Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-04-18

bar men were gone. Slade had many
friends In town.
The girl had seen Harris draw
merely a single pull from left to
right and by his quarterIng pose the
gun had been trained on Slade at the
instant II cleared the holster: not one
superfuons move, even to the
Strengthening OF his wrist The
drivers voice reached her.
Fastest draw In the world for the
few TINT can use IT. he said.
The guard opened the door. The
girl was sitting with her head bowed
In her hands.
Don't take It that way. ma'am."
he counseled. "He was q hard one
-Slade."
But be had misread his signs. She
felt no regret for SIade, only a wave
of thankfulness, 80 powerful as al
most to unnerve her. over Harris es-
cape, untouched. She accused her.
self OF calousness but the spring OF
her sympathy. usually 80 ready,
'>>'Hta vi do dQ6t WDCd DIG WYNN
have wasted few drops on Slade.
The next day. In the late afternoon,
Harris looked up and saw chap clad
rider on the edge OF the valley. She
had ridden over unannounced on a
horse she had borrowed from Brill.
She answered the wave of his hat
and urged the horse down the slope.
He met her at the mouth of the lane
and together they walked back to the
new buildings OF the ranch. The men
breaking horses In the new corrals
were the same old hands. The same
old Waddes presided over the new
cook shack. Her old things, rescued
from the fire, were arranged In the
living room of the new house. A row
OF new storerooms and the shop stood
ON the site OF the old. And In the
midst OF all the improvements the
old cabin first erected on the Three
Bar stood protected by q picket fence
on which few vines were already
beginning to climb.
After the men had quit work to
greet the returning Three Bar boss
she went over every detail of the new
house. The big living room and tire-
place were modelled closely along the
lines of her old quarters; heads and
furs were on the walls, pelts and In.
dian rugs on the floors. Running
water had been piped down from q
sidehlll spring. The new house was
underlined. Then Harris saddled
Calico and Papoose and they rode
down to the fields.
AS they turned Into the lane they
heard the twang OF Waddles guitar
from the cook shack. the booming
voice raised In song In midafternoon.
thing heretofore unheard OF In the
annals of Three Bar life.
"There'll be one real feast tonight
Harris prophesled. "Waddles viii
spread himself"
They rode past the meadow, GOV.
cred with knee-deep stand OF al.
falfa hay.
1T was only tramped down." he
said. "She came up In fine shape
this spring. Wen put up thou
sand tons OF hay"
He held straight on past the
meadow. turned Off below the lower
fence and angled southwest across
the rInge. The calves and yearllngs
along their route gave proof that the
gradIng-up of the Three Bar herds
was already having Its effect Ninety
per cent were straight red stock with
only a few throwbacks to ofr-color
struins. The two spoke but little and
near sunset they rode out and dis
mounted on the ridge from which, al
most a year before, they had viewed
the first move OF organized law In
the Coldriver strip.
whife-topped wagon came toward
them up the valley along the same
route followed by the file Of dusty
riders ON that other day. woman
held the reins over the team and a
curly-halred youngster jostled about
on the seat by her side man wran-
| gled q nondescrIpt drove OF horses
| and cows In the rear.
| That's the way we both came Into
| this country frst you and l." Harris
said Just like that little shaver on
/ the seat"
.Will they find place to settler"
she asked, with sudden hope that
the newcomers would find a suitable
site for home.
Maybe not close around here" he
said. "Most of the good sites you can
get water on are picked up. But
they'll find place either here or
somewhere else little further on"
He slipped an arm about her shout.
I ders.
Its been right lonesome planning
without d little partner to talk II all
over with at night" he said. "Have
you come back for keeps to help me
make the Three Bar the best outfit
In three states? | can't hold down
that Job alone
She nodded and leaned against
| him.
u That's what they wanted-old BIZ
| and@ Cal" she said. "But It's nice
/ that we want Ii too. I've come 10,
keeps: and the road to the outside is