Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-11-20
II see.y answered Lee slowly.


no way of Bud Lees to hide his eyes
from a man, and yet now he did hide
them. He did not want Hampton to
see what they showed so plainly, in
spite of his attempt to master his
emotion. He was hurt. Long ago he
offended Judith, and she had watt
ed until now to repay bis rude insult
with this cool little slap in the face.
She had not consulted him, she had
not mentioned sale to him, and now
she sent Hampton and did not even
come to him with word of explana-
fion. It was quite as if she had said:
you are just a servant of mine,
like the rest, Bud Lee and ! treat you
accordingly
Until Judith had come, there had
been nothing that this man loved as
he did his work among his horses. he
watched them as day after day they
grew into clean-bloOded perfection;
he appraised their values; he saw per-
sonally to their education, helping
each one of them individually to be-
come the true representative Of the
DIOuQ6SlE Sy6ClSS OIL stlllIudl lllC. AAANt
he turned his eye now to the herd
down yonder he could have seer
the animal he had selected for
brood-mare next year, the three-year-
old destined to draw all eyes as ne
stepped daintily among the best OF
the single-footers in Golden Gate
Park, the rich red bay gelding that
he would mate for a splendid carriage
team. Oh, he knew them all
like human friends, planned the fu-
ture for each,e the sale of each would
be no sorrow but rather triumph
of success. And now, to see them
Jumped and sold to Doan, Rockwell
& Haight-even that hurt But most
of all did Judith's treatment Of him
cut, cut deep.
You're fool, Bud Lee" he told
himself softly. ooh, Cd. what
fool!''
.'The buyers will be here the first
thing tomorrow" said Hampton. Jul
dith says we're to have everything
ready for them"
"I'll not keep her waiting an
swered Lee quietly. And with quick
touch of the spur he whirled his horse
and left Hampton abruptly, going
straight to the plateau.
Round 'em up, Tommy" he said
sharply. every d-n hOof of them.
They go back to the corrals.''
Though quick questions surged up
in Tommy's brain, none of them was
asked just yet, for he had seen the
look on Lees face.
1t was early in the afternoon when
Hampton carried his messages to Car
son and Lee. 1t was after dark when
Lee, his work done, his heart still
sore and heavy, came into the mems
bunkhouse. 1t was very still, though
close to a dozen men were in the room.
Lees eyes found Carson and he
guessed the reason for the silence.
| Carson was in towering rage that
| famed red-hot in his eyes: under the
spell of his dominating emotion, the
men sat and stared at him.
'sWell, what's wrong?" asked Lee
coolly from the door.
"Good goddlemighty growled Car
| son snappishly. "You stan there an
ask what's the matter. If they's any
thing that amt the matter an you'll
spell its name to me I'll put in with
you. The whole outfits going to pot,
an /, for one, don't care how soon 1t
goes"
Rather nice way for cattle
foreman to talk about his ranch, isn't
it?" asked Lee colorlessly.
Cattle foreman" shifted Carson
with further explosives. Nov, will you
STAN on your two feet an explain to
me how in blue blazas man can be
cattle foreman when there amt
no cattle!'
$50 that's it, is it? I didn't know
how close you were selling Off"
Don't say me sellingl Why, I got
silage to run my COW brutes all win
ter, what with the dry feed in them
canyons"
Lee didn't hear the rest. 1t had
been his intention to come in and
smoke with the boys, and perhaps
play game of whist. Anything to
keep from thinking. But now, moving
on impulse, he turned and left the
shack, going swiftly up the knoll to
the ranch-house.
Just stepping into the courtyard
| soft under the moon, tinkling with the
play Of the fountains, stirred his heart
to quicker beating. He had not set
foot here for over two months. not
since that night which he knew he
should forget and yet to whose mem
DRY he chung desperately. This was
the first time in many long week
that he had gone out of his way to
seek Judith. And now words which
Judith herself had spoken to him one
day were now at least part of the.
cause sending him to speak with her.
She had said that he was loyal, that
she needed loyal men. lie still took
her wage, he was still q Blue Lake
ranch-hand, he still owed her his 10y
atty, though it came frorl sore
| heart.
GRO BE coNTINUED.)
L