on his head. He
Was a black haired chap, sallow OF
face, c~lean-shaven. His clothes were
those Of a cowman.
Looks a heap like n drowned rat"
said Mormon. Its Sol Wyatt. one Of
films riders oven to his hawss ranch.
He got fired from the Circle
10 leavin' his ridin' Iron Il home an
usin' another brand. Leastwise. that's
what they suspected. He's snlfin',
Sandy; what we goin to do with
him?"
Take him mp inter camp, soon's he's
able to walk an hand him over to
Plimsoll with our compliments. They
hggered they'd make us all look plumb
ridiculous with bein' dipped out of the
tent. Then they'd have had the crowd
on their side erlong with the laf, way
Il usually goes"
Wyatt opened a pair Of shifty black
Eyes To consciousness and the light of
the lantern and Immediately closed
them again. playing opossum. Sam
prcdded him gently In the ribs,
wake up, Sol" he said. "Ccme back
TO earth, you sky-salutin' circus-rider,
You sure looped the loops fore you III.
Git mp"
Wyatt gasbed and sat up, grinnlns
foolishly.
"What happenedf" b asked.
"Nothin'." answered Sandy. "Jest
nothln'. How's yore haidT
"Some tender
ut amt In first. sate condition oF
you w'udn't he drnwin' pay from Plim-
roll. Yore saddles here. yore hawss
went west. Ef you want to leave the
saddle tifl you locate the hawss. you
can git II 'thoui any trouble any time
you come TO- 1t. Or you can pack II
with you now. We're goin' up To camp
I don't fgger Wen be jumped ag'in
befo' morning. Ef we are, why. Wen
have 10 start the arguments all ever
FL w'udnt be surprised" said thu
philosophic Wyatt, ~gincerly pressing
his head with his fingertips. 'hut villa,
there - a gen'ral Impression stab
ifshed by this time that Won three
hnmbres from the Three Star are right
obstinate about considerin' this yors
property"
.sYou ieavin' camp with rfImsoll In
the mornin'ys Mormon asked casually
II heard some run,or about his hit
a., fhe sunrise trail sai6 WYATT. III
~ goes / stay. I'm q III fed m on
Inn plimsoIl lately. He miis 100
much al his picket line - suit me, ~
he's eot 1 ycIier stripe on his belly
IN ouiftins. Some day he's e"in' u
~ inter d hole tliat'tl sure test hl'
standnrd. Me. + may be q bit of = wolf
hnf TN id ef 1 trail with coyotes
f1l leay my saddle Any r. y"u ="