Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-02-28

CHAPTER TX
W.a.u. SERVICE
- -

down to the three bar Old The uiS'
heavy SHOWS of fall.
The acreage of plowed ground 10.
creased day by day and would con-
tInue till frost claimed the ground. AS
soon as the brush was burnt the mule
teams pulled heavy log drags across
the field. pulyerizing the Jumps and
leveIIng inequalities OF the surface.
Evans had been sent out as fore
man of tn. beef ound-up while Harris
remained behind to direct the opera
lions at the ranch. few days before
Evans vas due with the beef herd
Billie rode Papoose away from the
ranch. intending to make long-de-
ferred vlsI to the Brandons.
After covering two-thlrds OF the dis
lance along the foot of the hills to
the v she saw - rider dip ever a
ridge two miles away She unslung
Harris glasses and dlsmounted 10
watch for his reappaarance. When he
came again into ler field OF view an
other M was with him and they
were driving a few head Of cows be-
fore them
She mounted Panoose and angled
across to lntersecf their course,
As Papoose topped low hogback
that hanked the valley she saw The
men riding toward her down the bot
toms, driving twenty or more head OF
cows One of the horses threw up his
head. his ears prlcked sharply toward
her. and the swift upward tilt of the
riders ha.. as swiftly lowered, In
formed her that she had been sighted.
The other man did not look up. They
lifted the horses from walk to 3
stiff tret AMI .eered past the cows,
then looked up as II Just aware OF her
approach, and waited for her. Tile men
were bentley and Carp.
Bentley greeted her cheerlly. Carp
nodded without word.
"What are you two doing up here?
she demanded without parley.
Il repped With the Three Bar wag-
on and Carp worked with you for q
spell, so we sort OF know the range"
Bentley explained. "Slade sent US TO
drift any strays back south"
''Those you were driving are Three
Bar stur-every hoof," she said. "All
two -year-old she-stock."
Bentley turned and regarded the lit
tie herd they bad just passed
"Thell? Shove wasn't driving
Them" Bentley denied easily. "They
fast drlfted ahead OF US as we rode
down tn, bottoms. COW crltter will
always move on hfead of man. We
rode on past EN- as soon as we de-
clded to amhle along"
She knew that they were on safe
ground. Any COW would drift on be
fore horseman.
''The only way to convict IAN on
4 case like this Is to shoot him out OF
the saddle before he has chance to
pass the cows" she said. That's
what Will happen to the next Slade
rider that gets noticed With any Three
Bar cows moving out In front OF hin
and headed south. You can carry thai
word to Slnde."
She whirled Papoose and headed
back for the ranch. the intended visl
to the Brandons postponed. Harris
was pillng brush In the lower tielt
when she arrived and she Informed
him of the act OF the two men.
Il wouldn't put It past Carp h,
said. "But | hadn't sized Bentley u
Just that way. It's hard to tell. |
Carp shows up here again we'll max
him a visit In the middle OF the nigh
and he won't trouble us much afte
that"
"We'd better pay Slade night visil
: too" she said Her feelings towar
Slade had undergone complete re
vulslon She knew beyond dout
that he had been responsible for tn
raid on Three Bar bulls. The vii
bunch would have had 40 object
such foray. Figuring II from an
angle Slade was the only one man VII
could poss bly, derive any benefit fro
that She had come to see that Slaf
was lighting with his back to Il
wall--that he had run his course ar
come to the end OF 1t II sQuatters q
cured a start In. his range, and he co
sldered the act Of the Three Bar Il
opening wedge which would thro
open Il E Wa for the nesters to CROW
/. him out
) The evening OF the following d
the beef herd trailed into the low
end OF the Three Bar valley and bs
| ded for the night In the mornl
! the trail herd was headed for the ra
q road under a full crew. for Harris h
kept all hands on the job
The drove was nondescript lot
addition to the steers and Older co
that comprised every trail herd.
ofr-color she's stock had been careful
culled fron the 'ange.
Harris pointed to the bunch.
"Look that assortment over "
Billie" b advised. "A few seas,
pore, With fair luck, and you w