White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-12-07

der black mustache was the first to
voice query, not from the fact that
his curiosity was large-it was per-
haps less than that of any other man
in the room-but for the reason that
he chose to satisfy It at once. Nor.
rows personality was cold and bleak,
inviting no close friendships or init.
macies; uncommunicative to a degree
that had impressed itself on his COM
panions of the last few days and they
looked up. mildly surprised at his
abrupt Interrogation.
"Box L." he commented. where
does that brand rum"
"Southwest Kansas and Oklahoma"
the stranger answered.
"Squatter country" Morrow said
Every third section under fence"
Harris sat looking through the door
at the valley spread out below and
after a moment he answered the
thrust as If he had been long pre-
pared for 1t.
"Yes," he said. 'And that's what
all range country will come to In a
few more years; farm what they can
and Craze what they Garland the
sooner the better for all concerned"
He waved an arm down the valley.
Good alfalfa dirt going to waste
down there-overrun with sage and
| only growing enough grass to keep
| ten cows to the quarter. II that was
ripped up and seeded to hay 1t would
grow enough to winter five thousand
! head"
This remark led to the old debate
that was never-ending in the COW
country, breaking out afresh in every
bunk house and exhaustively redis.
cussed.
Evans regarded Harris curiously as
he deliberately provoked the argu
ment, then sat back and listened to the
various ideas Of the others as the dis
cussion became heated and general.
"Its q settled fact that the outfits
that have put in hay are better off, y
Evans said. "But there's dozen To-
calities like this, dozen little civil
wars going on right now where the
inhabitants are so mulish that they
lay their ears and fight their own in.
terests by unfolding flea-bit preiu
dice that was good for twenty years
ago but is dead issue today"
"And why is 1t dead today?" Nor
row demanded. "And not as good as
it always VAST"
"Only hundred or so different
reasons" Evans returned Indifferent
ly. "Then beef-tops brought ten dol
lars a head and they're worth three
times that now; then you bought 9
brand on the hoof, come as they run
for round five dollars straight
through, exclusive of calves; now it's
based at ten on the roundup tally
In those days man could better af
ford to let part of his cows winter
kill than to raise feed to winter the
whole of them through-among othel
things. These days he can't"
sand have your water holes fenced,
Morrow said. GAS soon as you let thu
first squatter light"
AuC government Aoo piOhAoAlS>
fencing water holes necessary to tn
adjacent range" Harris cut in. II
that valley was mine I'd have put /
in hay this long time back"
"But 1t wasn't yours" MorroN
pointed out.
mo; but 1t is now, or at least
part of 1t is" Harris said. II pickle
I'D that school section that lays acrOs
the valley and filed on home Qual
ter that butts up against the rims.
He sat gazing indifferently out tn
door as If unconscious of the dea'
silence that followed his remark
More men had drifted in till nearly
dozen were gathered In the room.
"Thats never been done out here
buying school sections and filing squat
ter's rights" Morrow said at las
"rhls is COW country and will neve
he anything else"
"Good COW country" Harris agreed
And 1t stands to reason 1t could b
made better with a little help"
|; "Whenever you start helping cour
lTy WIFI leHCe anu pioW you Iulu
for cows" Morrow stated. II know
ut always loomed up in the light &
good move to me-" the newcome
returned. zone of us has likely rea
his signs wrong"
"There's some signs round here 20
better read" Morrow said. '"The
were posted for such as you"
ut appears like I'd maybe made
bad selection then. I'm Sorry abou
that" Harris deprecated In a negl
gent ton; that beieC his words 'It'
hard to tell just how It will pan out.
(TO BE CONTINUED)