Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1929-06-13

Az they sat round the little fire the
girl handed Harris the paper Slade
had given her. It was scrawled bill
Of sale calling for three hundred odd
head Of Circle p cows, listed in the
exact numbers Of all ages and sexes.
In return she would send him an ex-
change slip for the same number of
Three Bar stock. This exchange sys-
tenn was one Of SHADES own devising,
intended to eliminate the time and ex-
pense of sending riders to scour adj
jacent ranges In search of drifted
stock. Each outfit exchanged slips
based on the roundup tally with
every other brand and so could show
bill of sale for off-brand stuff in their
beef shipments or for any rebrands
on the range.
Deane was regarding the penciled
memorandum signed by Slade.
"Not very impressive document"
he observed.
Harris laughed at the others evi.
dent disapproval Of such slipshod
method of property transfer.
"NOt very" he agreed. But it's
absolutely good. You could borrow
money against that at the bank. Slade
doesn't get us that way but here's how
he does: He's mapped out rebrand
system. His rebrand is Triangle on
the hip. When he gets our exchange
slip all he has to do is go on his
range and run the Triangle on the
hip Of the number of Three Bar stock
1t calls for. There are Three Bar
cows ranging a hundred miles from
here, just as there's brands a hun
dred miles off whose stock turns up
herewith triangle on the hip.
Who's going to check Slade up? 1t
would take three crews to cover his
range and tally the fresh Three Bar
rebrands Of this one seasonal few
here and few there. He ships train
loads Of cows in year. There's some
old rebrands in each lot, say; maybe
more than last years exchange. Well
he simply has been holding them over.
He can easy explain that. 1t would
break small outfit to hire enough
hands to cover his range and check
him up-and he'd buy part of those.
The albinO's men are petty-larceny
bandits compared with Sade"
Deane turned to the girl.
"Billie, why don't you get out of
game where everything is crooked-a
game of who can steal the most and
every man for himself?" he asked
why don't you fold your hands and
give up your business the first thing
that goes wrong" she cOuntered. "In-
stead of trying to remedy it?'
"But you don't have to do it," he
urged.
Neither do yOu," she said. I've
the same pride in the Three Bar that
you have in anything you've helped
build up. You'd fight all the harder
for one of your schemes that was
hard-pressed-and so would L.
She turned to her teepee and ended
the discussion, her pride little hurt
that Deane should so little appreciate
her wOrk-and the spirit that made
her hold on instead of giving up.
That evening they rode up to the
Three Bar just as Waddles announced
the evening meal.
"She's hOt!" the big voice walled.
"She's re-e-ed hotr
The hands were gathering at the
ranch, coming in from the range for
q frOlic before the beef roundup
should keep out for another month
Deane's time was up and he had
planned to leave on the following day
"YOu can't do that" Harris said
1.-TWO more days for you. I've given
orders not to let you off the place
till after the dance at Brilrs. This
Is Tuesday and the big frolic will be
staged Thursday night. Then you're
free to CO."
Deane shook his head and prepared
to offer an excuse but Harris smiling
ly refused to consider it.
'NO use to try" he said. 1.-THE boys
won't let you go. We've had you out
in the rain and now we'll try to make
eAhShoS LII IL. blillc, uOu let ullu
leave the place. I'll detail you as
guard"
"YOu hear the orders,' she said.
You're stuck for two more days at
the Three Bar whether you like it or
not"
THAT settles it." Deane said Il
do want to see that dance"
Horne strOlled up to them as they
reached the corral.
Another of the wild bunch down,
he said. "Magill this time. Got it
just the same as Barton did last
week. Shot from in front; one empty
shell in his gun. The Breaks is get
ting to be hard place to reside in."
Again the girl felt that queer SEN
sation of having expected this to
transpire, as If possibly she had
helped plan the deed herself and had
forgotten it. That night as she lay
in her bed her mind was concerned
with it and at times the solution
seemed almost to reach the surface of
her consciousness. Two belated riders
came up the lane. AS they rode past
her open windows she heard the name