Catoctin clarion., 1923-06-14

Az the cinches had given way at
one end, the line itself had parted at
the other. The second pony had stum-
bled sidewise, rolling before the man
was free from the saddle. They could
hear 1t thrashing in the willows, the
rider cursing as he tried to remount
while Sandy ran cat-footed down the
hill, leaving Mormon and Sam to
handle the other.
The two found their man groaning
and limp.
Don't believe he's busted any
thing" announced Sam. "less he's
druv his neck inter his shoulders. Got
his saddle. Mormon7"
"Yep. Want the roper"
They trussed their captive with the
lariat still snubbed to his saddle-hOrn.
Down In the willows there was fash.
n report. IL scurrying flight punctunted
by an oath almost as vivid as the SHOT
Sandy came up the Hill toward them.
Miss him?" asked Mormon.
ut was sure dahk." said Sandy,
"and | hated to plug the hawss. So
only took one shot to cheer him on his
way. He was mountin' at the time
an It was q snapshot. ! aimed at the
seat of his pants. w'udnt be sur
prised but what he's ridln' so't of one
sided. Who you got here? Tote him
downhill. I don't believe they busted
the lantern. Wen take a look at him."
Sandy retrieved the lantern from
the collapsed canvas and lit 1t. 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 n back-haired chap. sallow OF
face. -shaven. His clothes were
those Of cowman.
T.ooks heap like drowned rat"
said Mormon. ITS Sol Wyatt, one Of
Plim's riders oveh to his hawss ranch.
He got fired from the Two-Bar-Circle
To- leavln' his ridin' iron to home an
usin' anotheh brand. Leastwise. that's
what they suspected. He's sniffin',
Sandy; what we goin to do with
him?"
''Take him up inter camp, soon's he's
able to walk an hand him over to
Plimsoll with our compliments. They
figgered they'd make us all look plumb
ridiculous with bein' flipped out Of the
tent. Then they'd have had the crowd
on their side erlong with the raf, way
It 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
prodded him gently in the RIBS.
"Wake up, Sol," he said. "Come back
to earth. you sky-salutin' circus-rider.
You sure looped the loops fore you lit.
Git up"
Wyatt gasped and sat up. grinning
foolishly.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Nothin'," answered Sandy. "Jest
nothin'. How's yore haid?"
"Some tender"
'Tt amt in first-rate condition or
you w'udn't be drawin' pay from Plim-
soil. Yore saddles here, yore hawss
went west. Eff you want to leave the
saddle till you locate the hawss, you
can git 1t 'thout any trouble any time
you come TO- it. Or you can pack It
with you now. We're goin' up to camp.
don't fgger we'll be jumped ag'in
befO' morning. Eff we are, why, We'll
have to start the arguments all over"
II w'udn't be surprised" said the
philosophic Wyatt, gingerly pressing
there Is gen'ral impression stab
lished by this time that you three
hombres from the Three Star are right
obstinate about considerin' this yore
property"
"You leavin' camp with Plimsoll in
the mornin'?" Mormon asked casually.
81 heard some rumor about his hit
tin the sunrise trail" said Wyatt. "Ef
he goes, stay. I'm III fed up on
Jim Plimsoll lately. He pulls too
much on his picket line to suit me. Eff
he's got a yeller stripe on his belly,
I'm quittin'. Some day he's goin' to
git inter hole that'll sure test his
standard. Me, may be bit of wolf.
but I'm id ef I trail with coyotes.
I'll leave my saddle. Any Of you got
the makin's? l seem to have lost most
everything but my clothes. I shed a
gun round here somewheres."
"You can have 1t when you come
back TO- yore saddle, Wyatt" said
Sandy. "Where was you an yore pal
goln' to repo't back to Plimsoll?'
Wyatt grlnned In the lantern light.
"Ef we trailed inter his place an
made bet on the red over to the faro
table he'd sabe everything went Off
fine an dandy. He w'udn't f1gger we'd
show at all II 1t didn't come off. An
we w'udn't have. 1t was a win-or-lose
Job. Pay II 1t was pulled off. Other
wise, nothin' doin'. You hombres
treated me white. There's lot who'd
have plugged me full Of lead an death.
l was on yore land. Ef you force me
to walk into PlimsOlls place ahead Of
you I amt resistin' none. an shall
sure admire to watch Plim's face when
he sees you-all back of me-"
He took the trail ahead Of them,
hands In his pockets, his cigarette
glowing. Behind him walked Sandy.
Hes a cool sort of a cuss," said
Sam to Mormon. II reckon he's bad
actor, but there's sure somethin'
erbout the galoot ! like. He amt over
fond Of Plimsoll, that's sure thing. II
he Is workin' TO- him. Wonder why7"
"They tell me-" replied Mormon,
"thet Plimsoll's apt to be fond Of the
other feller's gal. He amt satisfied
with what he can pick for himself.