Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1924-11-07
CHAPTER + 4
Game But Nervous


HAD MORGAN stood with his
~ shoulders against the top sail
Of the corral fence, apparently
asleep On his feet. The sun had 4
persuasive warmth. which was good
for kinks in the system. Hs never
could decide whether It melted or
baked the swtnges -oug sts,him bur
he knew IT for an smolltens OF
power and virtue. His Agure, dropped
somnoIently :. His psps Bang toose-
~ from a corner OF hts mouth. His
ayes were half closed. -,
But Dad Morgan was not asleep.
nor were his haif-losedl deyes idle.
They we're watching two5rtders de.
scend the slope on the TAR side Of
the wide ,onlee in which the ranch
. buildings sprawted. There was a
piehaid horse ridden by a. girl and
a sorrei ridden by a man. They
we're still somewhat Distant for dis.
closure Of these details. but Dad Nor.
gan knew who was coming The
pace Of the riders was a walk. and
Dad understood tfles meaning Of 1t.
I expect he's got himself all
rhafcd up" he unused. ss'But he1ft
put II on his nerves: see If he don't. |
%o'hin' ever happens to- him regu- |
~ md raturai.
l'nc riders were aut upon green !
81. and the piebaId herss broke !
70 an easy lope. The sorref fol. |
aed. then checked and settled !
avn 10 restless walk. The girl
front turned IN her saddle. glanced
- .'kward. brought her mount to Z /
p and waited, Whom the esorrel!
.nri come abreast the two horses
:knd again IN the direction Of the
:arh Dad Morgan grinned. shifted
-. rosluon against the fence and
an tiIling his pipe.
liz was smoking tazlly{ when the
has came to a pause. at. the corral
..te The girl swung off with an
isv sweep and waved gauntieted i:
.ant - l.
lIelo. Dad.
The n.an on the sorref made no
answer tor he was engaged in
ask Win porh hands gripping the
p1mmcl. he raised himself in the stir.
rups tlghtened his lips and scowled., i',I
Then. very slowly. ne fetched his
rght leg across the ,sorrefs back!
As he did TINS he Aattened himself
forward until the pommel burrowed
into the PIT of his stomach and his
arms gripped the sorrelis neck in a
tense embrace. Then he slid crab
wise to the ground. He stood there
for several seconds. looking at his
legs. which had retained the posture
necessary to enclose the barrel of a
horse Slowly he Strengthened them. I
one after the other There was a 1
groan in his look. but he did not i
give it speech.
b. He turned a savage and challeng.
ing eye in the direction of Dad Nor,
gan. .s
I'm fine he said. @ Il
You re lookin real WE'LL observed i
Dad. Had an idea YOU might of I
got omed up some. but I can say |
as see any signs Of IT..
The RIDER of the sorrei stumped {
stiff, forward half dozen steps. ,
'Who--me? Lame2 What would /
get lame for'''
Come to think of It. Wreck. I'm
burned If | know, i reckon ANYBODY q
who eau set on a fiivver for fifteen i
hundred miles maybe sixteen hun. q
dred. is KIND Of accIimated. Anyhow
the sheriff says II 10
Dad Morgan broke off at slight I
but peremprory gesture from the {
girl who had opened the corral gate
and was accelerating the piebald
horse through 1t with gentle aick t
Of her qutrt. ..-.... Y
She was free. loose-limbeA girl. q
bro" Il In the cheeks and neck. clear