White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-12-21
The Settling Of the Sage
By HAL G. EVARTS
Cuyrgh Hal G E

leased the colts foot and addressed
the girl. If I'd fight him now while
he's spoky and half-scared 1t would
spoil him maybe" he explained.
II gentle-break mine, too.' she said.
and the man overlooked the infection
which, as plainly as words, was in
tended to convey the impression that
his ways were effeminate. 'If every
man used up his time gentling his
string he'd never have day off to
work at anything else"
"Why, it don't use up much time,"
he objected. "They halfway break
themselves, standing round with a
saddle on and having man handle
them a little between spells of regu-
lar work-like cutting firewood and
such. And it's saving of time in
the end. There's three hundred odd
days every year when a man consumes
considerable time fighting every horse
he steps upon---if they're broke that
way to start"
$50 your only reason for not rid
ing them out is to save time." she
said. ~"
"If you mean that I'm timid." be
observed, why, l don't know as I'd
bother to dispute it." He moved over
and sat on his heels facing her, twist
ing the ever handy cigarette. Ills
ten," he urged. Lets you and Try
to get along Now If you'll only make
;,.l hot TSvor To
the Three Bar, not even the half Of
it that's supposed to be mine-unless
you get paid for it-why, we're liable
to get to liking each other real well
in the end. I'll give you contract
to that effect"
(Which you know would be worth.
less I" she returned. '.The will spe.
officially states that any agreements
between us prior to the time of divi-
sion are to be disregarded. A writ.
ten contract would have no more
value than your unsupported promise
and in view of what's happened you
don't expect me to place value on
that"
He pulled refectively at his ciga.
rette and she rather expected another
Of the irrelevant remarks with which
he so often replied to her pointed
thrusts. *
NO." he said at last "But It's a
fact that l don't want the Three Bar
or rather l do If you should ever
decide to SELL"
81 never WILL" she stated positive
ly. tits always been nay home. I've
been away and had a good time;
three winters in school and enjoying
every second; but there always comes
a time when I'm sick to get back
when know can't stay away from
the Three Bar, when l want to smell
the sage and throw my leg across a
horse and ride!"
II know, Billie" he said softly. II
was raised here, up until was eight.
NY feeling is likely less acute than
yours but I've always hankered to
get back to where the sage and pine
trees run together. mentioned
while back that was tied up pecu-
liar and stood to lose considerable If
l failed to put in two years out here
which wouldn't have been of any par
ticular consequence only that | found
| out that the Three Bar was going un
| der unless some one put stop to
what's going on. I'll pull it out of the
hole, maybe, and hand 1t back to
you"
..Youl" she flared. "And what can
| you do against it-a man that was
raised in squatter country behind a
barb-wire fence, who has to gentle
his horses before he can sit up on
one, who has hitched gun on his
belt because he thinks it's the thing
to do and has slowed 1t in place
where he'd have to tie himself in a
knot-or undress-to reach 1t. And
then you talk of pulling the Three Bar
out of holel Why. there are twenty
men within fifty miles of here that
would kill you the first move you
made"
'Theres considerable sound truth