White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-02-08
The Settling Of the Sage

you and the boy knew your path ws
going to be carpeted soft IN any ever
that you might sell out If things g,
to breaking wrong. This way
looked like you'd be sure to site
They was planning the best the
knew. Your dad told me to keep q
eye on the general lay, And Jude
Cotton sent me that copy to have O
hand to sort Of iron things out whe
| thought best. I'm telling you b.
cause know you wouldn't quit tn
Three Bar as long as there's two COW
left"
docs Cal know7" she asked.
mot a word" Waddles asserted
"He's likely considerable puzzled hin
self. But he surmises things wi
break right some day, knowing hi
own dad and havin' visited round
day or two with yours. You drop tn
Judge line, girl, and turn Harri
loose to rip up the Three Bar fat an
seed It down to hay"
She nodded and slipped from tn
end-gate of the wagon, taking the pa
per with her. Harris was soaking
flannel shirt In the little stream, fat
tening 1t in rifle and weighing I
down with rocks. She went straigh
to him and sat on the bank, motioninl
him to seat BY her side. he drie'
his hands and took the paper she hel,
out to him.
'What's in the wind?" he asked.
She nodded to indicate the decu
ment and he sat down to iocl, over 1t
His quizzical expression was eraset
as he saw his fathers Game and tn,
girl watched his face for some evi
dence Of resentment as he read on
Their status was now reversed, fol
Bill Harris holdings had been eAsil.
double those of her own parent. Sht
saw the sun wrinkles deepen at tn
corners Of his eyes as he grasped thu
text Of 1t and he looked up at her an(
laughed.
"Now we're resting easy" he said
"An even trade"
"Uneven," she dissented. "Of courst
you know that I'll not take advantage
of that"
Accounts are all squared off be
tween us now," he said. "And o.
course you'll do just what 1t says,
He held up his hand as she started {.
dissent. Don't you" he reproveG
Lets let that end OF 1t slide-res1
for while. Maybe some day well
lump both into one and the two Of us
boss the whole job"
She rested hand on his arm.
"Of course you know I'm sorry for
number of things I've said to you,'
she said. "But want to thank you
for being too decent to return then
In kind You're real folks, CAL"
Good girl, Billie" he thanked her
LAS to what you said, it's remarkable
that you didn't say more. knew yor
weren't grabbing over what you nigh
lose for yourself but over the though
that your, father had been tricked
tried to Put myself in your place an,
If I'd bee9 you know I'd have kicke'
me off the place, or told Waddles t.
turn loose his wolf"
He switched abruptly away from
the topic in hand and reverted to the
subject they had discussed an hour
past.
"We've clear field now with moth
Ing on our minds but the Job Of put
ting the Three Bar on it's feet" he
said. 1.-THE Three Bar is prett.
small outfit the way things are tQda!
but In few more years the brant
that runs three thousand head will b,
almost in the class of cattle kings
The range will be settled with an out
fit roosting on every available site
The big fellows will find their rang
cut up and then they're through
the Three Bar files on all the waite
out of Crazy Loop and covers the fla
with hay we'll control all the rang
for. number of miles each way
There's not another site short o
Brundon's place west of us-twelv
miles or so; about the same to tn
east; still farther off south of u
Well be riding the crest. You tr
and get letter off to the Judge tc
day."
The girl nodded.
ITO BE CONTINUED.)