White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-05-10
CHAPTER XII-Continued

IA 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 that
that same state of affairs would go
on Indefinitely, believing that he filed
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 flare-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 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
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 q
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 own
when she had looked upon the ruins
VI tuS 4alCS ou1s oul LILO Uuo WV
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 at
will. She knew that now.
II suppose you'll be surprised to
hear that I'm going back" She said.
Her fathers old friend smiled
across at her and puffed 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.
"Tm sorry" she said. But I'm
going home I'm not cut out for this
not for long at one time. want to
smell the roundup fire and slip my
Irvine on Three Bar calf; to throw
my leg across horse and ride, and
feel the wind tearing past 1t will al
ways be like that with me. So this is
good-by."
Four days later, in the early eve
ming, the stage pulled into Coldriver
with single passenger. The boys
were in from hundred miles around
for one last spree before roundup
time. AS the stage rolled down the
single street the festivities were In
full swing. From one lighted door.
way came the blare Of mechanical
piano accompanied by the scrape OF
feet: the sound of drunken voices
raised in song issued from the next !;
the shrill laughter of dance-hall
girl, the purr Of the ivory ball and the
soft clatter of chips, the ponies drows-
ing at the hitch rails the full length
uf the street. the pealing yelp of some
overenthusiastic citizen whose night
1t was to howl; all these were evi.
dences of the wide difference between
her present surroundings and those OF
the last eight months. She gazed
eagerly out of the stage window. 1t
was good to get back.
AS the stage neared the rambling
log hotel where she would put up for
Tie night compact group of riders
swung down the street. Her heart
seemed to stop as she recognized the
big paint-horse at their head. SHE
had not fully realized how much she
lopged to see Cal Harris.
Instead of dismounting in group
they suddenly split up, as If at a
given signal, scattering the length OF
the block and dismounting singly
There was something purposeful In
this act and vague apprehension
superseded the rush of gladness she
had experienced with the first unex
pected view of the Three Bar crew
Men who stood on the board side.
walks turned hastily inside the open
doors as they glimpsed the riders
spreading the news that the Three
Bar had come to town The driver
pulled up in front of the one hotel.
"It'll come off right now" he said
"Slade's In town."
"Sure," the guard replied. "Why
else would Harris ride in at nigh:
like this unless in answer to SHADES
threat to shoot him down on sightf
Get the girl inside"
The reason for the scattering was
now clear to her. Slade, on his re-
lease. had announced that he would
III ,f.xkS ,h<,,x4 4.