Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-07-04

Not quite four years later a mar
who might have been 1orty-flye in
stead of 4 Scant twenty-nlne, judg-
ing by the haggard. haunted look in
his eyes. opened the door of the Blue
bell poStofiice and general store. There
was a familiar set to the shoulders, q
line about the mouth. and despite the
olive drab and the puttees George
Baron recognized him.
"Jud Milhollandl"
They shook hands. Jud asked about
Georges mother, about his wife, about
the neighborS. Finally he ventured
The fellow l rode with said the
Frying Pan went under
Yep. Bettern a year ago" George
was behind the counter fooling with
the calico stacked where overalls and
chewing tobacco used to be. Too
many neSters. Cut off the range, and
then beef didn't sell right and the bot
tom dropped out of the horse market. y
Jud smothered a cough, a hacking
Scraping cough. For several minutes
they stood in silence. Then Jud said,
"NesterS, huh?'
Yep. They's got about everything
now but a couple OF sections down in
the Little Muddy Badlands, and that's
too rough 10 get under pillow, l reckon
Jud blinked, blew his nose, turned
away. Finally he said, What happened
to Red Ike? And Bill Tess? They
still around Somewhere?'
Eli went down TO FL PaSo. Got a
brother down there. He's a lawyer or
q representative to Mexico or some
thing like that. And Ike went along
and last I heard he was running a chill
parlor there in FL Paso.'
Two nesterS came with cans of cream
for George to test and eggs for him to
count. AS he turned to ARE for their
needs he looked at Jud who leaned
against the counter and gazed out the
big front window. his eyes glistening
and moist. Then Jud coughed again
and George thought he looked scarce
" a day older than the bare headed
little tike who had cried over Marie
MAholland'S grave. then solemnly de-
cided he'd rather live with Pat Donlin
on the horse ranch than go home with
Georges mother.
Going to stay around here a while?"
George asked, stirring the first can of
cream and taking a sample.
Hardly know" came his answer. Jud
still stared out that front window. And
five minutes later Jud asked, Ike and
Dill alI NONli VI III L iSO. lOu SdN .
Then. lust as George finished both
tests. Jud blew his nose loudly, turned
with q great air of old time sWagger,
and said, well George. if you see any
OF the boys tell EN- I'm back all in
one piece. If l decide to stick around
I'll see you again. BY the way, George,
you never saw that Mexican horse buy
er that was through here jcSt before
left, did you? He didn't come back
the next year?"
George shook his head.
We'll" Jud seemed to swallow some
thing big and hard, well, SO long,
George
Jud opened the door. wandered out
into the afternoon sunlight, where he
could smell the freshness of the buffalo
sod still moist with last nights rain.
But when q flivver chugged along head
ing north, toward the railroad, Jud
hailed the driver, climbed in, vanished
down the dusty road.
1t was a sunny morning the follow
ing March when Jud opened the door
Of the Imperial chilli parlor in Ell Paso;
the door, stepped in, sat on q
stool at the ten foot counter. He wore
multi now, but his eyes still had that
haunted look and he cougned even as
he waited. Then he saw a long, red.
prophetic beard, and he saw a tall
cooks hat-Ike himself edged out from
The tiny galley!
Judi The below ratified the big
front window.
Hello, Ike. God, it's good to see
you'll There were tears in JudS eyes
and there were tears in Ike'S eyes, ana
neither tried to hide them.
Irn,. - hon.. thaxy 20 llyn1 thi1N tho
sun beat down and the natives lOlled
IN the sidewalks or stared in at them
lnnoticed.
so Bills here, too?' Jud finally
Yep. Due along here most any time
now. Him and the Major-Bills
brother. The Majors some high mucky
much with the government, something
o do with Juarez. Got more to say
bout what goes on over there than
he president of Mexico himself. When
EVER any of the boys go over and shoot
Id the town, anyway, it's the Major
Who gets EN- out. He talks, and the
5picks jump to do what he saws, say
any questions till afterward."
"Yeah?"
yep. Him and Bills due along most
my minute. We're going over there to
bull fight this afternoon. It's a big
or something, and we decided
o 60 along with the Major and see
What kind Of a rodeo those Spicks can
.hrow. You'll come along?"
20, I reckon"
So they went, the four Of them,
across the international bridge, past
he long rows of 'dobe huts in the "a
i've section, out to the big amphi-
Bills brother reminded Jud
If the major in his outfit overseas, the
of a maj a fellow would do any
hing in the world for, a big, tall, broad
,houldered chap with a regular army
carriage, iron gray hair, close cropped
nuStache, eyes that twinkled like gray
diamonds, and a low, vibrant voice that
made you want to tell him your
And Jud noticed, the Spicks
we're bowling to the Major like he vas
he PreSidente himself.
Then they were in their seats. al
most at the ringside, and the Major
vas reading the Spanish printed pro-
gram to them. There were three bulls
o be killed, all from some famous herd
Town near Durango, and half a dozen
famous" matadorS were to vie for high
Then they watched the gath
ering crowd for a time, and at last the
Major ventured, Seems to me that
Billy has mentioned you, Milholland, as
something of a rider"
well" Jud cleared his throat and
slightly, while Bill tried fran
,ically to signal to the Major that he
vas venturing on dangerous ground,