Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1929-03-28


put In hay ON his filinC. knowing that
h was q marked man from the hour
hs turned the first furrow. Whatever
his shortcomings, lack Of courage was
not one Of them.
q take that back" she said, re-
1srrins to her words Of a few moments
before Harris Strengthened to sit
ting position In his surprise at this
impulsive reraction. and as he smiled
across at her she OWNED that this
man. seemingly 80 impervious to her
sarcasm, could be easily moved by a
single kind word
'Thanks. Billie" he said THAT
Wes real white Of you"
he rose and sauntered toward the
wagon and Billie Warren felt sud-
den clutch OF fear as he halted be-
tore Harper and she realized that he
had taken her words literally and In
tended ordering them OF.
I've been made temporary foreman
q the Three Bar-just 80 the boss
could try me out on that job for an
hour or two" he remarked conversa-
donally. $50 I'm putting in a new
rule that goes into effect right of.
When you boys ride away, In q few
minutes from now, you can tell folks
that the grub line Is closed as far as
the Three Bar Is concerned"
Lang took q half-step toward him,
his face rejecting his gathering rage
O. his slow brain comprehended the
fact that this speech was but another
way Of announcing that he and his
men would find no welcome at the
Three Bar from that moment on.
Harper caught his arm and jerked
him back. The albino was AN old
hand and could rightly read the signs.
The gentleman was remarking to
me-" he said to Lang; mot you" He
turned to Harris. There's no law
to make you feed any man." he said.
from now on Wen pay our way-as
Tar as the Three Bar Is concerned"
His tones were casual; only his pale
eyes, fastened unblinkingly on Harris
face, betrayed his real feeling toward
the man who, Notwithstanding the
roundabout nature Of his announce
ment. had practically ordered him to
stay away from the Three Bar for all
time.
But even in the face of that" he re-
sumed, "weIl welcome you any time
you happen to ride down our way
Every man within earshot under
stood the threat that lay beneath the
casual words.
| 'Then I'll likely drop in some time"
Harris said. IF you'll send word
where 1t is. And TIL bring fifty men
/ along"
The albino motioned his men to-
ward their horses and they mounted
and rode off down the bottoms. Har-
ris walked back and resumed his seat
near the girl, who sat looking at him
as If she could not believe what she
had Just witnessed.
you see it was just as easy as I'd
counted on" he said. It'll be con-
siderable saving on food"
But how did you knowT she
asked. "Why is Harper afraid of your
"He's not" Harris said. "Not for
a single second. But he's an old hand
and has left few places on the jump
before he came out here"
"And he thinks you know itw she
guessed.
He don't care what 1 know; it's
what he knows himself-that the wild
bunch is always roosting On the pow
der can even when it appears like
they're sitting pretty-that counts
I with him. You thought I was taking
fool chance of Outgaming him. In
reality 1 was taking almost an unfair
, advantage of him, providing he had
the brains he must possess to have
lived to his age"
She could find no ready-made an
swer to this surprising statement.
J Don't you know that the albino
will kill you for thatY she asked.
"Not unless he can stage it as per-
sOnal quarrel" he said Hell never
follow 1t up as coming out of what
happened today by taking it out on
me as temporary foreman of the
Three Bar-for ordering him off.
There's a good majority Of folks that
don't relish seeing Harper's bunch
ride up-that feed them through pol
icy. But whenever you make it plain
to man that he's compelled to do a
thing whether he likes it or not it's
ten to one he'll balk out Of sheer hu-
man pride. If Harper kills the Three
Bar foreman on the grounds that he
refused to feed all his men-why
then, right off, every foreman and
owner within a hundred miles starts
to resenting the possibility that may
be the albino feels the same way to-
ward him. Harper knows that"
"But If your theory had been
wrongT she persisted. 'What then?'
'Then," he said, then there'd have
been hi and repeat. / wasn't just
acting as me, personal affair, but,
az I took pains to remark aloud, as
the foreman Of the Three Bar. Ev-
cry Three Bar man would have gone
into action the second Harper made