White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-12-14
CHAPTER n-Continued


the dark man contradicted.
The newcomers gaze returned from
down the valley and settled on Nor
rows face.
'Do you run brand of your own
SOS you'd stand to lose dollar If
every foot of range was fenced?" he
inquired.
"What are you trying to get at
now?" Morrow demanded.
Nothing much-now; I've already
got" Harris said. "a mans interest
lays on the side where his finances
are most concerned"
aWhat do you mean by that?" Nor
row insisted.
you're good at predicting-maybe
you're an expert at guessing, too"
Harris returned. And suddenly Evans
laughed as II something had just oc-
CURED to him.
Morrow glanced at him without
turning his head, then fell silent, his
expression unchanged.
A chunky youngster stood in the
door and bent an approving gaze on
i
the pasture lot. The boys face was
small and quizzical, shaggy mop of
tawney hair hanging so low upon his
forehead that his mild blue eyes
peered forth from under the fringe of
it and gave him the air of surprised
terrier, which effect had gained him
the title of Bangs.
II bet the little paint-horse could
make. man swing and rattle to set
up in his middle, once he started to
act up" he said.
"Calico wouldn't know how to start, !"
Harris said "a horse, inside his linn
itations, is what his breaker makes
him. never favored the idea OF
breaking a horse to fight you every
time you climb him. My horses are
gentle broke"
But you have to be able to top
off just any kind Of horse" Bangs
objected
"That don't hinder man from gen
thing his own string" Harris re-
turned.
Bangs turned his surprised eyes on
Harris and regarded him intently as
If striving to fathom viewpoint that
was entirely new to him.
"Why, it don't, for fact" he said
at last. "Gnly l just never happened
to think OF it like that before"
Morrow laughed and the boy flushed
at the disagreeable ring of it. Nor.
rows face wore none of the active
malignancy that stamps the features
of those uncontrolled desperadoes
who kill in flare of possion.; rather
it seemed that the urge to kill was
always with him, had been born with
him, his face drawn and overlength
ened from the inner effort to render
his homicidal tendencies submissive
to his BRAIN not through desire for
regeneration, for he had none, but as
a mere matter Of expediency.
"You listen to what the squatter
man tells you" Morrow said to Bangs
"He'll put you right-give you a
course in how everything ought to be
done" He rose and went outside.
A raucous below sounded from the
cookhouse and every man within ear
shot rose and moved toward the sum.
mons to feed.
Lets go eat 1t up" Evans said and
left the bunk house with Harris.
did you gather all the information
you was prospecting for?" he asked
Harris nodded. II sorted out one
mans number he said.
snow If you'd only whispered to
me I'd have told you right off" Evans
said. tits astonishing how easy it
is to pick them if you try"
All through the meal the gigantic
cook lowered near Billie Warren as
she sat near one end of the long
table. 1t was evident to Harris tina,
the big man was self-appointed guar.
dian and counsellor of the Three Bar
boss. He showed the same fussy
solicitude for her welfare that hen
would show for her helpless icks.
"Praise the grub and have a friend
at court" Harris murmnred in evans
ear.
Billie Warren had nearly completed
her meal before the men came In,
She left the table and went to her
own room. When Harris rose to go
he slapped the big man on the back.
'I'd work for half pay where you
get grub like this" he said. "That's
what I'd call real feed"
Waddles beamed and followed him
to the door.
"1t's fact that can set out the
best bait you ever throwed lip over"
he confessed you're q man of ex.
cellent tastes and it's real pleasure
to have you about"
Billie Warren opened the door and
m0tioned to Harris. He went into the
big front room that answered for both
living room and sleeping quarters. In
dian blankets partitioned off one end
Tor the girls sleeping room.
You had something to ell me-" she
observed, after he had remained 81.
lent for the space of a minute. sitting
In the chair she had indicated and
gazing into the fire.
"And I'll have to start II a little dif
ferent from the way ! first counted
on" he said. .'Have any of the boys
mentioned my name to your"
She shook her head and waited for
him to 60 on.
"You won't care much to hear It."
he announced I'D thought some Of