White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-01-04
The Settling Of the Sage

breakfasted. It was turning gray in
the east when four horses, necessl.
tating the attentions of four men,
were hooked to the wagon. man
hung on the bit of each wheel horse
while another grasped the bits of the
lead team as Waddles made on last
hasty trip inside.
This will be rocky ride for a
mile or two." he prophesied, as he
mounted the seat and braced him
self. "These willow-tails haven't had
on a strap of harness for many a
month. All set. Turn loosel"
The men stepped back and the four
horses hit the collars raggedly. One
wheel horse reared and jumped for
ward. The off leader dropped his head
and pitched, shaking himself as If
struggling to unseat rider. then the
four settled into jerkey run and the
heavy wagon clattered and lurched
down the lane.
The wrangler, whose duty 1t was to
tend the horse herd by day, and the
nighthawk who would guard 1t at
night sat on their horses at the far
end Of the corral and urged the herd
out as the gates swung back. The
remuda streamed down the valley.
the two first riders swinging wide to
either flank while the nighthawk and
wrangler brought up the rear.
Shortly before noon the wagon was
halted in broad bottom threaded by
a tiny springfield stream. The teams
were unhitched; mounts were unsad.
died and thrown into the horse herd,
which was then headed into the mouth
Of a branching draw and allowed to
Craze. Waddles dumped off the bed
rolls that were piled from the broad
lowered tail-gate to the wagon top
and each man sorted out his own and
spread 1t upon some spot which
struck him as likely Der ground
It was not long before Waddles was
dispensing nourfshment from the low
| cred tail-gate, ladling food and hot
| coffee into the plates and cups which
the men hell out to him. They drew
away and sat cross-legged on the
ground The meal was almost fin
ished when six horsemen rode down
the valley and pulled up before the
wagon.
"What's the chance for scraps?" the
leader asked.
"Step down." Waddles invited. "And
throw feed In you. She's still a.
steaming."
Four Of the men differed in no ma.
terial way from the Three Bar men
| in appearance. The fifth was ruff
fan with little forehead, face OF
gorilla cast, stamped with brute fe
rocity and small intelligence. The last
of the six was striking figure, big
man with pure white hair and brows
his pale eyes peering from red face
1.-THE roasted albino is Harper, oul
leading bad man in these parts,
Evans remarked to Harris. "And thu
human ape is Lang; Fisher, Coleman
Barton and Garfield are the rest. MIC
layout Of murderers and SUCH"
Harper's men ate unconcernedly
conscious that they were marked a
men who had violated every law OF
the calendar, but knowing also tina
no man would take exceptions to theiI
| presence on that general ground
alone, and as they had neared the
wagon each man had scanned the
faces of the roundup crew to make
certain that there we're none among
them who might bear some more spe
cific and personal dislike.
The Three Bar men chatted ant
fraternized with them as they would
have done with the riders of any lie
Ultimate outfit. Harper praised thu
food that Waddles rendered them.
Billie Warren forced smile as sht
nodded to them, then moved off ant
sat upon rock some fifty yards from
the wagon, despising the six men wht
ate her fare and inwardly raging a
the conditions which forced her to ex
tend the hospitality of the Three Bal
to men of their breed whenever the!
CHANGED by.
| Harris strolled over and sat dowr
facing her, sitting tobacco into {
brown paper and deftly rolling hi!
smoke.
"Has II been on your mind-wfa
was telling you few nights back
about hoy much l was loving your
he asked.
"You had your chance to prove Il
by going away" she said, "and re
fused; so why bring IT up again? The
next two years will be hard enough
without my having to listen to that
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES