Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1929-09-26


haul out materials for the rebuilding
of the ranch.
The work was going on but she no
longer had a share In 1t. She was
looking ahead and planning future
in which the Three Bar played no
part.
Deane was with Judge Cotton, her
fathers old friend, to meet her at
the station. AS they rode toward the
Cotton home she told the Judge she
had come to stay and Deane was con-
tent. After the strenuous days she
had just passed through she needed
a long period of rest, he reflected;
but the older man smiled when he
suggested this.
what she needs now is action"
he said. "And no rest at all. Cal
Warren's girl isn't the sit-around
type"
Deane acted on this and no day
passed without his having planned a
part Of it to help fill her time. And
in the late winter, after having WIS.,
tied school friends who lived farther
east, she found herself anticipating
the return to the Cotton home as
eagerly as always in the past she had
looked forward to seeing the Three
Bar after long period away from it.
For the first time in her life she
was glad to be sheltered and PAM
pered as were other girls But there
was growing restlessIess within her
"a vague dissatisfaction for which
she could not account. She gr0ped
for an answer but the analysis could
not be expressed or definitely cleared
in her mind.
Deane planned with her of evenings
but the planning was all of play. No
word of work crept into it. If only
he would accept her as wholly into
that part Of his life as he did into
the rest.
And suddenly she lOnged to sit for
just one evening before the fire and
plan real work with Cal Harris. He
had been the one man she had known.
who had asked that she work with
him-or that he should work for her,
She had drifted along, expecting tina.
that same state of affairs would go
on indefinitely, believing that he filled
the void left by old Cal Warren But
now she knew he held that place he
had created for himself. They had
worked together and she had deserted
the sinking ship to play the part of
the tinsel queen.
She was conscious of f1are-half
of resentment, half of apprehension
toward Harris for not having sent
word of affairs at the ranch.
Judge Cotton entered the room and
interrupted her reverie by handing
her a paper. In the first black head.
line she saw SHADES name and Har-
ris'; an announcement of the last
chapter of the Three Bar war.
The first line of the article stated
that Slade, the cattle king, had been
released. There was insufficient proof
to convict on any count. She felt Il
curious little SILVER Of fear for Har.
ris with Slade once more at large.
The article retold the old tale Of the
fight and portrayed Slade, on his re
lease, viewing the range which he
had once controlled and finding a
squatter family on every available
ranch site.
She had flash Of sympathy for
Slade as she thought his sensations
must have been similar to her owr
| when she had looked upon the ruins
| of the Three Bar. But this was bot
ted out by the knowledge that he had
only met the same treatment he had
] handed to SO many others; that he
had dropped into the trap he had
built for her. She found no real sym
pathy for Slade-Only fear for Har.
| ris since Slade was freed. The old
sense Of responsibility for her brand
| had been worn too long to be shed al
| will. She knew that now.
81 suppose you'll be surprised to
hear that I'm going back" she said
Her fathers old friend smiled
across at her and pulled his pipe
Surprised he said. "Why, I've
known all along you'd be going back
before long. | could have told you
that when you stepped off the train.
He left her alone with Deane when
the younger man arrived. She
plunged into her subject at once.
"Pm sorry" she said. "But In
going home I'm not cut out for this
not for long at one time. | want tC
smell the roundup fire and slip my
Irvine on Three Bar calf; to throw
my leg across horse and ride, anC
feel the wind tearing past. 1t will al
ways be like that with me. So this is
good-by."