River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1923-05-10

'
we split, half on count of the Three
Star, half to you. Providln' you fall
in line with the eddication, SOS to do
yore dad yo'se'f an us, yore partners,
due credit when the money starts
comm in. Sabe?"
81 don't sabe the dedication part of
it," she answered. Jest what does
that mean? I don't want to go to
school with a lot of kids who'll laf
at me-"
'You don't have to. AS pardners,"
Sandy went on earnestly, II don't
mind telln' you that the Three Bar
has put all It's chips into the kitty
an, while we. fgger sure to win, we
emit cash in any till the increase of
the herds starts to make a shown.
Not till after the fall roundup, any
way So yore eddicationll have to be
put off a bit Meantime you'll learn
to ride an rope an mebbe break
colt or two, between meals an ridn'
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. On'y, you've picked.
up Dads hand TO gamble with. Mebbe
1t 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 nd
gamble on which way a horn-toad III
spit. It's meat an drink TO him. We
won this ranch on gamble-him
playn'. He CANDLES as. he breathes.
An whatever hand he plays, me an
Mormon backs. Why, if we win on
this mimi deal. we're way ahead of
the game, seem we don't put up any
thin in cold collateral. It's a sure
fire cinch."
..Sam says it, backed Sandy. zone
good gamble."
Molly funbled AT the waistband of
her one-piece gown. working at it with
her fingers. producing golden eagle
which she handed to Sandy.
That's my luck-plece," she said
dad give it to me one time he
cleancd up good on a placer claim
Mex time YOU gamble, will you play
1hat--for me? Half an half on the
winninS. sure need some clothes"
The CLINT of the born gamblers SUI
perstition showed in Sandy's eyes as
he took the ten dollars.
81 II Il that hn nj k,,t
mighty soon Now, then, talks over
all agreed. Sam an ME has got some
work to do outside. Won't be back
much before shutdown. Mormon, he's
goin' to be middlin busy, too Molly,
you jest aequaint yorese'f 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
girlish frankness change to the CRATE
fulness of woman's spirit. looking
out at him between her lids. II made
him 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 grave
under the cottonwoods an below the
spring Git Joe to help you. No sense
in lettin' the gel see you, of course"
Mormon rounded up the half-breed
Joe, to help him dig the grave, first
locating Molly in a hammock he had
slung for her in the shade of the trees
by the cistern.
The soil was soft and clear from
stone An hour suffieed to sink a
shaft for Pat Casey's last bed. Nor
mon carefully adjusted the hea 1board
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 rattle
snake.
Moisture streamed from Mormon's
face, patched his clothes as the heat
and his exertions temporarily melted
some of his superfluous adiposity. He
wiped his face with his bandanna.
Suddenly his big body stiffened. He
heard MOlly's voice from the cistern.
frightened, then storming in anger.
Mormon ran at sprinters gait from
the cottonwoods, along side of the
corral, through the trees bordering
the clStern. The girl was out of the
hammock, facing a man In riding
breeches and puttees, his face con-
cealed for the moment by his hands.
A sleeve Of the girls frock was torn
away, the outwOrn fabric in stream
ers. The mans hands came down
and Mormon recognized him for Jim
Plimsoll, owner OF the Good Luck pool
sx, ~