Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1924-10-24
Judith OF Blue Lake Ranch
b. Cpyngh Charles cinrss
Copyright by Charles Scribner's Sons

condensed milk Lee was busleu with
a tin containing potted meat. 'Now,
have you got over your shock so that
l can talk with your
He smiled at her across the little
oilcloth-covered table, and answered
lightly and with his old assurance
that he guessed he had steadied his
nerve. Hadn't he told her. Il cup Of
coffee would do wOndprs2
"Would it go to your head" began
the girl abruptly "if | were to tell
you that l size you up as the best
man I've got on my pay r0lf|
"Pd try to keep both feet on the
ground" he said gravely, though he
wondered what was coming.
"TH explain" she continued, her
tone impersonally busne&slike. Next
to you, l count on Doc Trip; next to
Trip, on Carson They are good
men; they are trustworthy; they un-
derstand ranch conditions and they
know what loyalty to the nOme-range
means. But Tripp is just a vet
erinarian simply that and nothing
more. His horizon isn't very wide.
Neither is Carson's."
'And mine?" he grinned at her.
Read me my horoscope, Miss San
ford"
you have taken the trouble to be
something more than just horse
foreman" she told him quietly. Il
don't know what your advantages
have been; If you haven't gone
through high school, then at least you
have been ambitious enough to get
books, to read, to educate yourself.
You have developed further than Car
son; you have broadened more than
Tripp."
Thanks" he offered dryly.
"Oh, I'm not seeking to intrude into
your private affairs, Mr.. Bud Lee "
she cried warmly at his tone. Il have
no desire to do SO, having no interest
in them. First of all, l want one
thing clear: You said when | first
came that you'd stay a few days, long
enough for me to get q man in your
place. We have both been rather too
busy to think of your leaving or my
seeking q substitute. Now what? DO
you want to go? Or do you want to
stickW
What did he want? He had antici-
pated an interference from the girl In
his management Of the duty allotted
h int rfa
come. She left him unhampered, even
as she did Tripp and Carson. He had
his interest in his horses. 1t was
pleasant here. This cabin was a sort
of home to him. Besides, he had the
idea that Quinnion and Shorty might
again be heard from-that If TrevOrs
was backing their play, there would
be other threats offered the Blue Lake
outfit from which he had no desire to
run. There was such thing as 10y
atty to the home-range, and in the
half-year he had worked here 1t had
become part of him.
"I'll stick" he said quietly.
I'm glad of that" replied Judith.
"Oh, you'll have your work cut out
for you, Bud Lee, and, that you may
be better fitted to do 1t, l want you to
know just what l am up against.
IT'S a gamble, with us bucking the
long odds. Dad left me third In
terest, clear, valued, counting stock,
at good deal more than four hun
dred thousand dollars. He left me no
cash. Dad never had any cash. Just
so soon as he got his hands on II he
put 1t to work knew he had planned
taking over another one-third interest,
and l went on with his plans.
mOrtgaged my share for two hundred
thousand dollars, which | got at 3 per
cent. That means I have to dig up
each year, just interest, ten thousand
dollars. That's a pretty big lump, you.
know"
"Yes," he admitted slowly. "That's
big; mighty big"
with the money l raised" Judith
continued, 81 bought out the third
owner, Timothy Gray. He let his
holding go for three hundred and fifty
thousand 1t was bargain for me
if l can make go of it. l still owe,
on the principal, one hundred and
fifty thousand. Total of my indebted
ness, three hundred and fifty thousand
dollars. And that's bigger, Bud Lee"
Yes. That's bigger figures than /
can quite get the hang of"
No wonder she had been crying.
Even If everything went smooth on
the Blue Lake she, too, had her work
cut out for her.
Now" she ran on, her voice stirring
him with the ringing note in it, Il can
make q go of tiff they will just let
me alone! l am playing close to the
table Lee, close! | have little
money in the bank, enough to run
along for two or three months, that's
ALL. / have about two thousand"
"Close hauled" grunted Lee. And to
himself, he remarked as he had re-
marked once before: 'She's got her
sand"
Quite naturally Bud Lee thought
swiftly of his horses. He had told
Traunrc thot ho ,uantod tO mako No