Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1924-03-07

he commented.
''I wouldn't call him that. I'm told
he can rope and ride with any of
them"
He looked at her quickly.
"You seem to keep track of him."
She replied bluntly:
"He interests me-"
"Why?" CURLY. Candy looked ma
licious as he added: Hes a fizzle."
He'll get his second wind some
day and surprise you"
HE will?" Candy replied, curtly.
What makes you think it,"
'His aunt is a rich woman, and he
could go limping back II he wanted
to; besides, he has what call the
markings"
"He should feel nattered by your
confidence in him." he answered. I'M
comfortably.
He doesn't know IL.
Candy said no more, but it passed
through his mind that Wallie would
not, either, If there was a way for
him to prevent it.
Wallie and Pinkey picked up few
stray cattle on their way to the home
stead on Skull Creek. 1t was late in
the afternoon when they reached 1t,
so they decided to spend the night
there. The corral was Gown in places,
but with little work it was repaired
sufficiently to hold the cattle they
put in it,
AS Pinkey had prophesied. 1t gave
Wallie the ''blues" to look at the place
where he had worked so hard and
from which he had hoped so much.
He felt heartsick as he saw the brok-
en- fenceposts and tangled wire, the
weeds growing in his wheat field, the
broken windowpanes. and the wreck
age inside his cabin.
The door had been left open and the
range stock had gone in for shelter,
while the rats and mice and chip
hunks had taken possession. Such Of
his cooking utensils as remained had
been used and left unwashed, and
the stove was partially demolished.
The only thing which. remained as
he had left it was the stream Of salt
water that had cut deeper channel
for itself but had not diminished in
volume.
"I'll go over to Canby's and hit the
cook for some grub and be back
pronto," said Pinkey.
| Wallie nodded. He was in no mood
for conversation, for the realization Of
his failure was strong upon him, and
he could not rid himself of the morti-
fication he felt at having made spec
tacle of himself before Helene Spence
ley.
The future looked utterly hopeless.
Without capital there seemed nothing
to do but go on indefinitely working
for wages. His aunt had sent word
in roundabout way that il he wished
to come back she would receive him,
but this he did not even consider.
Sitting on what was left Of his door
step, he awaited Pinkey's return. in
an attitude of such detection that that
person commented upon it loosely.
He rode up finally with banana in
each hip pocket that he had pilfered
from the cook, together with four
doughnuts in the crown of his hat
and cake in his shirt front.
II tried to get away with pie, but
it was too soft to carry, so I put =
handful Of salt under the crust and
set it back" he said as he disgorged
his plumber. He's charged me for the
bread and meat, and wouldn't let me
have no butter! It's fellers like the
Candy outfit that spoil country"
When they had eaten they spread
their saddle-blankets in the dooryard
and with their saddles for pillows
covered themselves with the slickers
they carried and so slept soundly un-
til morning
After breakfast, as they were lead
ing their horses up the weed-grown
path to the cabin to saddle them,
Pinkey's eye rested on the flowing
salt water stream.
Can you beat it," he commented
Good for nuthin but bathin' pool
fer dudes"
Wallie stopped in the path and
looked at the friend Of his bosom.
Pink" he said, solemnly, "why
wouldn't this make dude ranch?"
Pinkey stared back at him.
Gentle ANNIE" he replied, finally,
II told you long ago you was good fer
somethin' if we could just hit on it.
You're born duder!
Thanks! I feel as complimented
as the fellow in the Passion Play who
is cast as Judas Iscariot."
II don't know what you're talkin'
about-rve only seen a few draymas
but you got the looks and the fgger
and a way about you that I've noticed
takes with women. You'd make q
great dude wrangler Bleeve me,
you've thought of somethin'."
II wasn't thinking of myself, but Of
the place here-the scenery-the eli
mate-fshing in the mountains
y, To- ~